The Seahawks’ undefeated start to the season officially ended Sunday, and man, it stings. A crushing 33-31 road loss to the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium saw Sam Darnold and the offense fight hard, only to have a late, game-winning drive attempt snatched away in the most heartbreaking fashion.
The Commanders’ Early Punch
Marcus Mariota got the start for Washington after Jayden Daniels’ gruesome elbow injury, and he looked solid. Mariota went 19-of-31 for 183 yards and threw three touchdowns that built a huge early lead. He found Rachaad White for a 6-yard score in the first quarter, then hit Treylon Burks for an 11-yard touchdown in the second. The real gut-punch came early in the third, though, when Mariota scrambled out of the pocket and expertly connected with Terry McLaurin for a 30-yard touchdown, putting them up 24-10. This was the Commanders’ first win of the season, stopping what would have been their worst start to a campaign since 2019. You hate being the team that breaks that streak.
Heartbreak After The Comeback
Our guy Sam Darnold was back, too, after missing last week’s win over the Cardinals with a “glue injury” from the season opener. He shook off any rust, finishing with 31-of-45 for 379 yards, four touchdowns, but ultimately two interceptions. The Seahawks rallied big time, tying the game up early in the fourth quarter thanks to an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That was JSN’s second score of the day, following his 1-yard grab in the second quarter, and his sixth of the season. The kid was electric, pulling in 10 catches for 128 yards and those two TDs. But after a late field goal by Washington, the unthinkable happened: Darnold threw a rough interception to Kain Medrano right at midfield on what should have been a game-winning drive. Medrano ran it back untouched, putting the Commanders up by two scores for a second time in the second half. A final, quick Cooper Kupp touchdown drive got us back within two points, but Mariota sealed it with a 9-yard scramble on deep third down, and the clock ran out. That pick-six was just brutal.
This one absolutely stings, Twelve. Our first loss of the season, snatched away by a late turnover. Darnold showed grit returning and slinging it for nearly 400 yards and four TDs, and JSN proved again he’s a certified playmaker. But giving up 33 points and throwing that late pick? We gotta clean that up. It’s just one loss, but we need to regroup fast and bring that Emerald City energy. This team is better than that final play.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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