The last time the Rams faced Sam Darnold at SoFi Stadium, the former USC star was playing for the then 0-13 New York Jets.
That was in 2020, and Darnold led the Jets to a 23-20 victory.
After stops in Carolina, San Francisco and Minnesota, Darnold signed a three-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks, and he has helped lead them to a 7-2 record heading into Sunday’s game against the Rams.
“On that Jets team, he came in here and beat us at SoFi and he played really well,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “When we played him, we thought he was a legit quarterback and that he just needed to be in a good system with good guys around him.
“We know the type of player he is and we know how he feels when he is comfortable and feeling good and distributing the ball, and that’s exactly what he’s doing right now.”
Last season, Darnold had an outstanding season for the Vikings that ended when he was sacked by the Rams nine times in an NFC wild-card game in Arizona.
But Darnold appears rejuvenated with the Seahawks.
Darnold has passed for 17 touchdowns, with six interceptions, for a team that is averaging 30.6 points per game, which ranks third in the NFL.
“I’m seeing a guy that’s playing with a lot of confidence that’s been earned and it’s a continuation of a lot of the stuff that got him the deserved recognition last year,” Rams coach Sean McVay said.