The Seattle Seahawks are gearing up to face the Los Angeles Rams in primetime in Week 16 with the NFC West title on the line. Both teams are 11-3 heading into this one and the stakes could not be higher.
The last time these two squads met up, the Seahawks narrowly lost and a lot of the blame was placed fair and square on quarterback Sam Darnold, who threw four interceptions in the loss. It was another rough game for Darnold against a good opponent and that narrative will continue to follow him if he doesn't start to perform better when the lights are brighter.
When asked by Dan Patrick what this game ultimately comes down to, Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez didn't hesitate to say Darnold. Patrick then asked if the jury is still out on Darnold and Gonzalez said for sure.
"I think in big games, absolutely. Absolutely, and it should be. That's the way it should be until you show that you can show up... This is any young any quarterback out there. This is what I always say," Gonzalez said on The Dan Patrick Show. "Let's see what you do playoff time, come big-time games big-time stakes. Are you gonna be able to control the ball? ... You're not gonna turn it over. You're gonna be able to lead your team. That's what the great ones do. That's what separates the great ones from average quarterbacks... And so we'll see what Sam Darnold can do [on Thursday]. He cannot go out there and throw four interceptions like he did last time. He's got to play well because... They have a Super Bowl team. If he plays well, this team could win the Super Bowl."
Tony Gonzalez makes Sam Darnold reality painfully clear before Week 16
Gonzalez hit the nail on the head here. Despite Darnold throwing four interceptions the last time the Seahawks and Rams squared off, Seattle still nearly won the game. If Darnold could have thrown one less pick or thrown at least one touchdown pass, that's a completely different game and the Seahawks are in first place in not just their division but the entire conference.
Darnold has been terrific for the Seahawks more often than not this year, which is great, but this is the time for him to step up and show that he is capable of playing well in the big games. He faltered with the Vikings in Week 18 and in the wild card playoff game a season ago and that's why he's in Seattle now.
Is that going to continue to be the narrative for Darnold, that he can't play well in the big games? Thursday night is a chance for him to flip the script and rewrite his own narrative.