Seahawks’ Sam Darnold deja vu awaiting in Week 18 49ers matchup

For Sam Darnold, the calendar flipping to Week 18 brings an eerie sense of deja vu. For the second straight season, the Seattle Seahawks quarterback is walking into a winner-take-all finale. Of course, the stakes couldn’t be higher: the NFC’s No. 1 seed or a slide into the Wild Card round. Last year, it was Darnold’s Minnesota Vikings who stumbled against the Detroit Lions. This time, it’s Seattle lining up opposite the San Francisco 49ers. This game will define not only playoff positioning but Darnold’s evolving NFL narrative.

Seattle earned this moment with a businesslike 27-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 17. After a sluggish first half that ended tied 3-3, the Seahawks flipped the script with defensive takeaways and a punishing ground attack. Zach Charbonnet powered the offense with 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Seattle’s defense suffocated Carolina. They limited Bryce Young to just 54 passing yards. The win marked Seattle’s sixth straight and lifted them to 13-3, keeping firm control of the NFC’s top seed for now.

Darnold’s 2025 season has been one of the league’s quiet surprises. Signed on a one-year deal, he’s delivered steady, mistake-light football. To date, he has thrown for roughly 3,800 yards with 25 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. Protected by a strong run game and an elite defense, Darnold has done exactly what Seattle needed. He has managed the game, made timely throws, and avoided the implosions that once defined his early career.

Now comes the test that feels all too familiar. Beat San Francisco, and Darnold secures a first-round bye. In the process, he also exorcises last year’s ghosts. Lose, and the echoes of that Vikings finale grow louder. For Darnold and the Seahawks, Week 18 is about rewriting a story that’s threatening to repeat itself.

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