Sam Darnold — Week 3: Career-High Yards and a Pick-Six
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
In his first game since he was hurt in the opener, Darnold completed 31 of 45 for 379 yards, the most of his career, with four touchdowns, two interceptions and no sacks. Down 27–24 with 4:09 left, his throw for AJ Barner was intercepted at midfield and returned 50 yards for a touchdown; he answered with five straight completions for 68 yards and a touchdown, in a 33–31 loss to the Commanders.
When Sam Darnold's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
The full episode, in writing
27 to 24, Commanders, four oh nine left in the fourth quarter, second and 15 at the Washington 49. Sam Darnold threw short middle for AJ Barner, and Washington intercepted it at the 50 and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. −8.7 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and −28.8 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it. By both measures it was the largest swing of any play in the game. The extra point missed, so it was 33 to 24. Darnold took the next drive from the Seattle 32 and completed five straight: 18, 11 15 to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, 17 to Tory Horton, and seven to Cooper Kupp for the touchdown with two 55 left. With the extra point it was 33 to 31. Seattle did not get the ball back.
The line: 31 of 45, 379 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions, no sacks, +4.1 expected points on 45 pass plays; one scramble for five yards on third and four. The 379 yards are the most of his career, two more than the three 77 he threw for against the Packers in December 20 24. 14 of 23 before halftime for a hundred 79 yards, 17 of 22 after for 200. On third down he threw eight times, completed five and converted two. The touchdowns: one yard to Smith-Njigba in the second quarter; 13 to Eric Saubert in the third, the ball knocked loose at the one and Saubert recovering it himself in the end zone, which the scorebook still credits as a touchdown pass; 11 to Smith-Njigba to tie it at 24; and the seven to Kupp. The first interception was first and 10 at the Seattle 32 in the third quarter, down 17 to 10, short left for Smith-Njigba, and Terry McLaurin scored three plays later. Before halftime, from the Washington two, he threw three straight incompletions, the last on fourth down. Three of his throws traveled 20 or more yards in the air, and two were caught, for 46.
After Washington went up 24 to 10 with 10 43 left in the third, Seattle scored touchdowns on three of its next five possessions. The one before the last was the interception.
Back in June the preview read Darnold as the steady pocket passer of the championship season, 68 percent completions and 4048 yards, rather than the 20 24 spike in Minnesota, and the August episodes pointed at the completion rate once September started counting. It started late. He was hurt on a sack on his third dropback of the opener and was inactive in Week 2, per John Boyle at Seahawks.com, while Drew Lock started both. Sunday he completed 69 percent, a point above last season's rate, and the two interceptions include the snap that decided the game. One game is one game. Seattle is home to the Chargers on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
When Sam Darnold's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
Keep going