Darnold faces a familiar nemesis in defensive coordinator Chris Shula, whose schemes have repeatedly troubled the Seahawks' quarterback. Can Darnold finally conquer this challenge?
Sam Darnold has been quite the story since he entered the league. From third overall pick in 2018, to once being thought of as a bust, and all the way back to being a star quarterback with the Minnesota Vikings and the Seattle Seahawks.
And now the 28-year-old field general will get a chance to play in by far the biggest game of his career on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship.
A recent article by Cameron DaSilva of Rams Wire shows six matchups that could play a big role in the NFC title game. One of them involves Sam Darnold, but it's not exactly what you'd expect.
He will not have to overcome any one player in this big game, but the defensive coordinator of the Rams, Chris Shula.
"Darnold’s struggled badly against Shula in the last two years," DaSilva writes. "He’s thrown five touchdown passes and seven interceptions in four games against Shula, getting sacked 16 times. He’s a quarterback who gets rattled under pressure and leans heavily on his first read, so the Rams will try to pressure him and take away his initial read."
As good of seasons as Darnold has had the last two years, he has gone 1-2 against Shula in the regular season. Not to mention the 27-9 loss in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last year when Darnold was a member of the Vikings.
Some would say that Shula has had Darnold's number ever since the former USC Trojan emerged as a star QB. Now he will get a chance to prove that he can make adjustments to win the biggest game of his career.
And not only is he up against a tough defense in the Rams, but he will be right on the other side of one of the best quarterbacks to ever do it.
"The Rams have a big advantage at quarterback with Stafford over Darnold, and it could be the difference in this game. Shula needs to disguise coverages with late rotations and feigned blitzes to throw Darnold off."
Shula and the Rams will be doing everything in their power to get under Darnold's skin and get back to the Super Bowl for the first time since their win at the end of the 2021 season.
But on the other side, Darnold and the Seahawks will be looking to flip the script and prove that they are the scariest team in the playoffs, not matter what past matchups with Shula say.