The Seattle Seahawks are frustrated after a 17-14 loss against the Denver Broncos, where Sam Darnold threw two interceptions late in the game that ultimately cost them the victory.
Darnold has thrown seven interceptions in four games this season, which doesn't include his Week 1 drive, during which he suffered a glute injury that held him out for Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals. Ultimately, Darnold's struggles have prompted some to call for a quarterback change, but head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that he wouldn't be going to Drew Lock.
Here's a look at why Macdonald and the Seahawks coaching staff could be making a mistake, but also why they are sticking to their guns:
Sam Darnold Has Lost the Seahawks 3 Games
One could make the argument that the Seahawks could be 6-0 at this point in the season. The team is 3-3, with all of their losses coming by three points or less. In games like that, the smallest margins make the biggest difference, and that could be the case with Darnold's interceptions.
In each of his starts, Darnold has vowed to clean up the turnovers, but that has not happened yet. The team is losing its grasp on its spot in the standings, and a quarterback change could be what the team needs to wake the offense up.
Drew Lock is a Strong Alternative
It would be one thing if the Seahawks had an unproven backup behind Darnold who would spark something unknown. However, Lock is the quarterback the Seahawks would turn to if they did decide to move on from Darnold.
Lock proved in the first two weeks that he is capable of leading this team to victory, pulling off a comeback in Week 1, and looking like a starter in Week 2. The team ultimately has decided to keep Darnold under center, but they have a strong backup option if they were to make a change.
Why the Seahawks Are Keeping Darnold as the Starter
Ultimately, the Seahawks have struggled a lot, but Darnold is not the only reason. The offensive line struggled against the Broncos, and the run game has yet to come into its own. While Darnold is shouldering a lot of blame for the team's losses, it is far from the only thing keeping Seattle from winning these games.
Darnold has a higher ceiling than Lock, and that is ultimately why the team is keeping him in that position. The Seahawks may get desperate later on in the year if their spot in the playoffs becomes compromised, but for now, Darnold is their best option to win football games.
He just needs to take care of the football, which he has proven to do before. During the playoffs last season, Darnold never gave the ball up to the opposing team, which fueled their Super Bowl run. If he can find that energy and apply it to the 2026 season, the Seahawks could have a similar result.
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