Barnwell: 5 reasons the Seahawks obtained –

NFL teams with younger gamers in key positions panic the unexpected. With two weeks of preparation between the convention championship games and the Astronomical Bowl, aged coaching staffs like the one in Contemporary England are going in an effort to collapse tape and put together 2d-year quarterback Drake Maye for every little thing the Seahawks receive shown on movie, in particular from their past few weeks of soccer. I build no longer need any doubt that Maye and his offensive mind believe had answers for what they anticipated from the Seahawks on Sunday, nonetheless bright what the Seahawks are going to design and beating it are two separate things.

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Ultimate when Maye thought he had the answers, Seattle coach Mike Macdonald modified the questions. The Seahawks introduced a devastating wrinkle into their defensive sport conception. And while Seattle most certainly would were true adequate to gather the game with out it, the unexpected look saved for the greatest sport of the year tormented the Patriots, producing chaotic moments for Contemporary England’s offense sooner than topping things off with a defensive touchdown.

A more experienced quarterback or one with better security might also fair need had the time and wherewithal to adapt instant. Maye didn’t, and the Patriots were flummoxed by one thing the Seahawks hadn’t shown on tape in nearly two months. The discontinue result: Seahawks 29, Patriots 13. Let’s develop sense of what came about in Astronomical Bowl LX.

Bounce to:

Witherspoon | D-line | Walker

Dickson | Darnold

The Witherspoon stress wrinkle

I build no longer need any considerations with Seattle working assist Kenneth Walker III winning MVP on this sport, nonetheless I’d were happier to be aware Devon Witherspoon take house the hardware for what he did on protection. The Seahawks cornerback was once superb in protection and made a call of splash performs, including the person that helped originate Seattle’s sport-sealing defensive touchdown within the 2d half.

To receive there, Macdonald broke with a longtime tendency and showed the Patriots one thing they either weren’t waiting for or severely underestimated. One day of the fashioned season, the Seahawks blitzed finest 20.7% of the time, the fifth-lowest payment within the NFL. On Sunday, that number in fact dropped to 15.1% — then all over again it was once heavily rupture up by half. Macdonald blitzed Maye 33.3% of the time within the distinguished half sooner than dialing it assist and sending further rushers steady 8% of the time after the rupture.

What’s more crucial than the regular blitz payment, though, is who the Seahawks sent after the quarterback. Witherspoon is an superb blitzer and physical power all the diagram through the road of scrimmage, nonetheless Macdonald had held off on the employ of him to receive after the quarterback. The third-year pro had rushed the quarterback steady 33 times all the diagram through 12 fashioned-season games. Extra right this moment, Witherspoon hadn’t been sent on a single blitz in Seattle’s past four games, covering the last two fashioned-season contests and Seattle’s wins over the 49ers and Rams within the postseason.

Within the Astronomical Bowl, though, Witherspoon rushed Maye seven times, with one being worn out by an offside penalty on a teammate. His assorted six fling-bustle snaps produced one sack and what was once in fact a strip-sack on a 2d, steady for the ball to lift within the air as it flew into the hands of Uchenna Nwosu for what went down as a pick-six. These pressures didn’t singlehandedly gather Seattle the game, nonetheless they created huge performs and reputedly obtained into Maye’s head for everything of the competition.

Let’s originate with the distinguished Witherspoon blitz of the game. The Patriots were going through a third-and-9 within the distinguished quarter from the Seattle 44-yard line. Even about a yards here might also set the Pats in location to are trying a lengthy self-discipline aim. Macdonald was once incentivized to develop a opposed play or an outright discontinuance to power a punt, and the Seattle coach dialed up one amongst the more habitual pressures the Seahawks receive shown all season:

Devon Witherspoon’s blitz on third-and-9 forces a Drake Maye throwaway. The Patriots punt from the Seahawks aspect of the self-discipline with 7:23 to switch within the distinguished quarter and don’t develop it assist onto Seattle’s aspect of the self-discipline until the fourth quarter. pic.twitter.com/VJ5SK6nYiF

