Darnold shines as Seahawks roll past Saints, set for short week in Arizona

Sam Darnold continued to impress for the Seattle Seahawks, guiding a 44-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday with a blend of arm and legs. On his first pass attempt, he improvised as the Saints’ pass rush closed in, scrambling to his left and finding Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 29-yard gain. Darnold finished 14 of 18 for 218 yards and two touchdowns, showing poise as Seattle’s quarterback of the moment. Darnold signed a three-year contract worth up to $100.5 million this offseason and has quickly looked the part of a franchise quarterback.

Entering his first season with Seattle under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Darnold has absorbed the system quickly. He has completed 70.3% of his passes, sixth best in the league, and has been sacked only three times. “He’s being efficient, decisive, accurate, tough, extending plays when he needs to,” coach Mike Macdonald said Monday. “Being aggressive when he needs to, taking care of the ball when he needs to. So, let’s keep it rolling.”

Seattle has struggled to create balance on offense; the run game remains a work in progress. The Seahawks averaged 2.6 yards per carry, and Kenneth Walker III was held to 38 yards on the ground against New Orleans after a 105-yard performance in a different contest. Seattle leaned on Darnold’s ability to throw on the move, and Macdonald said that capability is a big part of the system.

Special teams provided a spark as Tory Horton returned a punt 95 yards for a touchdown, and Seattle also blocked a Saints punt. Jason Myers was 6-for-7 on field goals this season to help sustain scoring in the game.

Defensively, Seattle played without several key players. All-Pro Devon Witherspoon sat out with a knee injury, and safety Nick Emmanwori also missed time. Safety Julian Love did not play with a hamstring issue, and running back Zach Charbonnet exited with a foot injury. Fullback Robbie Ouzts and offensive lineman Josh Jones also left with ankle injuries. Cornerback Josh Jobe, in his fourth season, had a career-high 11 tackles in the game.

The Seahawks’ performance carried a larger implication: this was Seattle’s first 40-point game in a long drought. The club had waited 1,085 days for a 40-point effort, with the last coming in a 48-45 win over Detroit on Oct. 2, 2022. Seattle now faces a quick turnaround, traveling to Arizona to play the 2-1 Cardinals on Thursday night.

Off the field, Darnold’s continued quick integration into the system and his early-season production have kept expectations high in Seattle as the Seahawks prepare for a short week and a high-stakes NFC West matchup.