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Analysis
The Chargers Barely Blitzed and Still Lived in Darnold’s Pocket
Sam Darnold doesn’t have a Sam Darnold problem. He has a company problem. The Chargers blitzed only 26.9% of the time Sunday, the lowest rate Seattle has seen all season, and still got pressure on 53.8% of his dropbacks, the highest rate any Seahawks quarterback has faced in 2026, per Seaside Joe’s breakdown. Four guys rushing and it felt like nine.
53.8%
Share of Sam Darnold’s dropbacks under pressure against the Chargers, the highest rate a Seahawks quarterback has faced this season.
When they left him alone? Ten of 11 with two touchdowns. That’s the guy who won a Super Bowl, sitting right there any time the pocket stays a pocket. For the season, Darnold has been pressured on 41.3% of his dropbacks. Drew Lock is at 31.4%.
Which explains the number that has people typing in all caps: Lock is third in the league in EPA per dropback and Darnold is 27th (18th among qualified starters). There’s no quarterback controversy here, just one guy who got to throw from a cleaner kitchen. I like Drew Lock a lot. I also remember which one of them has a ring.
Some of this is on the line, which has already sent two guards to injured reserve and has Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens sharing right guard until Anthony Bradford gets back. Stephens was limited Wednesday with a knee. Some of it is on Darnold, too. That first-snap interception against the Chargers is still on the tape.
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There’s no quarterback controversy here, just one guy who got to throw from a cleaner kitchen.
Sunday is a nasty mirror. San Francisco hasn’t allowed Brock Purdy to be sacked all season. Somebody in navy needs to fix that, and somebody else in navy needs to make sure Darnold gets to stand still for three seconds.
SOURCES →
Injuries
Ty Okada Practiced in Full Again. Let’s Try This One More Time.
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Still, this one feels different. Yahoo’s report has him poised to make his first start of the season, and the rest of the report was weirdly calm. Leonard Williams was limited with the ankle, and Macdonald said “we’re optimistic for the game.” Chazz Surratt (calf) didn’t practice. Stephens, Nehemiah Pritchett, Tyrice Knight and George Holani were all limited.
For a team that started zero of its starting safeties in Washington, a boring Wednesday is a gift. Don’t touch it. Don’t even look at it.
SOURCES →
AROUND THE COOP
Around the Coop
Irv Charles, the gunner Seattle got from the Jets, was designated to return from IR and practiced Wednesday. He has 14 career special-teams tackles and a blocked punt. After Washington, Macdonald said the special teams weren’t good enough. Reinforcements have arrived, and they run fast downhill. Seahawks.com
Jaxon Smith-Njigba sat out Wednesday on a veteran rest day. He’s in his fourth season. That’s what $168.6 million buys you in this town: Wednesdays off and nobody asking why. Yahoo Sports
AJ Finley cleared waivers and re-signed to the practice squad Wednesday, one day after Seattle cut him to make room for a running back. Waived Tuesday, back in the building Wednesday. Shortest breakup in Renton history. Seahawks.com
NFC WEST SCHADENFREUDE REPORT
RAMS
CBS Sports’ fantasy desk has Matthew Stafford projected as its early QB1 for Monday night against Buffalo, which is generous for a guy throwing 40 times a game with six interceptions already. Even the projection admits there is “something not quite right with Stafford.” Puka Nacua is back, so now he has one more guy to throw it near. Somewhere a fantasy manager is benching Josh Allen for this. Godspeed.
NINERS
Kyle Shanahan worked Super Bowl LX as a guest analyst, and he told reporters Wednesday that he and his wife left in the third quarter. Did he want to stick around and watch Seattle finish the 29-13 win? “Not at all,” he said. “It was tough.” The 4-0 Niners keep insisting Sunday is just another division game. Their head coach couldn’t sit through the second half of ours. We’ll save you an aisle seat, Kyle. Near the exit.
CARDINALS
Arizona lost left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. to a torn biceps and season-ending IR, so seventh-round rookie Jayden Williams starts against Detroit. Meanwhile, the Giants blitzed Jacoby Brissett 51.3 percent of the time last week, and Mike LaFleur volunteered that it’s “a copycat league” and “I don’t think I’m sharing secrets to Detroit.” He is now. Send everybody, Lions.
SEACHICKENS TRIVIA
Seattle took this Alabama running back 19th overall in 2000, and in 2005 he scored 28 touchdowns, an NFL single-season record at the time. Who is he?
Tap to Reveal the Answer
Shaun Alexander. He ran for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns that year and became the first Seahawk ever named league MVP.
THIS DAY IN SEAHAWKS HISTORY
2017
October 8, 2017
Seattle Spots Sean McVay’s Rams 10 Points, Then Shuts the Door
In Sean McVay’s first season, the Rams jumped out 10-0 on Seattle in Los Angeles and then didn’t score again. Russell Wilson hit Jimmy Graham for a 4-yard touchdown before halftime, Blair Walsh kicked three field goals, and the defense forced five turnovers, including an Earl Thomas punch-out on Todd Gurley that rolled out of the end zone. Seattle won 16-10. A rookie named Cooper Kupp caught a big pass for the Rams that day. He works for us now.
Got a Question That Keeps You Up at Night?
Pass protection, practice-squad shuffles, whether Okada actually plays this time. Send it in and The Rooster will answer it with more confidence than the facts strictly allow.
Somebody block somebody on Sunday. — The Rooster