Rams rival is flirting with disaster by trying to curtail Sam Darnold's INTs

The final score said it all. The 11-3 LA Rams defeated the 11-3 Seattle Seahawks by two points. However, those two points have sustained the Rams as the top-seed in the NFC, while dropping the Seahawks to the fifth-seed and a wild-card bracket in the upcoming playoffs.

By the end of the game, Seahawks fans pointed to quarterback Sam Darnold's four interceptions as the sole reason for the loss. Turnovers certainly played a role in that game. But, so did play calling. Rams running backs were gashing a Seattle defense that was focused on stopping the pass.

The Rams never adjusted.

Wide receiver Puka Nacua had a rare fumble for a turnover. The Rams defense surrendered more than 400+ yards, but few points. It was an ugly game that gave Seahawks fans enough reason to believe that Seattle could win the rematch.

If only Sam Darnold didn't throw interceptions, the 12th man believes that the outcome would be different. But any attempt by the offense to curtail Darnold's interceptions is just flirting with disaster for three reasons. Here's why:

Sam Darnold did not lost the game single-handedly

Hey, go ahead and put Darnold on a short leash. That will make defensive coordinator Chris Shula's job that much easier. After all, Los Angeles is in, and it's the Seahawks who are still fighting for a postseason appearance. Trying to make the quarterback the scapegoat for the loss is akin to shooting themselves in the foot.

The difference between elite Sam Darnold and pedestrian Sam Darnold is a matter of trust by the coaching staff in his innate abilities. If the coaching staff tries to reel in the quarterback too much, it will force him to overthink his performance. Quarterbacks who overthink perform poorly.

And then there is the Rams pass rush. Did anyone applaud Darnold for avoiding LA's fierce pass rush in a crucial game? As soon as the offense forces him to be sure of coverages and progressions, the pass rush will get to him. Sure, interceptions will recede. But if the offense has seven quarterback sacks for a loss of 100+ yards, the effect will be the same.

Just check out Darnold's performance with the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs.

But most of all, there is a matter of Sam Darnold himself. Since tossing four picks, Darnold has thrown for 892 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception over four games. That works out to 223 yards and one touchdown per contest. He was performing at a much higher level before that game.

Sure, Darnold is prone to throwing interceptions. Every NFL team knows that. But that is who he is. Shula simply understood what makes Seattle's quarterback so effective, and strategized to leverage that vulnerability. He wins some and loses some. He lost four passes to an opportunistic secondary in the first game.

The thing is, trying to change his tendencies now will only make his performance more susceptible to a very motivated Rams defense.

As always, thanks for reading.