— Invoice Barnwell (@billbarnwell) February 9, 2026

There is a lot occurring here. Witherspoon (No. 21) appears to be like like he is covering DeMario Douglas (No. 3) within the slot, nonetheless as the play clock winds down, he turns correct into a blitzer. The Seahawks are exhibiting what appears to be like to be to be two-deep zone protection, nonetheless these two safeties if truth be told discontinue up matching to the two final receivers in man protection. The Seahawks receive loaded up the road of scrimmage and lined up the internal linemen, and the Patriots acknowledge by having their five linemen block the five most terrible rushers. Working assist Rhamondre Stevenson is furthermore in fling security when his man comes, giving the Patriots six blockers for six capacity rushers.

Crucially, left fashion out Will Campbell (No. 66) is occupied by DeMarcus Lawrence (No. 0), so there might be no one to block Witherspoon’s blitz off the brink. The Seahawks furthermore drop two defensive tackles into protection, leaving the two guards with no one to block and defenders in Maye’s throwing lanes if he desires to receive rid of the ball instant. Maye is hot off the left aspect, that manner he is in payment for getting the ball out sooner than Witherspoon gets house. He would no longer receive time or anyplace to switch with the soccer, though, so Maye frantically scrambles and throws the ball away. The Patriots punt from internal Seahawks territory; they would not wicked midfield all over again until the fourth quarter.

Witherspoon would receive his sack on the following possession. Facing third-and-15, the Patriots know that the left aspect of their line (and Campbell in particular) are susceptible. The Seahawks lift three capacity rushers to that aspect, and the Patriots withhold Stevenson in to assist block. Nonetheless Seattle brings finest two.

— NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2026

From the assorted aspect, though, Macdonald brings four rushers for 3 blockers. The Seahawks twist their interior linemen to have the heart and upright guard. They receive got Lawrence rupture up diagram originate air the tight discontinue, forcing upright fashion out Morgan Moses to receive on his horse to receive originate air and block him. Witherspoon loops internal, as regards to untouched on the overload, for a sack. Maye has Hunter Henry on a checkdown, nonetheless even though he gets there, the Seahawks are going to be in location to rally and kind out him wanting the sticks on third-and-forever.

Within the third quarter, the Seahawks introduced Witherspoon on a pair of sim pressures, where they finest rushed four nonetheless introduced a cornerback and dropped a lineman into protection. Maye was once correct away reactive to those pressures. On the distinguished, he took several unnatural or unprecedented steps to his upright and missed what’s going to have to were a straightforward slant to receiver Kayshon Boutte from an attitude he most certainly hasn’t thrown from many times all season. On the 2d, he threw instant into the flat for working assist TreVeyon Henderson. That shunned a sack, nonetheless the throw was once correct into a lined zone and picked up finest 3 yards on 2d-and-10.

Maye hit a 7-yard out on the following Witherspoon blitz, nonetheless the sixth one set your Astronomical Bowl occasion to mattress. With Seattle up 21-7 and 4:37 to switch, Macdonald had one more habitual call left within the playbook. The Seahawks were exhibiting a rather stable look sooner than the snap, nonetheless with the Patriots the employ of tempo to are trying a immediate gather, Maye had time to finest instant listing a straightforward security sooner than the Seahawks were even fully space, with the Pats sliding four linemen to the left.

— NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2026

After the snap, the Seahawks fully shifted shape. Ultimate two rushers came from the left aspect, as Boye Mafe dropped into protection on Henry, while Reduce Emmanwori came your complete diagram all the diagram through the formation to if truth be told bracket Stefon Diggs on the assorted aspect of the self-discipline, eradicating Maye’s be taught and a capacity hasty completion over the heart. Every Ernest Jones IV and Witherspoon blitzed from the upright aspect, leaving Maye with two blockers for 3 defenders. Stevenson took the one who had the shortest path to the quarterback in Jones, nonetheless Witherspoon was once free to walk down Maye, who all over again needed to receive the ball out sooner than he obtained house.

