Darnold has struggled against the Rams this season, and playing Sean McVay's team in the NFC Championship game isn't ideal.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, for the most part in 2025, has been everything the organization has wanted him to be.
Except when he plays the Los Angeles Rams.
As we gear up for the NFC Championship game, Darnold will come face-to-face with the Rams for the third time, with the season series at 1-1.
But there's a trip to the Super Bowl on the line this time.
Darnold's struggles against the Rams this season have been well-documented, but when we delve into the numbers, it's startling.
In his two games, Darnold has just two touchdown passes, six interceptions, and was sacked four times in his last outing. Sam has three games this season where he's had multiple turnovers, and two of them were against Los Angeles. That's a problem.
And for Jeff Saturday, who was a guest on ESPN's First Take, Sam's struggles against the Rams are a flashing red light for Mike Macdonald.
"It's a huge deal," Saturday said. "The quarterback can't put you behind and create problems for your team in the playoffs. That's the bottom line. You think about Sam Darnold and how the Seahawks want to play, their style of winning reminds me of Philadelphia last year.
"Great defense, run the ball, exactly what they did against San Francisco. They didn't ask a lot (of Darnold)."
We have seen how turnovers can plague a team in the postseason.
Look no further than C.J Stroud and his four first-half interceptions. Josh Allen's interceptions and fumbles against the Denver Broncos.
Darnold can't do that at Lumen Field.
The Rams appear to have Darnold's number when it comes to turnovers, and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has to be aware of it.
The unfortunate thing is the Seahawks are superb at running the ball, but will be without Zach Charbonnet, who suffered an ACL injury. That means a healthy dose of Kenneth Walker.
The Rams have given up 135 and 171 yards on the ground against Seattle this season, but those numbers might be tough to replicate without Charbonnet.
And that means Darnold dropping back to throw.
Four times in 2025 Sam had 34 or more pass attempts, Seattle is 2-2. But under 34 pass attempts? The Seahawks are 13-1, including the playoffs.
So, in the biggest game of his career, Darnold will face the team that has given him the most trouble.
How will it all play out?