Seahawks’ fatal flaw Rams can expose in NFC Championship Game

The Seattle Seahawks have weapons as they prepare to face the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship game. However, they have a fatal flaw that the Rams can expose.

These teams meet Sunday at 6:30 p.m. (ET) in Seattle with a Super Bowl berth on the line. They’ve met twice this season, with the Rams winning 21-19 on their home field. The Seahawks won 38-37 in overtime at Lumen Field.

Yes, it’s widely known where the Seahawks could fall short. And it’s a player who will have to prove the NFL world wrong.

QB Sam Darnold is the Seahawks’ fatal flaw

Let’s be fair. Darnold did what was asked of him in the Divisional Round win over the 49ers. The problem is, not much was asked. However, it’s unlikely that the same gravy train will stop at the port of Seattle again this week.

The quarterback comparison in the regular season games could not be more of a stark contrast, according to Speakeasy via heavy.com.

“Matthew Stafford has five touchdowns [and] no interceptions,” Emmanuel Acho said. “Sam Darnold has two touchdowns [and] six interceptions. Let that sink in. It’s not a conversation. The game of football is all about the football.

“If Sam Darnold goes out there and starts throwing these picks, it’s going to be blouses before it gets started.”

There’s a ton of pressure on Darnold. It’s the most pressure he has shouldered since the playoff game against the Rams last year, when he was with the Vikings. And that one ended in such ugliness. Darnold took nine sacks and looked awful.

How bad was it? The Vikings cut ties with Darnold and turned their team over to JJ McCarthy. And that resulted in a terrible season for the Vikings.

Meanwhile, Darnold cruised to a 13-3 regular season. He threw for 4,048 yards with 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Notably, after taking 48 sacks for the Vikings in 2024, Darnold went down on 27 times.

Now, this was partly a product of the Seahawks protecting him better. But it was also a matter of improvement for Darnold. However, the Rams took him down four times in the most recent meeting. That’s well above his season average.

Will the Rams get pressure on Sam Darnold?

That’s the question. Will it be more like the first game with no sacks? Although Darnold threw four picks in that contest. Or will it be like the second game?

Regardless, Darnold and the Seahawks want no part of a repeat shootout. It better be more like the game they lost, 21-19, than the one they won. And Darnold better not cause issues for that great Seattle defense, according to a post on X by First Take.

“The quarterback can’t put you behind and create problems for your team in the playoffs,” Jeff Saturday said. “That’s the bottom line. This is a big deal. You think about Sam Darnold and how the Seahawks want to play. They want to limit the exposure. Can he do it? I fully believe Sam Darnold can do it. Can he make the play? Absolutely.

“But their style of winning reminds me so much of Philadelphia last year. If they can play great defense. If they can run the ball. That’s exactly what they did against San Francisco. They don’t want this to be a shootout with the Rams. They want this to be a game that they play it tight to the vest. Play it tough. Be physical. Be dominating.”

What kind of game does Sam Darnold need?

He must take care of the football when the Seahawks are in compromised situations in terms of down and distance. The Seahawks might be third and 11, but that’s exactly the spot where Darnold must be careful.

Even if the Rams are ahead by a touchdown, Darnold must not put the ball in harm’s way, trying to keep a drive alive. He must take what is there and trust his defense to get the ball back.

If the game flow has the Rams moving the ball up and down the field on their first couple of possessions, this is “point critical” for Darnold. He can’t get caught up in that. Darnold must stay within himself.

He’s not the same quarterback as Matthew Stafford. And to avoid being the team’s fatal flaw, he must not try to be.

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