Only 33 percent of Seahawks fans believe Sam Darnold will still be under center for our beloved Hawks in 2027. That is a brutal gut punch for a guy who was supposed to light up the Lumen Field turf, especially when you consider a whopping 73 percent do *not* see him as the future. We all had such high hopes for the 2026 season, imagining Darnold building on his 2024-2025 success in the Shanahan-style offense that Brian Fleury brought to the table. But here we are, sitting at a disappointing 4-4, and the fan confidence numbers tell a stark story.
Darnold Is Crumbling Under Pressure, Literally
Let’s be real, Darnold’s not looked comfortable out there this season, and it is showing. He is already out with his second set of injuries this year, which says a lot about the punishment he is taking. The numbers do not lie, either: Darnold was 31st out of 31 qualifying quarterbacks in EPA/dropback when pressured in 2026. Think about that for a second. *Last year*, he was 30th out of 33, but he also was one of the *least pressured* QBs in the entire NFL. This season? He is top 12 in pressure rate. Our guy is getting absolutely hammered, and his performance under that pressure has plummeted. It is not a coincidence. This isn’t just on him, though. The entire offense seems to be struggling with the new play calling and scheme. Receivers are dropping balls they usually snag, and our offensive line, which we thought was solid, has regressed. That is a recipe for disaster for any quarterback, let alone one already battling injuries and comfort issues.
Fleury’s Scheme and the Offensive Funk
Head Coach Mike Macdonald brought in Brian Fleury with a ton of fanfare. His unique background across offense, defense, special teams, and his mentorship under Kyle Shanahan all sounded great on paper. Yet, here we are, eight games into the season, and outside of the electric Jaxon Smith-Njigba, this offense has been less than stellar. The fan survey hammers this home: only 27 percent of fans feel the team is headed in the right direction, and that is absolutely due to the offensive struggles. From our perspective as fans who bleed green and blue, Macdonald and John Schneider chose poorly when it came to the offensive coordinator. We have watched eight games, and only one of them, against the Kansas City Chiefs, seemed to have decent play calling. One out of eight? That is not going to cut it in the Emerald City. The defense is still a top-three unit, holding up their end of the bargain, and special teams are top 15 or higher, but the offense is dragging us down.
The “Next Man Up” Mentality Faces a True Test
So, what is next for our Hawks? We are staring down a Week 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals, and the injury report ahead of it reads like an obituary. Seriously, it is grim. Big time leaders are out, and this is going to be a true test for the entire squad. The “next man up” mentality is not just a slogan now; it has to be the absolute truth for us to pull through. With fan confidence in Darnold’s future at an all-time low and the offensive struggles piling up, this next game is critical. We need to see preparation, we need to see fight, and we need someone, anyone, to step up and make plays. It is time to prove that this team can weather the storm, even when it feels like everything is going wrong. Let’s get it done, Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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