Sam Darnold is turning back into a pumpkin — and the Seahawks' title defense is going with him

The Seattle Seahawks paid Sam Darnold like the guy who threw 35 touchdowns for the Minnesota Vikings two years ago. Six games into this season, they're getting the guy the New York Jets gave up on.

Thursday night in Denver was the whole story in one game. Darnold threw 51 passes for 278 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions — and both picks came when Seattle could least afford them at altitude against the Denver Broncos. With 1:25 left in regulation and a chance to continue a drive into Denver territory, Kris Abrams-Draine picked Darnold off at the Denver 31. In overtime, Ja'Quan McMillian jumped a route at Seattle's 43 and Wil Lutz's 53-yard field goal ended it, handing the Seahawks a 17-14 loss.

Why Sam Darnold's numbers are worrisome for Seahawks

Darnold's numbers are ugly and getting uglier. His passer rating sits at 77.4, his TD-to-INT ratio is dead even at 7-7, and, per PFF, he has eight turnover-worthy plays, ranking him in the bottom third of the league. A Seahawks fan site ran the comparison on Friday morning and, statistically, this is Jets-era Darnold.

If you're looking for the half-full view, Darnold did rally the Seahawks to reach overtime Thursday — a 31-yard Rashid Shaheed punt return, a tying field goal with :03 left — and Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 12 passes for 134 yards. Let's not forget that Darnold was genuinely good last year, his first in Seattle, with a 99.1 rating and 25 touchdowns. This isn't a guy who isn't worthy of an NFL roster spot.

But the Seahawks are 3-3, which already matches their loss total from all of last season, and they have lost two straight games. For the defending Super Bowl champions, that's a five-alarm fire, not a rough patch.

Here's the thing nobody in Seattle wants to say out loud: 2024 might have been the outlier, not the breakthrough. Perhaps Kevin O'Connell turned Darnold into a 4,300-yard, 35-touchdown quarterback in Minnesota, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison running open and a scheme seemingly built to make the quarterback's life easy.

Did Seattle catch lightning in a bottle for one year? Take out two seasons (2024 in Minnesota and 2025 in Seattle) and Darnold's career rating is 78.1 across six seasons of Jets and Panthers football. What we are watching right now (77.4) looks a lot more like the mean than the miracle.

And the schedule doesn't lighten up. The unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs come to Seattle next Sunday, and Patrick Mahomes doesn't need an invitation to feast on opportunities from a quarterback who is giving the football away. The Seahawks' defense will have to be perfect because, right now, the offense is asking it to be.

The Seahawks bet their title defense on Darnold being the new version of himself. Six weeks in, the old one is showing up again.