Last season the Minnesota Vikings lost three games in the regular season. They changed quarterbacks, moving on from free agent Sam Darnold, and have lost four games already this season.
The Seattle Seahawks thought enough of Darnold to make their own change. The Seahawks weren’t bad with Geno Smith last season but they missed the playoffs. They traded Smith and signed Darnold. It doesn’t look like the Seahawks are missing the playoffs this season.
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At some point Darnold will get the credit he deserves. Maybe it will come after Sunday night, when Darnold threw four first-half touchdowns and the Seahawks crushed the Washington Commanders 38-14. It was a miserable night for the Commanders, and then it got worse as quarterback Jayden Daniels was tackled late in the game and awkwardly landed on his left arm, causing a graphic injury.
The Seahawks are 6-2 after one of the more impressive team performances of the entire season. They play in a very tough NFC West. But they’re showing they are capable of winning it. The defense is excellent and Darnold is leading an explosive, balanced offense. Darnold isn’t just along for the ride either; he looks even better than last season, when he finished 10th in NFL MVP voting.
Since the start of last season, Darnold’s teams are 20-5. He’ll eventually get proper acknowledgement for that. And after Sunday night, Seattle should be on everyone’s radar.
Sam Darnold burned the Commanders, mostly in the first half in Seattle’s road victory. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)Seahawks blow Commanders out
In a three-play sequence, Sunday night’s game turned into a blowout.
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Seattle was up 7-0 on a touchdown by rookie receiver Tory Horton in the first quarter. Then in the second quarter, Horton scored again on a 25-yard pass from Darnold. On the next kickoff, 334-pound defensive lineman Brandon Pili knocked the ball loose from Commanders returner Jaylin Lane, and the Seahawks recovered. Darnold wasted no time after that, hitting rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo for a 26-yard touchdown in tight coverage on the first play of the ensuing possession.
Suddenly, Seattle went from being up 7-0 to 21-0. Two rookies accounted for all three touchdowns in building that lead.
After Seahawks receiver Cody White got behind the defense for an easy 60-yard touchdown, Darnold had the kind of stat line that many quarterbacks dream of posting for a full game. He was 13-of-13 passing for 229 yards and four touchdowns. He did that in less than 26 minutes. By the end of the half he was 16 of 16 for 282 yards and a perfect 158.3 passer rating. The Seahawks led 31-7 at halftime.
A big audience on NBC was getting a look at how good Seattle and Darnold are this season.
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Commanders get outclassed and now have serious worries about Jayden Daniels
The headliner quarterback of Sunday night’s game wasn’t Darnold. It was Daniels, who is having a much tougher second season after a storybook rookie season.
The Commanders were one of the big stories of the NFL last season as they won 12 games and advanced to the NFC championship game. Daniels was NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year for his historic season. Everything went right for the Commanders last season and nothing is going right this season. The injury to Daniels was crushing, especially since it made little sense for him to still be in a game that Washington trailed by 31 points with less than six minutes left.
Jayden Daniels heads to the locker room after suffering a gruesome-looking left arm injury late in a blowout defeat against Seattle. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
(Greg Fiume via Getty Images)
Daniels has dealt with injuries, as has his top receiver Terry McLaurin, who missed Sunday night’s game. But Washington’s decline hasn’t been entirely due to injuries. Its defense hasn’t played well, as everyone could see with Darnold carving up Washington. The Commanders’ offense doesn’t look like it has enough playmakers, especially without McLaurin. By the time the Commanders scored for the first time against Seattle, it was the final minute of the first half and they already trailed by 28 points. The Commanders lost five games all last season. Sunday night’s debacle was their sixth loss this season.
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Sunday night was a showcase of two teams on much different paths this season. The Commanders are going to have a very tough time rebounding from a 3-6 start to make the playoffs. With the way Seattle is playing, there should be realistic goals beyond just making the playoffs.
