CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With 5:33 left in the first half Sunday, Sam Darnold dropped a shotgun snap, an appropriate precursor for ensuing sloppiness. He picked it up, looked left and tried to locate tight end AJ Barner, who had leaked open over the middle. Instead, Darnold’s arm was hit and the ball fluttered forward, with Carolina defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson scooping the supposed fumble off the artificial turf.
From there, Robinson was immediately rocked by Darnold, forcing yet another fumble. The ball bounced to Seattle’s 31-yard line, where outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum failed to fall on it. It hit off his hands and kept comically rolling, before Panthers linebacker Christian Rozeboom mercifully recovered it under a mounting pile.
A Darnold roller coaster. A questionable refereeing call. An onslaught of silly, uninspiring slop.
That 10-second sequence summarized the Seahawks’ entire frustrating first half.
But when Darnold wavered, his defense didn’t.
“We just knew we had to get the ball, give our offense a shorter field and opportunities to put the ball in the end zone,” safety Julian Love said after the Seahawks’ 27-10 win. “That’s how we’ve been this year.”
It’s obviously been a winning formula.
But it’s worth wondering if the Seahawks can win that way in postseason play.
Not against a Carolina team with a minus-67 point differential on the season. Not against the 3-13 Titans, 8-8 Vikings, 6-9 Falcons or 8-8 Colts.
When it matters most, we’ll see if the Seahawks survive Darnold’s roller coaster ride.
The 28-year-old quarterback did respond to complete 18 of 27 passes and throw a 17-yard touchdown to Barner. Back-to-back fourth quarter completions — a 10-yard back-foot seed to Jaxon Smith-Njigba that beat the blitz on third-and-four, followed by an 18-yard rip to Smith-Njigba along the right sideline — displayed Darnold’s undeniable upside.
But his 20 turnovers are the most in the NFL, while the Seahawks’ 26 total turnovers entering Sunday sat second.
The defense and running game came to the rescue.
But boy, that remains a risky way to win.
“It’s really just the ball being in jeopardy,” said Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, when asked if he’s concerned about Darnold’s ball security. “Deflections, things like that, those things happen. But I think if we take care of the front end of the plays better, it won’t be as big of an issue. We call it ‘eat’; it’s how you finish plays. We’ve got to double down on that. It’s critical at this part of the year.”
It’ll be even more critical in postseason play, the possible difference between parades and empty endings.
As for eating? Seattle’s defense devoured Carolina. When defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence forced and recovered a Chuba Hubbard fumble, the Seahawks scored their first touchdown six plays later. When Love nabbed an interception on Carolina’s next drive, the Seahawks scored their second touchdown four plays later. When back-to-back sacks by Boye Mafe and Lawrence preceded a turnover on downs, the Seahawks scored their third touchdown five plays later.
Credit running back Zach Charbonnet (110 rushing yards, 6.1 yards per carry, 2 TD), Barner, Darnold, etc., for finishing drives. But all three Seahawks touchdowns were sparked by their defense.
The Seahawks’ defense was an offense all its own.
“It’s just the dynamic of us taking care of each other, fighting for each other,” said Lawrence, who logged six tackles with a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. “If the offense makes a mistake, the defense helps. If the defense makes a mistake, the offense is right there to have our back. It’s just a testament to the brotherhood we have here and the football we’re playing.”
Case in point: Seattle’s sideline with 12:06 left in the third quarter Sunday, after Darnold lobbed an interception into the end zone. As 73,163 inside Bank of America Stadium celebrated, Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon bounced onto the field, waving both arms to welcome the decibels. Beside him, defensive lineman Leonard Williams did the same.
They looked … happy? Grateful? Like they knew a secret that would soon become clear?
Lawrence forced a fumble on the very next play.
“That’s something we always identify as ‘death zone football,’” Williams said. “Regardless of what the situation was, how [Darnold’s interception] happened, when the defense takes the field we’re ready to get a stop. That’s a great mentality to have. We want to go out there and be the ones to change the game.”
Added Witherspoon: “We’ve been in that situation multiple times this year. It’s nothing new to us. We thrive in those moments. We pick each other up when we need each other. That’s all that is.”
They’ve been in that situation multiple times. Too many times.
It’s a testament to this defense that they continue to overcome.
It’s not that Seattle’s offense is incapable, either. The Seahawks set a franchise record Sunday with 470 points on the season. They rank second in yards per play (6.0) and scoring offense (29.5 points per game). Like a roller coaster, Darnold’s highs have been exhilarating, with 17 consecutive completions against the Commanders and a frantic comeback to oust the Rams in overtime. At 13-3, Seattle can secure the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a win at San Francisco next weekend.
But when it’s time to eat, or be eaten?
Darnold must help the Seahawks’ defense endure the death zone.