Sam Darnold accepts blame for late interceptions in Seahawks’ overtime loss to Broncos
Seattle’s quarterback said he must protect the ball after two late interceptions, while his coach and a teammate pointed to problems across the offense.
Sam Darnold accepted responsibility for two late interceptions after the Seattle Seahawks lost 17-14 in overtime to the Denver Broncos in Denver on Thursday, October 15. His second interception gave Denver possession near midfield and set up the winning field goal, leaving Seattle with a 3-3 record.
“No way to sugarcoat it, that one sucked,” Darnold said after the game, according to Yahoo Sports. He told reporters he had also addressed his teammates about the turnovers: “It’s not fair to our defense, it’s not fair to our special teams group, not fair really to the entire team.”
How the late interceptions shaped the game
The first interception came with 1:25 left in regulation and Seattle trailing 14-11. Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine picked off a hurried pass at Denver’s 31-yard line, but the Seahawks defense forced a quick punt. Seattle then moved into field-goal range, and Jason Myers tied the game from 34 yards with three seconds remaining.
Seattle received the ball first in overtime. Darnold tried to force a pass against Denver’s coverage, and Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted it at Seattle’s 43-yard line. Darnold said he should have thrown underneath to Cooper Kupp instead. “Just got greedy,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports. Denver gained eight yards before Wil Lutz kicked the winning 53-yard field goal.
What Seattle said about its offense
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Darnold had told the team it needed to take care of the ball. Macdonald also said his quarterback “got hit too much today.” Denver registered five sacks and 17 quarterback hits, Yahoo Sports reported, adding pressure to an offense that was already struggling to sustain its running game.
Receiver Cooper Kupp said responsibility extended beyond Darnold. “We all play a role in protecting the football,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports. Darnold finished 27 of 51 for 278 yards, with no touchdown passes and two interceptions. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 12 passes for 134 yards, but Seattle could not turn its late rally into a win.
The defeat was Seattle’s second in five days and brought its record level after six games. Denver improved to 4-2 despite gaining only 168 yards of offense and punting on all six of its second-half possessions apart from a kneel-down. Its defense gave the Broncos the short field that decided overtime.
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Sources and context
- Sam Darnold takes responsibility for Seahawks' loss at Denver: 'It’s BS for me to keep turning the ball over'Yahoo Sports (Frank Schwab)
- Super Bowl champions slump again as Darnold’s picks cost Seahawks against BroncosThe Guardian (agency copy; agency not identified in supplied text)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.