Sam Darnold posts 257-yard, 1-TD day as Seahawks beat Chiefs 20-3

The Story

A week after Seattle’s loss in which quarterback Sam Darnold threw two interceptions that proved costly, Darnold had a cleaner performance in Week 7, throwing one interception during the Seahawks’ 20-3 win over the Chiefs on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026 at Lumen Field.

Darnold finished 20-for-28 for 257 yards and one touchdown, and he added 17 rushing yards, including runs on two quarterback scrambles that helped set up first downs.

Seattle receivers praised Darnold’s bounce-back. Jaxon Smith-Njigba called it “What a great, great game Sam played,” saying Darnold “came out here” and “led us to this win,” including by using his feet when plays weren’t there. Cooper Kupp added that Darnold’s “command” and ability to get plays in and out of the huddle helped the offence operate decisively.

Seattle’s offensive line was part of the improvement. The team did not allow a sack after giving up five in Week 6, and Smith-Njigba said it showed the group’s effort to “keep Sam clean” and make the right reads.

Seattle also emphasized third-down execution. After entering Week 7 ranking near the bottom of the league in third-down success rate, the Seahawks converted 11 of 16 third downs for a 68.8 percent rate in the win—marking the most third-down conversions by the team since 1991, when data began being tracked, and the highest total by any team in as many attempts in the NFL this season.

Head coach Mike Macdonald said third down had been a point of emphasis over recent weeks and credited the team’s process and preparation, saying the offence was “a great team effort” and that the staff came up with “really great ideas and solutions.”

Though the Seahawks made strides on third down, they also had three empty trips to the red zone. Macdonald said the offence understood there were “more levels” to its approach and pointed to controllable factors such as procedural details, red-zone execution and avoiding negative plays.

Smith-Njigba led Seattle’s passing attack with 150 receiving yards and one touchdown, while Kupp said the offence distributed the field effectively and connected on plays that turned into key conversions—along with opportunities created when Darnold got the ball into playmakers’ hands and used his legs when necessary.