Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks did not have a pretty Week 11. In fact, his performance was rather inexcusable. He threw for 279 yards, but he tossed no touchdowns and four interceptions. Three of them came during a period of the second half when the offense was undergoing a meltdown.
That the team almost came back to win says a lot about how good the Seattle defense is, and might even say something about the resourcefulness of Darnold, but make no mistake: The main reason Seattle lost is because Darnold kept throwing passes to the Los Angeles Rams.
This, however, should be coupled with the fact that Seattle is very unlikely to have the record they currently have of 7-3 without Sam Darnold. He has made far too many second half mistakes, but has also been mostly terrific in the first half of games.
He also has a bunch of teammates who obviously believe in him because he has been good on the field and elite in the locker room. He has done too much so far for his teammates to suddenly turn on him.
That includes linebacker Ernest Jones, one of the defensive leaders. He made his stance crystal clear while speaking to the media after the Seahawks’ 21-19 loss to the Rams. Maybe Jones’ quarterback made some critical mistakes against LA, but Seattle will keep winning because of Sam Darnold was the implication.
In a not-safe-for-work comment when summarizing Darnold’s performance, Jones said, “He’s our quarterback. We’ve got his back. If you got anything to say, quite frankly, f*** you.”
The linebacker did not deliver these words with any kind of malice or rage. He was matter-of-fact. He wanted to be blunt and clear, and he certainly was. The Seattle Seahawks are ready to ride with Sam Darnold until the bitter (or wonderful) end.
Ernest Jones IV says this loss isn’t all on Sam Darnold. And he’s still a big believer in Sam despite 4 INTs today.
“He’s our quarterback. We’ve got his back. If you got anything to say, quite frankly, fuck you.”
Of course, Ernest Jones and his teammates are probably braced for all the questions and criticism of Darnold. The rap on his career has been that he can’t win the big games and makes too many brutal errors in those contests. Week 11 is certainly not going to help the argument opposed to that view.
But Darnold is also a redemption story, and he will have more chances to show how far he has come the rest of the season. He also has another chance against the Rams. Should he play well, then, few will keep bringing up his Week 11 meltdown.
The NY Jets saw former All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner lead the Indianapolis Colts to an overtime win in his debut with his new team, and they can now turn their attention to Quinnen Williams as he makes his debut with the Dallas Cowboys.
Going up against a Las Vegas Raiders offensive line that has set themselves apart as one of the worst in the league, Williams has been feasting. Cowboys fans hoping the former All-Pro would turn back the clock after being reunited with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton were not let down by what could only be described as a dominant first half.
On his first four drives as a Cowboys defensive player, Williams managed to record five pressures and 1.5 sacks of Geno Smith. The Raiders’ offensive line is as bad as any in the league, and Williams has been taking full advantage of their struggles in this area.
The Raiders doubled Williams on four of his first 13 pass rush snaps in the game, and he’s still been able to get home despite the fact Dallas’ pass rush room isn’t one of the better ones in the NFC. In other words, Williams looks just as good as he did with the Jets.
Due to the way Williams was being used in the Jets’ defensive scheme, he was being used more as a run-stuffer than an interior pass rusher. Dallas seems more inclined to turn Williams loose up the middle, which is exactly the threat this defense has been lacking this season.
Even with Kenny Clark putting together a disappointing season, the pairing of Williams and Clark together might be effective enough to change the scope of the Dallas defense. Going against a practice squad Raiders offensive line is certainly helping things out as well.
This trade has the potential to be one of the great win-win deals in recent NFL history. A bad Dallas defense gets a player they have needed in the worst way for multiple seasons, while the Jets may not end up with four 2026 NFL Draft picks in the Top 50 thanks to Dallas’ second-round pick.
The Jets have their picks, and Williams will have the chance to play meaningful football in November and December in his prime. This move to the Cowboys might be enough to help Williams get the national media love his play has always warranted.