The Seattle Seahawks continued to struggle with turnovers in their 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, extending a troubling trend that has hindered their performance this season. Quarterback Sam Darnold threw two interceptions during the game, including a costly pick in overtime that set up Wil Lutz’s game-winning field goal. Seattle also lost a fumble in the second quarter, further compounding their ball security issues.
The Seahawks, who entered the game with a 3-3 record, have now turned the ball over at least three times in each of their three losses this year. In their previous outing against the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle committed four turnovers, with Darnold throwing two interceptions and losing two fumbles, one of which occurred in the end zone. Earlier in the season, Darnold also threw a pick-six in a narrow defeat to the Washington Commanders.
Darnold’s seven interceptions this season are tied for the NFL lead alongside Drake Maye and Justin Herbert, despite having missed almost two full games due to injury. Six of those interceptions have come in losses. Against Denver, he completed 27 of 51 passes for 278 yards but struggled under pressure, being sacked five times and hit an additional 17 times. The Seahawks’ only touchdown came on a one-yard run by George Holani late in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Darnold took responsibility for the turnovers. “It’s not fair to our defense, it’s not fair to our special teams group, it’s not fair really to the entire team, so I’ve got to be better that way,” he said.
Seattle ranks near the top of the league in turnovers with 12, just one fewer than the league-leading Los Angeles Chargers. The team will have an extra week off before returning to face the Kansas City Chiefs on October 25. Head coach Mike Macdonald expressed confidence that the issues are solvable. “There’s things that we need to get better at quickly, and we know those things. They’re within our control... We find solutions, and we get things figured out,” Macdonald said. “The best teams in this league, they do that, and that’s what we want to be.”
Despite offensive struggles, there were positive performances on Thursday. Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 12 passes for 134 yards and continues to lead the NFL with 717 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Smith-Njigba remains optimistic about the team’s prospects. “There are going to be ups and downs during the season. It’s just our job to come in and stick to the process,” he said.
The offensive line’s protection of Darnold remains a concern, with the quarterback being sacked five times for the second consecutive game. The Seahawks also converted only three of 14 third-down attempts against Denver.
On defense, Seattle’s “Dark Side” unit held the Broncos to just 168 total yards, averaging 2.9 yards per play. Denver’s quarterback Bo Nix was limited to 107 passing yards, while their lead receiver, RJ Harvey, had just 31 yards. The Broncos managed only 74 rushing yards. Inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV recorded nine tackles and a sack, marking his third consecutive game with a sack.
Seattle’s tight ends struggled in the passing game as well. AJ Barner, the group’s leading receiver, caught three passes for 16 yards, bringing his season total to 15 catches for 138 yards. Elijah Arroyo left the game early with a shoulder injury and did not return; no further update on his status was provided.