After a rough showing against the Rams, Sam Darnold and the Seahawks now enter the defining stretch of their 2025 regular season

Sam Darnold and company have been hit with their first major offensive setback. What happens next?

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer
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Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Sam Darnold are entering a critical window of their first season together. Seattle is fresh off a narrow loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams, a contest that probably cost a few players some sleep last night as they lamented over missed opportunities in a two-point defeat. Darnold should be considered at the forefront after conceding four interceptions, including one in Seattle territory that helped set up a three-yard touchdown drive for the Rams.

Take the four interceptions at face value. It happens to everyone. Bad games happen. But we’re now set to enter into Week 12, and the Rams have put some valuable tape out for the rest of the league. How does Darnold, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and company respond? Welcome to the defining stretch of Seattle’s regular season.

After rough offensive showings versus Rams, Seahawks and Sam Darnold must prove they can evolve ahead of the curve

Nov 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) knocks the ball away from Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) for an incomplete pass during the second half at SoFi Stadium. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

I wouldn’t suspect the Tennessee Titans in Week 12 to be the team that’s suited to try to take inspiration from this Rams game plan and execution against Darnold. Perhaps Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores can in Week 13. He knows Darnold well from their time in Minnesota last year, after all.

Any time you pair a new offensive coordinator with a new starting quarterback and things click, you’ll have the opportunity to get out ahead of opposing defenses. We’re seeing the same thing in Indianapolis this season with Daniel Jones and Shane Steichen. Both Seattle and Indianapolis sit near the top of their respective conferences. But at some point throughout the course of that season, someone’s defense is going to figure out how to push your buttons and get you uncomfortable and off-script.

Seattle Seahawks worst passing performances in 2025 (offensive EPA)

  • Week 11 versus Los Angeles Rams (-13.86 EPA on passes)
  • Week 7 versus Houston Texans (-8.95 EPA on passes)
  • Week 1 versus San Francisco 49ers (-1.69 EPA on passes)
  • Week 2 versus Pittsburgh Steelers (1.97 EPA on passes)

How do you handle that moment in your season? Can you redirect your efforts to adjust? Do you have a counter to the counter? Or does the book on “you” as an offense start to become written? Remember the Mike McDaniel/Tua Tagovailoa passing revolution in 2022 and 2023? The “cheat motion” broke defenses early on in 2023. Tagovailoa played all 17 games. But only one of the team’s best eight offensive performances (measured in offensive EPA) that season came after Week 8. They were at their worst in Weeks 17 and 18 of the regular season while playing their worst offensive game of the season against Kansas City in the Wild Card round.

The other side of the ball gets paid too. And this critical juncture for Seattle is going to determine whether Kubiak and Darnold have more clubs in the bag to get out in front of what the Rams put on tape or if Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula helped his defense take the first major step in cracking Seattle’s offensive code.

Game on.

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