Jared Verse will test exactly how untouchable Seahawks Sam Darnold really is

The last game played by then-Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold last season was a humbling loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. It was a game that NFL analysts and experts believed would go the Vikings' way. But a pass rush, led by outside linebacker Jared Verse, sacked Darnold nine times.

In the Seattle Seahawks offense, Darnold has only been sacked 10 times in nine games. That is the type of protection that makes any quarterback test the upper limits of his NFL career. Darnold is no exception. He is dominating the NFL this season, and the stats show it. Not just in quarterback ratings, but in team success.

Outside linebacker Jared Verse was one of the few pass rushers not to sack Darnold in the NFL playoffs last season. But he was absolutely a force to be reckoned with. Verse applied constant pressure, forcing Darnold to unwittingly slip into the clutches of another defender. Eight Rams defenders had a hand at sacking Darnold last season.

The Vikings allowed 48 quarterback sacks in 2024.

Is Sam Darnold listening to his feet this season?

Darnold is getting sacked less this season, but his numbers continue to track at 2024 levels. Thanks to fewer sacks, his quarterback rating is up this season. And after the Seahawks gambled at shedding veteran Geno Smith and adding the former USC quarterback, the gamble appears to be paying off in a big way.

Still, he's not the only quarterback with a huge revival this season. Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford is also putting up eye-popping numbers through nine games.

Darnold has reportedly been coached to 'listen to his feet' this season. That means he has been coached to know instinctively when to throw or flee from the pocket.

Darnold is a pocket-passer. But taking off sooner has allowed him to limit the number of sacks this season. He has rushed 13 times for 39 yards. But one of those scrambles was a 24-yard dash against the Arizona Cardinals. Without that one-time run, he has rushed 12 times for 15 yards.

Now, here comes a hungry pass rush led by outside linebackers Byron Young and Jared Verse. While Young has the blazing speed that can bring down Darnold from behind, Verse is the type of powerhouse who can collapse the entire side of the pocket.

The pair has combined for 13 quarterback sacks, three more than Darnold has suffered all season.

Plenty is being discussed about Darnold suffering nine sacks against the Rams. And the narrative points to Darnold getting his revenge in Week 11 behind a solid Seahawks offensive line. But nothing has been said about Jared Verse's chance to do what he could not do in the NFL playoffs.

Namely, Jared Verse is hunting Darnolds this week.

This could be the biggest stage and brightest lights for the former Florida State Seminoles' pass rusher this season. Huge moments define elite players' NFL careers. There is no question that Verse is built for big moments like Week 11. He is about to test just how untouchable Sam Darnold truly is.

As always, thanks for reading.