"Sam Darnold needs to be benched": Seahawks QB grilled by fans for throwing 2 interceptions in first half against Steelers in Week 2

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is under fire from fans after throwing two costly interceptions in the first half of their Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

His first interception was a poorly placed pass behind veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp, which Jalen Ramsey easily picked off. On his second turnover, Darnold attempted to lob the ball over defensive tackle Cam Heyward on a critical fourth-and-one play. Heyward deflected the pass, and it was intercepted, though it did not result in a pick-six.

Frustration and disappointment were evident among the fans.

"Sam Darnold needs to be benched," a user wrote.

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"I’m sorry f**king give me my backup QB and bench Darnold for the rest of the damn season," a fan tweeted.

"Fun fact: Sam Darnold is not a good quarterback," another fan declared.

"Welcome back to the NFL Sam Darnold! 😂😂," a user wrote.

"Sam Darnold what a damn idiot 😂😂," another user wrote.

"Sam Darnold’s seeing ghosts," another fan tweeted.

At halftime, the Seahawks were trailing the Steelers 14-7. Darnold has completed 13 of 19 passes for 157 yards, with one touchdown, two interceptions and one fumble. His passer rating was 71.5. Darnold connected with rookie Tory Horton for a touchdown earlier in the half.

Sam Darnold took blame after Seahawks lost to 49ers in Week 1

Sam Darnold owned up to his mistakes after their Week 1 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks fell 17-13, and Darnold’s late-game fumble was the nail in the coffin.

On his final drive, Darnold held the ball too long, trying to make a play. Edge rusher Joey Bosa pushed right tackle Abe Lucas into Darnold’s lap. As Darnold threw, the ball grazed Lucas’ back, which resulted in a fumble.

“I thought the protection was awesome all day," he said. "Obviously, that last play I feel like I could have got the ball out a little bit quicker, to be honest with you.”

“If we checked that ball down, who knows what happens,” he added.

Despite the error, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was happy about his performance.

“I was impressed with Sam,” Kubiak said. “I thought he did, with the opportunities that we gave him, a great job. Sam’s going to keep getting better as we go along.”

Darnold still needs to adjust to the new offense and develop chemistry with his team.

About the author

Nishant is a Delhi-based journalist at Sportskeeda specializing in High School Sports. He graduated in Mathematical Sciences and is pursuing a Masters in Operational Research at Delhi University.

With his educational background and over four years of experience, Nishant likes to be precise with information. He is passionate about cricket, football, basketball, and chess, often writing about events and game analysis.

His favorite team is the Michigan Wolverines, and he thoroughly enjoyed their unbeaten season and championship win, especially when it culminated in Jim Harbaugh fulfilling his promise of getting a tattoo.

When he is not working or watching sports, Nishant likes to play football and write poetry. Wrapping everything in humor with relatable memes and defending his heart out on the football field is why he gets up every day.

Know More

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Edited by Krutik Jain