Seattle Seahawks fans learned something they didn't want to learn just two days before the team takes on the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. That was that quarterback Sam Darnold was listed as "questionable" for the game after suffering some kind of oblique issue.
The good news is that Darnold spoke with the media after the final injury report was released, and he told reporters that the chances he would miss the game were "closer to zero (percent)" than that he would be out. He certainly didn't sound like a player in danger of missing the game.
The pain appeared to come from his left side while he was throwing the ball, so his practice session was cut short simply to be checked out by the medical team. He is a right-handed quarterback who must twist to the left side, but he implied that his throwing motion was not impeded by the pain.
Seattle Seahawks fans get a scare as Sam Darnold pops up with an injury ahead of 49ers game
In other words, while there will likely be lots of articles written that Seahawks fans should be nervous about the possibility that Sam Darnold will miss the game, he is almost certain not to miss a snap. He will get treatment, and he is completely confident he will play.
12s can relax. The quarterback will play. Now, the question is how well he will play.
The long-held view of Sam Darnold is that he cannot succeed at the most stressful moments for his team. That was true at the end of last season when he emerged as a very good quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings. He failed in the final regular season game and in the Vikings' one playoff game.
He has already changed the narrative a bit this season because he was solid in Seattle's Week 18 victory against the 49ers. He wasn't overly explosive and didn't throw a touchdown pass, but he also didn't turn the ball over. That was completely different than how his last season ended.
Safely assuming that Sam Darnold will start for the Seattle Seahawks in the Divisional Round, the hope is that he doesn't try to do too much and hopes his defense can dominate the 49ers as it did at the end of the regular season. If that happens, Seattle will next play in the NFC Championship game, one step from the Super Bowl.
The only other player with an injury designation was offensive tackle Josh Jones. He will miss the game with a knee injury.