Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold will be criticized for throwing an interception in the end zone in Week 7, but the Kansas City Chiefs defense deserves credit for making an excellent play on the ball as well. Let’s break down what actually happened and what Darnold can learn from it.
The play comes with just 23 seconds left in the first half. The Seahawks are up 10-0 and driving with the opportunity to extend their lead to three scores with a touchdown. It’s second-and-goal from the 3-yard line, meaning Seattle has another opportunity after this play to score if they need it, and fourth down to kick a field goal after that — as long as they don’t turn it over. Seattle also doesn't have any timeouts, so running the ball is now off the table.
The Chiefs show zone coverage. They play zone coverage. Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (JSN) is consistently beating the Chiefs’ best cornerback, Mansoor Delane, on deep routes. Darnold sees Smith-Njigba running an “over” route in the back of the end zone. He’s hit from behind as he throws, which takes several looks at the replay to realize. At first glance, it seems like he just gets pressured into making the throw.
NFL Pro’s end zone angle of the film shows him clearly being hit by Chiefs rookie defensive end sensation R Mason Thomas as he releases the ball. The pocket and coverage converge, Darnold’s throwing motion just barely gets impeded, and cornerback Nohl Williams flies in from the other side of the formation to high-point the wobbly pass.
Sam Darnold's interception. R Mason Thomas interrupts release. Nohl Williams also flies in from the other side of the formation to make a great play on the ball. Pocket+coverage converge, Darnold might've had JSN if not for the hit.
— Dom Skene (@DomSkene) October 26, 2026
Endzone angle C/O NFL Pro.#Seahawks #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/iVvdmX5Hn2
Darnold was also finding his rhythm in a way he hadn’t been all season. He had just placed two perfect spirals in JSN’s basket of hands down the sideline. You can’t ask him to be too careful, or he’ll never make those throws either.
On the NFLSE show recently, host Trevor Sikkema has come up with a new way to phrase this idea. He says, “The ideal turnover rate for an NFL quarterback is not zero.” He makes this point because to win in this league, a quarterback needs to have the arm talent and moxie to make difficult, tight-window throws with pressure in their face. Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is a good example of the opposite side of the spectrum from Darnold. He’s so cautious with the football that he doesn’t elevate his receiving corps. The Broncos offense becomes predictable. That makes them hard to believe in against top opposition, and it’s a big reason the Broncos struggled to move the ball against Seattle in Week 6.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald knows this. That’s why he gave NBC’s Melissa Stark this answer at halftime of Sunday Night Football when asked what his “message to the offense after that interception” was, just seconds after it occurred:
“Stay the course. We’re doing a good job, obviously could’ve been smarter on the ball there and we’d have two shots at the end zone, but we live to fight another day.”
Should Darnold have airmailed it or taken the sack? In hindsight, obviously. Should he really play more cautiously overall, though? No, he should stay the course.
One of the NFL’s best defenses needed two good players to make two great plays in synchronicity to force this pick. Force the opposition to play that well to beat you. You’ll put them in hard spots like the Seahawks did the formerly undefeated Chiefs last night.
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This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Yes, Sam Darnold threw a pick. No, he shouldn’t play it safe.