Seahawks vs. Commanders live updatesLive coverage is over33 updates
Sun, November 2, 2025 at 11:20 PM EST
Ryan Young
And we’re done here. A great night from Sam Darnold and the Seahawks has been overshadowed by Jayden Daniels’ gruesome injury.
The Seahawks are now 6-2 on the season, and are undoubtedly in the mix with the very best in the NFC. They’ll host the Arizona Cardinals next weekend.
Ryan Young
We’re not going to show the play itself, but here’s Jayden Daniels walking off after that brutal injury.
Ryan Young
Drew Lock has come in for the Seahawks, and that’s probably a smart move.
Darnold finished throwing 21-of-24 for 330 yards with four touchdowns and an interception.
Ryan Young
Chris Rodriguez just scored a quick touchdown for the Commanders, but it doesn’t matter much. All eyes/focus are still on Jayden Daniels.
The Seahawks lead 38-14 now with 7:14 left.
Ryan Young
The cart came out for Daniels, but he ended up walking off. His left arm is completely immobilized as he was helped up the sidelines, too.
His night is done.
Ryan Young
Jayden Daniels was just dragged down near the goal line, and it doesn’t look good. It looked like his left arm/elbow bent awkwardly behind his back.
Ryan Young
We’re just 15 minutes away from a blowout Seahawks win to close out our Sunday. This one is just about over.
Ryan Young
AJ Barner gets this one on a quick tush push snap, and the Seahawks lead 38-7 now with 1:53 left in the third quarter.
Ryan Young
The Commanders did not capitalize. They got pushed back with a sack, and then failed to convert a fourth-and-15. So Darnold and the Seahawks will take over near midfield.
Ryan Young
Welp, Sam Darnold’s night is taking a turn. After missing his first pass earlier in the quarter, he was just picked off by Mike Sainristil. Not great.
If the Commanders have any hope of coming back, they’ll have to capitalize quickly.
Ryan Young
It took him more than two quarters, but Sam Darnold has finally thrown an incomplete pass. He tossed one up for JSN there on third down, but they couldn’t connect. So the Commanders get the early stop and will get the ball back not even two minutes into the second half.
Ryan Young
It’s been all Seattle so far tonight. They’re up by 24 points at halftime after an absolutely dominant outing from Sam Darnold.
Jaxson Smith-Njigba has 119 yards on seven catches, too. An incredible half for the Seahawks.
Ryan Young
Sam Darnold is still perfect, 16-16 for 282 yards so far tonight. What an outing, and it’s not even halftime.
Ryan Young
Finally, the Commanders have found the end zone. Jayden Daniels just punched in a 1-yard touchdown run after a 10-play, 69 yard drive just before halftime.
Ryan Young
I mean, it’s hard to blame them…
Ryan Young
Well, we may be just about done here and it’s not even halftime. Sam Darnold just threw his fourth touchdown pass of the night, this time to Cody White — who broke a tackle and erupted for the 60-yard score.
The Seahawks lead 28-0 now with 4:34 left in the half.
Ryan Young
Seattle wasted absolutely no time there. Sam Darnold just hit Elijah Arroyo on a deep 26-yard touchdown pass on their first play after that fumble recovery.
Just like that, the Seahawks are up 21-0 midway through the second quarter.
Ryan Young
Things just went from bad to worse for Washington. Jaylin Lane lost the kick off there on the return, and the Seahawks will take over right away again in great field position.
Not great for the Commanders…
Ryan Young
What a night for Tory Horton! Sam Darnold just found a wide open Tory Horton there on third down for their second touchdown of the night. That will be one of the easiest touchdown throws Darnold will have all season.
Darnold is still perfect, too. He’s 9-9 for 116 yards so far tonight.
The Seahawks are up 14-0.
Ryan Young
This drive completely fell apart for Washington. A facemask penalty negated a solid scramble from Jayden Daniels, and then he threw a interception that Ty Okada just barely hauled in. What a play for the Seahawks.