This time, he wasn’t instant adequate to throw the ball away. Witherspoon missed out on a strip-sack, nonetheless Nwosu — who beat Moses and was once in location to capitalize — was once credited for an interception and took it to the house.

Macdonald was once many times in a local to dictate and predict what the Patriots would design in fling security and then take earnings of what they showed in response. Doing that with an athlete of Witherspoon’s caliber as the fling rusher makes things infinitely more appealing for the opposing quarterback. A aged passer might also fair need been in a local to reset the safety instant, look for that Witherspoon was once coming a tick earlier sooner than the snap or design a more in-depth job of getting the ball out instant in a while. Nonetheless given how below the radar the probability of stress from Witherspoon flew sooner than the game, I’m no longer certain the Pats would receive had a realistic response even with a more experienced quarterback.

Amid the blitz-happy first half and deep into the 2d half, Maye looked frazzled. His ball placement — which was once so impressive sooner or later of the fashioned season and even on huge performs within the postseason — was once inconsistent. He gave the impact to lock onto receivers and/or bustle his passes out of grief that he build no longer need time to throw.

It didn’t continuously seem like the NFL MVP runner-up was once on the the same page alongside with his receivers as they be taught coverages; Maye would inquire of a receiver to select and he would proceed to bustle, or vice versa. On one third-and-3 assist-shoulder are trying, Boutte ended up a fat yard out of bounds on the sideline sooner than the ball even arrived, rendering a capacity completion moot. Mack Hollins slipped out of his rupture when working a deep put up, resulting in a Maye throw that was once nearly intercepted. (Hollins did a true job of breaking apart the fling.) And later on that comparable power, Maye stepped up and gave the impact to throw a ball between his two eligible receivers downfield, no longer in fact coming shut to either. That time, Julian Love picked off Maye.

No blitz, no dispute

The blitz was once a relaxing piece of the game conception, nonetheless even though the Seahawks had adopted within the footsteps of Philadelphia Eagles DC Vic Fangio, who a year ago went your complete Astronomical Bowl with out sending further males after the quarterback, they might receive serene given Maye fits. Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Maye was once forced nearly forty eight% of the time when the Seahawks rushed four or fewer. That’s the highest stress payment posted while sending four or fewer rushers by any team in any sport this postseason, topping the Texans’ pummeling of Aaron Rodgers within the wild-card spherical.

Everybody on the Pats’ O-line had their rough moments in fling security, nonetheless the gross target for loads of of the night was once Campbell. The rookie left fashion out had continued a brutal stretch of elite fling rushers since returning from a insensible-season knee pains, allowing four sacks and 15 pressures through his first three playoff games, per NFL Next Gen Stats. There was once absolute self belief that Macdonald was once going to design whatever he might most certainly possibly to isolate Campbell one-on-one towards Lawrence and Seattle’s assorted fling rushers.

In Sunday’s loss, Campbell was once credited with one sack allowed nonetheless gave up a whopping 14 pressures, a number of the I’ve viewed for any participant all season. Four of these were hasty pressures, tying him with Seahawks rookie Grey Zabel for the highest total of the game. Some of Maye’s 28 pressures were on the quarterback himself, nonetheless Campbell merely couldn’t lengthen in fling security and didn’t receive a gigantic day bustle blockading, either.

The Seahawks overpowered him with bull rushes and stronger, longer opponents. Lawrence fended off a Campbell block with one arm while stuffing Henderson at the road for no attain alongside with his assorted. Derick Corridor rode Campbell upright assist into Maye for the distinguished sack of the night. That’s a 254-pound edge rusher bullying a 320-pound left fashion out. That happens, nonetheless you no longer incessantly test up on what came up within the fourth quarter, when Corridor did the the same thing to Campbell with one arm in choice to 2.

