There are few things more promising in football than a head coach and quarterback who trust each other completely. The Seattle Seahawks have found that pairing in Mike Macdonald and Sam Darnold.
After a rollercoaster of a Thursday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals, the Seahawks' coach was quick to heap praise on his starting quarterback. Darnold played an efficient, controlled game from start to finish, and Macdonald made sure fans knew it.
If this duo can keep up the momentum they've found early in this season, Seahawks fans could be in for a thrilling ride.
Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald praises Sam Darnold after win
Macdonald, a classically even-keeled coach, lit up when a reporter asked about his quarterback post-game. Before the reporter could finish their question, he said, "Sam's playing out of his mind right now."
Not much more needed to be said. Even after reviving his career with the Minnesota Vikings last season, Darnold has found a way to take his game to a new level. Through four games, his QBR of 61.1 would top last year's mark by a healthy margin. He's completing over 70% of his passes and averaging more yards per completion than he ever has.
The Seahawks caught some criticism when they traded away Geno Smith to replace him with Darnold, but the quarterback is already making this front office look like geniuses with his top-notch play.
Macdonald went on to sum up his quarterback's mentality by saying, "He's such a cool customer. But he's a guy on a mission. He's so determined for us to be a great team and a great offense, and he's doing a great job leading us."
The head coach didn't hesitate to acknowledge that the game was much closer than it should have been. This team let a big lead slip away and could have allowed a disaster if it were not for just a bit of fortune going their way.
Without a Chad Ryland kick outside of the landing zone that gave Seattle the ball on their own 40-yard line late in the fourth quarter, this could be an entirely different story. On the new kickoff rule that gave the Seahawks excellent field position, Macdonald jokingly said, "I love it."
Still, when put in a position to win the game, Darnold was able to do just that.
This quarterback, who was cast off just a few years after being drafted, destined for a career as a backup, has become the leader of a team with true playoff aspirations. It's a story that Seahawks fans around the country, and Mike Macdonald, can rally behind.