The last QB perfect on first 4 drives + 4 TDs?

[SoulfishHawk]

And part of what came with Darnold was hearing from people in Minnesota that he holds on to the ball too long. I think he has massively improved on this. One bad throw in a night of a ridiculously accurate and clutch performance. I'll take it.
The fumble in the end zone vs. the Texans was one of those where he just has to get rid of it. But overall, this hasn't been an issue much at all.

 

[sutz]

And part of what came with Darnold was hearing from people in Minnesota that he holds on to the ball too long. I think he has massively improved on this. One bad throw in a night of a ridiculously accurate and clutch performance. I'll take it.
The fumble in the end zone vs. the Texans was one of those where he just has to get rid of it. But overall, this hasn't been an issue much at all.

Props where due, the OL was protecting well all night. Sam was having snacks back there waiting for receivers to come open on some of those plays.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I couldn't believe that one play where he made up a philly cheese steak back there before throwing another TD.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Side note, and probably my favorite part of the entire game last night: We get a fumble recovery and my first thought is........go to the end zone right here, first play. Yep, exactly what they did. I LOVED the aggressive approach last night. No letting up on the gas.
Shoot, even on the 3rd and 1, I didn't like it at first that they threw a pass. Then I thought about it, they were doing exactly what I was hoping for, they were being aggressive, going for the throat.

 

[keasley45]

That game was unreal. I didn't think he or Kubiak had it in them to be so good so quickly. Still have to get the ground game cranking, but holy hell. Even as it is, there isn't a team in the league we can't beat.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

I couldn't believe that one play where he made up a philly cheese steak back there before throwing another TD.

Play call was Philly Cheese Steak on 2.

 

[Ozzy]

I think the scheme and JSN's talent is doing a lot more to keep Darnold clean than this offensive line approaching 2005's quality. But that's not to say they aren't doing better than last year.

You keep downplaying Darnold but I don't think its justified. He progresses through his reads insanely fast. I think a lot of the improvement is squarely him doing things better at the position that we did last year. Of course Kubiak is helping, JSN emerging is a massive help too.....I think its all of it but I don't think Darnold's role should be minimized.

Ben Johnson told Caleb Williams if he wants to see how the position is played was to watch Sam Darnold film and mimic what he does ie how he reads defenses, moves his feet, keeps his lower half calm, his footwork etc.

Darnold is playing well in spite of his talent, he's playing well in large part because of it.

 

[Shane Falco]

According to ESPN Research, there have been four instances of a player recording a QBR of 97 or higher in a game this season, and Darnold has three of them.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

You keep downplaying Darnold but I don't think its justified.

You are continuing to see what you want to see, and you are continuing to misrepresent my statements in order to justify it. That post wasn't even about Darnold. It was about why he's generally clean.

 

[Runscott]

Perhaps the line is doing better in pass pro because Geno is gone? Or at least that is a part of it?

The line didn't protect Geno well in '25 or '24, or Russell Wilson very well his last few years here. The line is just better this year. At least that's what I remember, and what the sack stats say. We also seemed to have bad luck in the past when drafting o-line players;e.g-ifedi, and also a lot of injuries. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but that's the way I remember it - Darnold isn't getting sacked much, yet he isn't a traditional scrambler. He does move around and duck well in the pocket - better than Geno.

 

[Natethegreat]

The line didn't protect Geno well in '25 or '24, or Russell Wilson very well his last few years here. The line is just better this year. At least that's what I remember, and what the sack stats say. We also seemed to have bad luck in the past when drafting o-line players;e.g-ifedi, and also a lot of injuries. Maybe I'm wrong about this, but that's the way I remember it - Darnold isn't getting sacked much, yet he isn't a traditional scrambler. He does move around and duck well in the pocket - better than Geno.

I would argue Darnold is a better processor and pocket navigator than Russ and Geno at this point.

 

[Ruminator]

I would argue Darnold is a better processor and pocket navigator than Russ and Geno at this point.

If that's true, and it's looking highly likely that it is, then we have a true stud franchise QB on our team that we should never allow to leave.

 

[Runscott]

I would argue Darnold is a better processor and pocket navigator than Russ and Geno at this point.

Absolutely. That's a perfect description - much better than "moves around and ducks better"

I will add that one of things that bothered me about Geno was his performance in the pocket. It seems to be becoming a lost art - Brady proved with his Tampa Bay years that it isn't a skill that needs to be abandoned, but few quarterbacks embrace it. Darnold is impressing me - I love watching him go through his progressions. Collinsworth, as annoying as he can be, made a good point last night about Sam sometimes looking at the defense and realizing that 1 and 2 were likely 'no-gos' from the start. Very intelligent quarterback.

 

[CallMeADawg]

I couldn't believe that one play where he made up a philly cheese steak back there before throwing another TD.

Yeah man, Seattle completely dominated Washington. There was nothing they could do and had we just went full NCAA mode we could have put 70 on them.

 

[Atradees]

Yup, Geno & Russ shared a similar flaw...They held onto the ball too long. Sam doesn't have that problem.

Bingo

 

[Runscott]

Yeah man, Seattle completely dominated Washington. There was nothing they could do and had we just went full NCAA mode we could have put 70 on them.

Yep, and this is the third time already - New Orleans and Carolina also. Houston should have been another, but we kept shooting ourselves in the foot.

 

[Ruminator]

Yep, and this is the third time already - New Orleans and Carolina also. Houston should have been another, but we kept shooting ourselves in the foot.

Don't recall playing Carolina this year. Yet! But we will before closing out the regular season the week after vs 49ers.

 

[Runscott]

Don't recall playing Carolina this year. Yet! But we will before closing out the regular season the week after vs 49ers.

sorry, Jacksonville. Hard to believe that game was only 20-12.

 

[glenwo2]

You are continuing to see what you want to see, and you are continuing to misrepresent my statements in order to justify it. That post wasn't even about Darnold. It was about why he's generally clean.

So it's not really Gray Zabel and the OL's improvement but it's the scheme and JSN?

 

[Shane Falco]

Another one I just seen posted on the McAfee show.

In NFL history, 4 QBs have done the following over their team's first 8 games of a season:

completed 70% of passes
thrown for 2000+ yards
thrown for 15+ TDs
taken fewer than 10 sacks

Those QBs are Tom Brady (2007), Peyton Manning (2009), Drew Brees (2018) & Sam Darnold (2025).