Sam Darnold changed his narrative a bit in Week 14 against the Atlanta Falcons. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback has had a good season, but he has also been much better in the first half of games than in the second half. The latter is when Darnold tends to turn the ball over.
Not in Week 14. With the offense scuffling in the first half and the teams tied at 6, Seattle got a fast start to the second half with a 100-yard kickoff return from Shahid Shaheed, and then Darnold took over from there. He threw three touchdowns, leading his team to a 37-9 blowout.
But 12s would have had a right to be concerned with what they saw in the first half, especially an interception Darnold threw. Were Seahawks fans about to get a while game of the darkest timeline of the Sam Darnold experience? Thankfully, no.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold's Week 14 interception was not his fault
According to head coach Mike Macdonald, even the interception was Darnold's fault. Speaking to reporters after the game, the coach made it clear that while the quarterback threw a pass into coverage, it was the intended receiver who needed to make a play on the ball and didn't.
That receiver was rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo. He was the obvious target of Macdonald's simple statement of "it’s a contested catch we’ve got to be able to make."
It was the only target Arroyo would receive during the game in what has been an underwhelming first year. He has only 15 receptions for 179 yards and a touchdown. He was expected to be the receiving threat that the Seahawks have lacked for a few seasons. Instead, he hasn't yet adjusted to the speed of the NFL, and that might not happen until next season. One can hope, anyway.
To make matters worse, Arroyo injured his knee during the game, and the team does not yet know how much time he might miss. Testing on the leg is expected to happen on Monday.
Hopefully, he will be able to return this season, but with low expectations of productivity. Often, players require a season in the NFL before they become integral to their team's success. Maybe that will happen with Elijah Arroyo.
One thing is certain, though. The Seattle Seahawks tight end will need to develop his game to make catches in tight coverage; otherwise, head coach Mike Macdonald is not going to be happy.