Fair question about athletic redemption: Do you get full credit for timely heroism if you put yourself in the dire straits in the first place?
The Seattle Seahawks drove for the game-winning field goal in the final 28 seconds to win 23-20, after having given up 14 points to the Arizona Cardinals in the preceding four minutes.
Jason Myers booted the winner from 52 yards after missing one from 53 to turn the momentum over to Arizona.
On the last two drives, Jaxon Smith-Njigba pulled in huge receptions, after having been called for holding that nullified a touchdown run that would have given the Hawks a three-score margin earlier.
As it appeared the Seahawks had somehow found a way to lose this one, so much that had seemed to be proven in the last two and a half games of dominance, suddenly seemed open to questioning.
But they found a way to move to 3-1.
Strange things have happened to the Hawks in State Farm Stadium, but they won their eighth straight against the Cardinals there, and there’s no need to revive any recollections of the outcome in Super Bowl 49.
Like the previous one and a half games, a stretch in which they outscored their opponents (Pittsburgh and New Orleans) 62-9, the Seahawks for the first three periods looked like a team ready to move into the upper echelon on the NFL.
The defense ended up giving up a season-high 20 points, but are still averaging only 16.7 a game.
Yeah, but this was Arizona. Except the Cards have a stout defense, and they played division-leading San Francisco so well that the Niners needed a last-second field goal to pull it out.
Just as the Seahawks did Thursday night.
Some of the takeaways were obvious. The Seahawks play hard and often efficiently. But they need to every possession.
Clearly, a few players are costing them more than they’re producing in return. Cornerback Riq Woolen, for instance, was whistled for two defensive pass interferences and a facemask penalty.
The play of second-year linebacker Tyrice Knight also has been spotty, and after a terrific Coby Bryant interception, Knight hit his teammate and caused him to lose a fumble.
And, especially late, one of their best defenders, cornerback Devon Witherspoon, got a little bullied by big Cardinals’ receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Witherspoon has missed a couple games with injury, and had tight coverage on Harrison’s catches, but the 6-3 Harrison managed to make big catches against Witherspoon when they needed them.
One Seahawk who has already claimed full redemption this season is quarterback Sam Darnold.
Anybody out there still doubting Sam Darnold? Darnold, the now and future quarterback.
Future? Yeah. Why not? Let’s say it.
Everybody knows he’s been with four teams in the previous seven seasons. This is his fifth chance to earn a long-term job. He’s been called “damaged goods,” and a “placeholder.”
But he’s still only 28 years old. And it’s hard to deny, four games into the 2025 season, that he’s playing like an above-average NFL quarterback.
After being almost perfect again in the first half, leading the Hawks to a 14-3 lead, he continued to come up big when needed in the second half.
He finished with 242 passing yards, completing 18 of 26 attempts and a touchdown for a rating of 111.4.
Playing in control and in rhythm, getting quickly through his progressions, Darnold led the Hawks on two masterful scoring drives in the first half. It took until the second half for Darnold to start finding Smith-Njigba, and his 36-yard connection to JSN on a crucial third down late in the game appeared to give the Hawks enough boost to hold on.
When the Cardinals rallied to tie in the final minute, Darnold was left with just 28 seconds to get the Hawks into field-goal position. He answered.
A 22-yard completion to Smith-Njigba, and then a run up the middle by back Zach Charbonnet, set up Myers for the game-winner.
The Hawks now have 10 days before playing host to Tampa Bay.
Coach Mike Macdonald has said throughout the season that the team needs to focus on “stacking wins.” That will be their next chance.
This one in Arizona was slippery, and highly in doubt in the final minutes.
But the play of Sam Darnold was one huge question mark, coming into the season, that now seems to be put to rest.