It’s you can accept as true with that Campbell was once serene battling the aftereffects of the MCL pains he suffered insensible within the season sooner or later of what’s going to fling down as a atrocious postseason. His efficiency on Sunday, though, gave the impact to ascertain the predraft skeptics who urged that the fourth total pick didn’t receive lengthy adequate hands to play left fashion out at the pro stage. Campbell has been an give a enhance to on the assorted left tackles the Patriots ran out closing season, nonetheless there shall be serious questions all offseason about whether he must be the lengthy-time-frame acknowledge on Maye’s blind aspect.

Seattle has a deep, proficient defensive position, nonetheless there was once no Will Anderson Jr. or Nik Bonitto on this combine, the form of edge rusher who goes fully supernova and can’t be blocked at his finest. The backups were even provocative. Rookie Seahawks defensive fashion out Rylie Mills missed loads of the season with a torn ACL and had performed steady one defensive snap all the diagram through Seattle’s first two playoff games. But he bull-rushed Jared Wilson into Maye for a sack on one amongst his five snaps.

There are no longer any big answers for dealing with a gigantic protection in case you receive a jittery quarterback and an offensive line that can’t reliably discontinuance a four-man bustle. One option to alleviate the stress is leaning on the bustle sport, nonetheless the Pats were in a local to receive finest 42 yards on 13 carries from Stevenson and Henderson, with out a single bustle of 10 yards or more. The Seahawks many times former their 2d-stage defenders — most on occasion Drake Thomas — to bustle blitz into the B-hole and power the Patriots’ guards to react instant. The tactic produced an early fashion out for loss for Thomas and 2 unblocked tackles for Ernest Jones when the Pats struggled to take care of the bustle blitzes.

Shrimp adjustments from Contemporary England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels labored for a play here or there. The Patriots pitched the ball originate air to receive away from the B-hole bustle blitzes for a single 9-yard attain. They ran a jet sweep to Henderson to take earnings of an aggressive Seahawks protection and bustle past an unblocked defender on the discontinue of the road. Maye had one hasty out for a completion away from the Witherspoon blitz for a 7-yard attain.

Within the massive listing, though, the Patriots didn’t appear to pack the schematic picks that can need given the Seahawks considerations or develop many adjustments to develop existence more uncomplicated for Maye as the game wore alongside.

Rob the jumbo personnel grouping let’s insist, where the Patriots former fashion out Thayer Munford Jr. as a sixth offensive lineman. I eminent in my preview that the Patriots former Munford on about 15 offensive snaps per sport from Week 15 onward, every as an further bustle blocker and a diagram to originate explosives within the passing sport. The Seahawks match steady about every little thing with their nickel and dime defensive groupings, and the sixth lineman might also fair need given the Patriots a diagram to bodily overpower a smaller Seahawks linebacking corps.

Within the distinguished quarter, Munford came on the self-discipline for his first offensive snap of the game, and the Patriots went with play-action and hit Boutte for a 21-yard completion. He never noticed the self-discipline on offense all over again. Munford was once battling a knee pains in fresh weeks, nonetheless he was once off the pains relate and did come assist on the self-discipline within the fourth quarter to block on the lone Pats further point of the day. If Munford was once wholesome adequate to be active, or no longer it’s unclear why the Pats didn’t employ that six-lineman grouping more on occasion.

The Patriots didn’t take a single snap all sport out of empty, where the Seahawks had struggled on protection sooner or later of the fashioned season. Leaving Campbell one-on-one would were a grisly proposition, nonetheless they might receive needed to believe Maye (who was once 2d in QBR out of empty sooner or later of the fashioned season) to receive the ball out instant, a more uncomplicated job with five eligibles. Transferring the open point might also fair need made existence more efficient, nonetheless Maye obtained originate air the fashion out field for finest four fling attempts all sport. There were furthermore no trick performs from a coach who continuously appears to be like to receive one or two on his playsheet sooner or later of a sport wherein Contemporary England desperately needed to originate one thing out of nothing.

Adding an further down might most certainly possibly receive helped, and the Pats tried flipping their trends in a recent diagram and not using a success. Within the show-day NFL, third-and-5 might also very correctly be a bustle down, given how happy teams receive change into with going for it on fourth-and-2 or less. So, the Pats checked correct into a third-and-5 bustle on their very have 37-yard line … nonetheless then didn’t block defensive fashion out Jarran Reed, who stuffed Stevenson for no attain. The Pats punted.

