Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field kicked off in a way no one could have predicted, marking the first time in an NFL game since at least 1978 that both teams started their opening plays from scrimmage with an interception. What a wild ride, right? It was Justin Herbert and our own Sam Darnold who combined to make this bizarre slice of history against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Darnold’s Rollercoaster Start and a Record Nobody Wanted
The historic picks essentially reset the game, but man, what a way to start! Herbert got things going for the Chargers with a questionable decision, trying to force a ball to Oronde Gadsden into triple coverage. Easy pick for Drake Thomas. Then, like he was trying to match, Darnold returned the favor immediately. He fired a short pass intended for Rashid Shaheed that landed right in the hands of Tuli Tuipulotu, who ran it back four yards for his first career interception. That blunder even led to a 40-yard field goal for the Chargers, putting them on the board first. You could feel the collective groan from the 12s across the Emerald City.
But hold up, Darnold didn’t stay down for long! Our guy made up for that early mistake quicker than you can say “touchdown.” After the Chargers muffed a punt return on the very next drive, Darnold capitalized, finding Emanuel Wilson for a 23-yard touchdown. Just like that, the Seahawks were in prime position to take the lead back. Shaheed then absolutely broke open a 28-yard run in the second quarter, pushing our lead to 10 points. That’s the kind of resilience you love to see!
Herbert’s Meltdown Keeps Our Hopes Alive
While Darnold managed to shake off his rough start, Herbert just couldn’t find his groove. The Chargers’ QB threw his second interception just before halftime, trying to squeeze a ball to Ladd McConkey but instead throwing it directly to Ernest Jones. Talk about a gift! We wasted no time turning that mistake into points, with Wilson punching it in for an 8-yard touchdown run, adding more points on the board before halftime.
It’s clear both quarterbacks had a historically rough start, but Herbert’s inability to recover in the first half was a huge difference-maker for us. Whether the team can rally in the second half and avoid a brutal 0-4 start after that wild opening two quarters here in Seattle remains the burning question. We need to finish strong, 12s, because this season is on the line!
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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