Winners and Losers from Seahawks vs. Broncos: Benching Sam Darnold must be considered

After a rough 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, the Seattle Seahawks sit at 3-3 and face mounting risk of missing the playoffs. The argument centers on a defense that can’t consistently carry a struggling offense. Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba produced another 12 catches for 134 yards despite playing through pain, and the defense limited Denver to 168 total yards, including minimal offense after halftime. Even so, the loss came amid poor stretches, including a second-quarter spell with screen-heavy play and touchdowns allowed following a Devon Witherspoon penalty. The column highlights positive moments such as George Holani’s 13-yard run that led to Seattle’s only score, and better-than-usual kickoff coverage from Irv Charles. It also argues Sam Darnold is performing at a bench-worthy level after Drew Lock’s lack of interceptions in two games is not proof of a fixed problem.