Seahawks Adjust Playbook to Mitigate Sam Darnold's Turnover Issues

Key points

• Offensive coordinator Brian Fleury confirmed the team is tailoring the playbook to emphasize plays Darnold can execute swiftly, citing experience from training camp and the first few weeks of the season.
• The Seahawks have committed seven turnovers in their two losses this season, with four of those being interceptions by Sam Darnold, compared to only two turnovers in their three wins.
• FOX Sports analysis suggests Darnold’s performance has declined because he is facing more obvious passing situations, including 19 third-and-long dropbacks this season versus 74 in all of 2025, largely due to a struggling ground game.
• Wide receiver Cooper Kupp defended Darnold’s mental stability, stating that the quarterback’s ability to maintain a 'next-play mindset' is an elite trait, while acknowledging that the entire offense shares responsibility for execution errors.
• The Seahawks are preparing for a Thursday night game against the Denver Broncos on October 15, with the NFC playoff race intensifying as Seattle trails the San Francisco 49ers by two games in the NFC West.

Background

The Seahawks entered the 2026 season with high expectations after winning the Super Bowl in 2025, but their current 3-2 record masks underlying offensive instability. Previous coverage highlighted a 'turnover crisis' where the team lost four fumbles and threw multiple interceptions, contrasting sharply with the stability of the previous year. The recent loss to the San Francisco 49ers, which ended 32-29, was defined by four Seattle turnovers that allowed San Francisco to score 21 points. This follows a chaotic 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, where Seattle squandered a large lead due to offensive miscues, and a 33-31 loss to the Washington Commanders where three turnovers, including a pick-six, decided the game. The current adjustments by the coaching staff are a direct response to this pattern of self-inflicted errors.

How outlets are covering it

NBC Sports focuses on the tactical response from the coaching staff, highlighting Brian Fleury’s decision to simplify the playbook to ensure Darnold can make 'swift decisions.' FOX Sports offers a more critical analytical perspective, arguing that Darnold is not the primary problem but rather the offensive environment; it notes that Darnold is facing a 'harder difficulty' due to a lack of running game support, forcing him into high-pressure passing situations more often than in 2025. Heavy.com presents the player perspective through Cooper Kupp, who defends Darnold’s character and composure, shifting the blame away from the quarterback and toward the collective execution of the offensive line and receivers. While NBC Sports and FOX Sports agree that turnovers are a critical issue, they differ on the root cause: NBC Sports implies a need for strategic simplification, while FOX Sports attributes the issues to structural offensive weaknesses and situational pressure.

Why it matters

The ability to reduce turnovers is critical for the Seahawks to secure a playoff spot in the NFC West, where they currently trail the San Francisco 49ers. With the season progressing and the margin for error shrinking, the team’s success depends on whether the adjusted playbook can stabilize Darnold’s performance. If the offense cannot sustain consistency, the team risks falling further behind in the division race, potentially impacting their seeding and future contract negotiations for Darnold, who is currently on a 'good enough to win' contract.

What to watch

The Seahawks will face the Denver Broncos on Thursday, October 15, in a short-turnaround game. The outcome of this match will be a key indicator of whether the new offensive strategy is effective. Additionally, the team must address the health of its running backs to reduce the frequency of obvious passing situations for Darnold. Offseason contract discussions for Darnold may also be influenced by his performance over the next three months, with lower costs expected if his production does not improve.