Key Points:
The Seattle Seahawks really showed up on Sunday night. Their quarterback, Sam Darnold, was on fire, throwing four touchdown passes just in the first half. Thanks to him, the Seahawks crushed the Washington Commanders 38-14 and improved to a solid 6-2 this season. For the Commanders, things got even worse when their young QB, Jayden Daniels, suffered a nasty arm injury late in the game.
Last season, the Minnesota Vikings decided to move on from Sam Darnold after just one year. Even though they only lost three games that year, they decided to try something else this season. Meanwhile, the Vikings already have four losses this year without Darnold.
Seattle went a different way. They switched quarterbacks too, trading away Geno Smith, who played well but couldn’t get them into the playoffs. They brought in Darnold, hoping he could lift the team up. Right now, that looks like a great call.
Darnold’s playing even better than last season, when he finished 10th in MVP voting. Since last year, his teams have won 20 games and lost just 5. He’s proving he can lead a winning team, and Sunday’s game should get him more credit than ever.
The game got out of hand fast. Rookie receiver Tory Horton caught two touchdown passes early on, giving Seattle a 14-0 lead. Then things really snowballed: defensive lineman Brandon Pili forced a fumble on a kickoff return, and Seattle scooped it up. On the very next play, Darnold threw a 26-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo. Just like that, the Seahawks were up 21-0, and two rookies had scored all three touchdowns.
Seattle didn’t slow down. Wide receiver Cody White caught a 60-yard touchdown, while Darnold completed every pass he threw, 13 for 13 to start. By halftime, he was perfect: 16-of-16 for 282 yards and four touchdowns with a perfect passer rating of 158.3. Seattle led 31-7 and looked unstoppable.
For the Commanders, it’s been a tough season. Last year, they won 12 games and made it to the NFC championship. Jayden Daniels was named Offensive Rookie of the Year thanks to an amazing first season. But this year is a different story. The Commanders have already lost six games.
Injuries have hurt them badly. Daniels missed some games with ankle and hamstring problems. Star receiver Terry McLaurin didn’t even play Sunday. The defense hasn’t been able to stop teams like Seattle, and the offense looks short on playmakers without McLaurin.
The worst moment happened late in the fourth quarter when Daniels was tackled near the goal line and landed awkwardly on his left arm. It was a painful-looking injury. Even though the game was nearly over and the score was heavily against them, it was rough to see him hurt like that. He left the field with help and was put in a brace. Backup Marcus Mariota came in for him.
Seattle looks like a team with a real shot at winning the NFL’s tough NFC West division. Their defense is strong, and their offense is clicking with Darnold at the helm. Even without star receiver Cooper Kupp, Darnold is finding plenty of open teammates, and the rookies are stepping up big.
Washington, on the other hand, has a mountain to climb. They’ve got to get healthier, fix their mistakes, and hopefully find more offensive weapons if they want to bounce back this season. Losing Daniels to injury makes it even harder.
Sam Darnold is proving he should get way more respect as one of the NFL’s better quarterbacks this year. His four-touchdown half on Sunday was a reminder of how good he really is. The Seahawks look like a team ready to make some noise.
Meanwhile, the Commanders have to figure out how to turn things around. Sunday night showed two teams headed in very different directions this season.
Darnold’s breakout and Daniels’ setback show how quickly games can turn, and why sharp analysis matters most. At Bankroll U, our playmakers read those shifts before kickoff, turning key moments into winning predictions.