Which Sam Darnold will show up in the NFC Championship against the Rams?
Yahoo Sports host Andrew Siciliano, senior NFL writer Charles Robinson and betting analyst Ben Fawkes look ahead to the NFL Championship Game between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams . Check out the full conversation on “Inside Coverage” - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube or wherever you listen.
Video Transcript
How much can Darnold do?
Is that oblique, right?
Is it better after a week?
That's a great point.
Is it worse now that, you know, whatever drugs he showed up with before?
That game, Ben.
Right, he hasn't thrown the ball.
He's not throwing right now.
So we don't...
Right.
We don't really know with that aspect.
I do think the loss of Charbonnet is big, as well, for the Seahawks.
And the Rams, unlike the 49ers, right?
The Niners had so many injuries.
They just, they didn't have the wide receivers on the outside to threaten and they didn't have the offensive line and running game as well to threaten the Sea.
You could just see, they were just up on the line of scrimmage.
There was nothing there.
The Rams have all that, right?
And they have multiple tight ends, and they have a really good offensive line.
So I'm very curious to see if the Rams, who also their offense hasn't looked as good this postseason.
I mean, I think the weather also won't be a factor.
Which is important in Seattle.
But the Rams led the league 6.0 YPP.
During the regular season.
Against the Panthers, they were at 5.7, including 4 yards per rush, and against the Bears.
4.4 yards per play and 3.6 yards per rush.
And again, 8 of 29, by my quick math, on 3rd downs.
So their offense hasn't been the same in the postseason, and that's part of the reason they're actually the first team.
I believe, in the Super Bowl era, to win both of their games but not cover as favs.
Actually make it to the championship round.
No one else has ever done that before.
So, they're gonna be an underdog in this game.
It should be a really good game.
Ultimately, I kind of think the Seahawks defense is playing well enough that they get the job done.
But man, it's still... I-it's kind of amazing that after all this time, it's still, Are we gonna get good Sam Darnold or bad Sam Darnold?
'Cause he didn't really have to do very much against the 49ers.
And we obviously have the data from last season.
But it still really comes down to which version of Sam Darnold do you get?
Mm-hmm.
'Cause I think the Rams are too good.
He's gonna have to make a lot more plays, certainly, than he did against the Niners.
For them to get to the Super Bowl.