Throwing on third-and-1 is furthermore a diagram to establish out to originate an explosive play in a self-discipline where the opposing team is promoting out to discontinuance the bustle, in particular in case you might most certainly possibly also very correctly be at liberty going for it on fourth-and-1 after an incompletion. The Pats took a downfield shot on third-and-1 within the third quarter from their very have 41-yard line and had an originate receiver, nonetheless Maye missed the throw. It’s most likely you’ll possibly take that shot in case you might most certainly possibly also very correctly be willing to establish out to convert on fourth down, nonetheless Vrabel punted, costing the Patriots 2.3 share points of gather likelihood within the job.

I’m able to be aware why Vrabel didn’t believe his offense to receive a yard, nonetheless given what the Seahawks had done to that time, punting and waiting for his offense to power the dimensions of the self-discipline for a touchdown wasn’t going to be a extremely winning sport conception, either.

The Kenneth Walker III Sport

Let’s talk about referring to the MVP. In his final sport sooner than free agency, Walker had one thing like the quintessential version of what his technology gave the impact of in Seattle. I presumed the commentary about what Walker couldn’t design sooner or later of the game was once a miniature little bit of harsh (in particular for a guy who was once about to gather MVP), nonetheless to be honest, he did drop a fling and came up immediate on a fling block are trying that ended in Contemporary England’s finest sack of the game. Ultimate eight of Walker’s 25 carries were winning by EPA (anticipated points added), producing a 29.6% success payment, a figure the Pats’ backs topped while averaging 3.2 yards per pop.

None of that mattered, for sure, due to Walker was once an explosive play machine with the ball in his hands. He had five runs of 10 or more yards, including 29- and 30-yard runs on the the same power. He added a 20-yard find on a camouflage fling. The fourth-year pro completed with 135 dashing yards and 26 receiving yards. For loads of the day, he carried a Seahawks offense that wasn’t getting powerful from the passing sport.

Walker was once in a local to originate powerful greater than what was once blocked on the day. The Patriots helped by struggling to space their edges, allowing Walker to rupture originate air to receive into the originate self-discipline. He was once in a local to gain 30 yards within the assist of a pulling Zabel within the distinguished quarter; the rookie guard was once in a local to fend off K’Lavon Chaisson, who couldn’t power the play assist internal. Walker obtained to the nook and then ran through a Marcus Jones ankle fashion out on the sideline for 20 further yards.

Later within the the same collection, Walker ran within the assist of center Jalen Sundell correct into a vacated hole for a huge attain. He added more at the discontinue of the bustle by going spherical Christian Gonzalez, who was once caught in no man’s land within the originate self-discipline. Gonzalez saved a touchdown, nonetheless Walker set the Seahawks in fluctuate for one amongst their many self-discipline desires.

We noticed the league’s offensive evolution play out in minute fashion sooner or later of the 2d half. The Patriots began to lean correct into a 6-1 front to establish out to take away the zone runs and dare the Seahawks into passing, steady as they did towards the Rams in Astronomical Bowl LIII, sparking the bustle-sport evolution I wrote about in my preview. On the following collection after the Pats showed that six-man front, Seahawks offensive coordinator (and future Raiders head coach) Klint Kubiak ran them out of it by calling one amongst the ideas that these offenses leaned additional into as a response to six-man fronts: The Seahawks dialed up a pin/pull sweep, and Walker picked up 14 yards.

The repeated address Walker’s patience hitting the outlet invited comparisons to one more superb assist of the past in Le’Veon Bell. Some of that is schematic in choice to stylistic; the Steelers’ favourite play with Bell was once a counter bustle that took time to originate. Likewise, the Seahawks bustle hundreds of duo with Walker, when he is if truth be told making an are trying to receive one-on-one with the opposing linebacker and steer him into blockading or develop him leave out. Zone runs receive the working assist on the switch from the soar and receive him develop one hasty lower upfield.

