Sam Darnold's rocky Seahawks debut ‘expected’ by NFL insider

Nate Davis of USA Today released his NFL Power Rankings for Week 2. The reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles are atop the list, with the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers, respectively, rounding out the first three spots.

Mike Macdonald’s new-look Seattle Seahawks were at No. 14 before last Sunday’s clash with the rival San Francisco 49ers in the Pacific Northwest. The team fell in a defensive struggle, 17-13, the fourth consecutive year the Niners won a road game in this series. Hence Macdonald’s team slipped to No. 19 in the rankings.

One of the issues was the shaky performance of new Seahawks’ starting quarterback Sam Darnold. He finished the afternoon throwing for only 150 yards and zero scores, leading the team to only one trip to the end zone. There was a chance to pull out a win late in the fourth quarter, but Darnold literally dropped the ball deep in Niners’ territory and San Francisco held on for the victory.

No surprise that QB Sam Darnold struggled in first game with Seahawks

According to Davis, it wasn’t a surprise that the eight-year pro had his issues in his first game with his newest employer. “Sam Darnold had won his previous two starts at Lumen Field…as a visitor. His debut playing for the 12s didn't go as well, but that's probably to be expected for an offense that's so fundamentally different from last year's edition."