Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold was limited in practice this week and couldn’t “power up” on throws, but he’s still expected to start Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Darnold is playing through an oblique injury; although he was only listed as limited in practice and not officially ruled out, his restricted reps raised questions about how serious the issue might be.
Seattle split practice reps between Darnold and backup Drew Lock and kept their starters under wraps, holding Darnold back from throwing deep. Sources told Schefter Darnold worked mostly on short and intermediate throws in practice and didn’t “let it go,” saving fuller-range passes for the actual game.
The 28-year-old hurt the oblique ahead of the divisional-round matchup with the San Francisco 49ers but still played and helped the Seahawks to a 41-6 win. He wasn’t asked to do much in that game—Seattle built a 17-0 lead early and Darnold attempted only 17 passes overall. Lock did take the field late but didn’t throw a pass.
How Darnold will respond if he needs to do more against the Rams is uncertain, but Schefter reports he’ll receive a painkilling injection pregame—the same measure used before the divisional game, which reportedly allowed him to play. After a breakout year with Minnesota, Darnold signed with Seattle in free agency and nearly matched his previous season’s production, finishing with 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions over 17 games.
Fan Take: Darnold starting hurt but capable matters because it shapes Seattle’s game plan and the Rams’ defensive approach—if he’s limited, the Seahawks may lean more on the run or quick passing. For NFL fans, it’s a reminder of how injuries and workload management can decide playoff outcomes and influence how teams protect and deploy their QBs late in the season.