Obviously, Bell’s efficiency after leaving the Steelers might also very correctly be a cautionary story for teams who eyed what Walker did on this sport. Bell averaged steady 3.3 yards per lift away from Pittsburgh, spending most of that time mired with a moribund Jets offense and a quarterback (Sam Darnold) who no one ever heard from all over again. It’s miles clear-chop to be patient in case you receive a true bustle-blockading line and an offense that scares teams with the fling. And Bell was once a powerful better receiver than Walker.

On the the same time, it is a league decided to receive gamers who can originate explosive performs towards defenses that are promoting out to discontinuance them. That’s why rapid, underwhelming huge receivers like Dyami Brown and Tutu Atwell landed one-year, $10 million offers in free agency closing offseason. Walker would most certainly be taking a discover for a deal within the $12 million fluctuate, which is if truth be told in accordance with what these replacement-stage wideouts were getting closing season. He’s a more in-depth participant than either.

This was once a disjointed Astronomical Bowl on offense, where neither team was once reliably moving the ball for true chunks of yardage. Tricks on how to receive in scoring fluctuate sooner than the turnovers came was once by producing explosive performs. By three quarters, there were seven of these performs, and six of them were by Seattle. Walker was once in payment for 3 of these six. Having a participant like that on your pocket might also very correctly be in fact priceless, even though he is working a middling success payment or losing the occasional fling. Whether or no longer he re-indicators in Seattle or heads in other places, Walker might most certainly possibly receive a market as a playmaker this offseason.

Astronomical boots

While they weren’t needed to judge a shut contest, Seattle’s special teams showed up all over again in a huge sport. Within the NFC West-deciding gather over the Rams in December, it was once Rashid Shaheed‘s punt return touchdown that helped spur a fourth-quarter comeback. The rematch within the NFC title sport was once likely made up our minds by the 2d muffed punt from Rams returner Xavier Smith, which the Seahawks recovered for a immediate self-discipline and a immediate touchdown.

The return males on all facets were serene on Sunday, nonetheless Seattle’s specialists performed a serious feature. Jason Myers didn’t receive any in particular appealing kicks, on condition that every of his seven attempts were within 41 yards, nonetheless the aged kicker went 5-for-5 on self-discipline aim tries and hit every of his further point attempts. The Seahawks went 1-for-4 within the red zone towards one amongst the league’s worst red zone defenses from the fashioned season, so these self-discipline desires were treasured points sooner than the Seahawks broke things originate insensible.

The particular big name on special teams was once punter Michael Dickson, who most certainly belonged upright within the assist of Walker and Witherspoon within the MVP discussion. Dickson punted seven times on this sport, and in live efficiency with an superb Seahawks protection unit, he yielded steady 4 return yards to very giant name Pats returner Marcus Jones. Dickson dropped three punts internal Contemporary England’s 6-yard line and averaged 47.3 procure yards per punt.

While the Seahawks managed this sport, they weren’t continuously in big self-discipline location shape. With the offense struggling for consistency, Seattle had four of its first nine drives stall out internal its have 30-yard line. Dickson’s punts prevented the Patriots from starting in a self-discipline where one explosive play would were adequate to receive into self-discipline aim fluctuate. And with the Patriots failing to gain greater than two first downs on any of their first 13 possessions, the Seahawks weren’t in worry for loads of of the day thanks to Dickson’s fourth-down contributions.

Sam Darnold: Astronomical Bowl champion

Most Astronomical Bowl recaps don’t receive this some distance in with out discussing the quarterback of the winning team, nonetheless Darnold wasn’t the in-sport memoir. The Patriots clearly wished to set the game on Darnold’s shoulders, as they tried to soar steady about every throw early and blitzed the journeyman quarterback nearly 57% of the time.

