Sam Darnold puts Rams on notice with encouraging message for Seahawks after oblique injury

The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams are set to meet once again during the 2025 NFL season. This time, the two NFC West rivals will clash with a trip to Super Bowl LX on the line. With the players within smelling distance of their career dream, nothing is going to stop them. Sam Darnold made that much clear when asked about his oblique injury.

Every NFL playoff game is a chess match. But when divisional rivals meet with a trip to the Super Bowl hanging in the balance, every move is layered with intent, every mistake magnified, and the game within the game takes center stage. Absolutely nothing is left to chance. However, at the end of the day, it’s football. Anything can happen, and as the common saying goes: “It’s players over plays”.

In that regard, Darnold—who truly knows what it means to defy the odds and bounce back from the abyss—is willing to put his body on the line to guide Seattle to its fourth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history. As the Rams are set to walk into one of the league’s loudest venues, Darnold dropped a strong confession.

“Felt good [after the game] I got to continue to get prepared and ready for Sunday. I felt confident letting it rip,” Darnold admitted during his media availability on Wednesday.

QB Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks

Chess match between Rams and Seahawks

After watching the Seahawks’ defense dominate every phase of the game, special teams fire on all cylinders, and the ground attack reach another level with Kenneth Walker III leading the way, learning that Darnold is healthy and confident enough to rip the pigskin only adds another layer of concern for Rams head coach Sean McVay. Moreover, the Seahawks confirmed Darnold could get a new weapon to face Los Angeles.

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Though an authentic student of the game, McVay has built his reputation on outscoring opponents in shootouts rather than engaging in drawn-out chess matches. Now, it appears the young mind guiding Los Angeles may be forced out of his comfort zone as he goes up against arguably the most underrated head coach in the NFL: Mike Macdonald.

Third battle

Seattle and Los Angeles have met twice so far in the 2025 NFL season, splitting the regular-season series. Both games were decided by a combined margin of just three points. The Rams edged the Seahawks 21–19 at SoFi Stadium, before Seattle returned the favor with a 38–37, game-of-the-year contender at Lumen Field.

Back in the Emerald City for the third and decisive matchup, both teams know what to expect from each other. However, instead of shedding light, that just means they are essentially in pitch-black darkness. The two coaching staffs will come up with tweaks to their game. Thus, it’s truly anyone’s game.

The winner will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LX, played at another familiar stage: Levi’s Stadium, home of fellow NFC West rival San Francisco. Regardless of who emerges on top, there’s little doubt that both the Seahawks and Rams are more than deserving of this opportunity.