Seahawks‘ Sam Darnold Takes Responsibility for Late-Game interception in Loss to Buccaneers
TAMPA, FL – Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold squarely blamed himself for a critical interception late in Sunday’s 38-35 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a turnover that directly led to a game-winning field goal for the Bucs.The interception, occurring with the game tied, halted a strong performance by Darnold and handed Tampa Bay the victory as time expired.
The defeat marks a setback for Seattle (2-3) as they navigate a competitive NFC West. The outcome underscores the razor-thin margin for error in the NFL and highlights the importance of protecting the football, particularly in crucial moments. the Seahawks will need to quickly rebound as they prepare for their next contest, seeking to regain momentum in the division.
Darnold explained that he attempted to throw the ball away to avoid a sack when the pass deflected off a defender’s helmet and into the hands of Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David.”The last turnover, definitely on me,” Darnold stated in his postgame press conference. ”I was just trying to throw it away. I think it might have deflected off a helmet. Once I saw it was going to be hot to my left,I just tried to throw it away,and I think it deflected off somebody’s helmet. At the end of the day, I got to protect the football in that situation and can’t give them a short field to put the game away like that.”
He further acknowledged his own shortcomings in the play, stating, “I feel like that was bad quarterback play on that last snap.” darnold indicated he had the possibility to adjust the protection call before the snap, potentially altering the outcome. ”I had a good answer to that side, and I think Tory [Horton] was open as well on the right side,” he said. ”So,I just got to be a lot better there pre-snap.”
Despite the costly turnover,Darnold delivered a statistically impressive performance,completing 28 of 34 passes for 341 yards and four touchdowns. Through five games this season, he has a 73.1% completion rate for 1,246 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions. Chase McLaughlin’s 39-yard field goal ultimately sealed the Seahawks’ fate following the interception.