Darnold must be credited below these circumstances for safeguarding the soccer. He didn’t turn it over towards a decided Patriots protection — that manner he went four serious games (two towards the 49ers, one towards the Rams and here within the Astronomical Bowl) with none turnovers. It’s steady the 2d time in Darnold’s profession that he has started four consecutive games in a single season with out turning the ball over at the least once, and he pulled it off sooner or later of his most distinguished stretch ever.

It’s furthermore realistic to show that Darnold missed a bunch of throws on this sport, though. He had Jaxon Smith-Njigba for what might most certainly possibly were a lengthy touchdown on a lag drill within the distinguished quarter, finest to overthrow the big name huge receiver by a pair of yards. And when Smith-Njigba beat Gonzalez for what’s going to have to were a TD fling on a put up at the discontinue of the distinguished half, Darnold’s throw was once within the assist of him and gave Gonzalez a likelihood to rupture up the throw. (Gonzalez had a gigantic sport, nonetheless Darnold let him off the hook here.)

The Patriots showed Darnold Duvet 0 (man protection and not using a security assist) in key spots within the 2d half and lived to listing the story. Facing a third-and-9 steady originate air the red zone, Darnold had Cooper Kupp originate on an out towards the blitz for what’s going to have to were a first down, nonetheless he missed his throw originate air towards a hot rusher. The most painful one might also fair need been on the following possession, when Shaheed ran past Carlton Davis III in Duvet 0 and was once originate for a capacity 59-yard touchdown. Darnold overthrew him by a yard.

As a substitute, Darnold added tag in unexpected methods. Maye’s ability to impress games alongside with his legs was once a fable heading into the Astronomical Bowl, nonetheless Darnold was once powerful more treasured within the game we in fact noticed. He many times managed to elude Patriots sack attempts, tormenting Milton Williams, who had an superb sport nonetheless managed finest one QB takedown. Darnold was once in a local to indicate performs that can have to were sacks into throwaways or immediate completions. He nearly did a Lamar Jackson impact on that lag-drill overthrow within the distinguished quarter, and he even added an 11-yard lag for a first down after working away from Williams as the Contemporary England defensive fashion out rumbled through the A-hole.

Darnold completed the day with a fifty three.0 Complete QBR, which felt about upright to me. And while he had lengthy stretches sooner or later of the fashioned season as every the suitable quarterback in soccer and one amongst the worst, if we consist of his postseason efficiency, Darnold completed the season thirteenth in Complete QBR. That furthermore feels honest. Darnold had a lengthy bustle where he was once in fact treasured by generating gobs of explosive performs — even while racking up turnovers. Within the postseason, he was once mostly offering tag by holding the soccer. The exception was once the NFC Championship Sport towards the Rams, where the Seahawks needed a huge passing day from their quarterback and bought one.

There has been hundreds written about Darnold and every little thing that has came about to him sooner or later of the last twelve months. Devour closing season with the Vikings, there has most certainly been a miniature little bit of too powerful of a address him as the quarterback of a rather above-common offense when the driving force for his teams were what they’ve done on protection. On the the same time, correctly, question the Vikings if they leave out having Darnold spherical.

The Seahawks didn’t gather the Astronomical Bowl due to they’d Darnold. Nonetheless they build no longer need been within the Astronomical Bowl if it weren’t for Darnold, who balled out sooner or later of the distinguished half of the season as the working sport struggled to receive going. He came through within the fourth quarter and beyond fashioned time towards the Rams to assist the Seahawks grunt the pinnacle space within the NFC, and he was once very finest within the rematch to knock the Rams out within the rubber match two weeks ago, overcoming the one team that gave the impact to resolve Seattle’s dominant protection.

Darnold answered the bell when the Seahawks needed him most. That’s a true teammate and an very crucial piece of any Astronomical Bowl team. For a quarterback who was once branded as a bust through hopeless conditions with the Jets and Panthers, Darnold is going to be a generational reminder to no longer rely quarterbacks out sooner than they discontinue up within the upright location. And after Darnold has started games for four assorted organizations in four years, I believe he has done adequate to be assist starting for the Seahawks as they lift their 2d Astronomical Bowl banner to the rafters in 2026.