Seahawks 31, Rams 27
SAM DARNOLD: Great team win. Great team win. You know, we came out, did exactly what we wanted to do on offense. I thought that was a great first touchdown drive, and then kind of hit a lull in the second, third quarter. Got things going a little bit there in between those lulls I guess.
But just a total complete team win. Special teams stepping up on the muffed punt; Dareke recovering that was huge for us especially going into the half.
And then getting the ball back. You know, our defense just playing lights out. That fourth down they hit, you know, I think it was fourth and four, something like that. Just an incredible stop by our guys.
So like I said, complete team win. Very proud of this group.
Q. Sam, that is last drive, you guys had second and six down -- shadow of your goal line and then you guys threw it, had a bootleg. How much confidence does that inspire for the entire offense this that situation where a lot of teams might run, run, run to put the ball in your hands and the receivers hands to go win the game?
SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, I mean, we practice these situations all the time. I feel like I say that -- whenever we do really good things situationally, you guys ask about the situations and it's just because we practice it all the time. We practice it every single day almost.
So our coaches are really confident not only in myself, but in our entire offense to just go out there and execute whatever play is called, and they know in those four-minute situations that I'm going to take care of it and keep the clock running if I have to.
Q. Have you ever practiced less for a full week and then played?
SAM DARNOLD: That's a great question. I don't know. I don't think so. Yeah.
Q. Were you concerned at all about the lack of practice time?
SAM DARNOLD: Not really. I've actually talked to my teammates about this, but I think we -- you know, middle of the season, week nine or ten it might have been a bigger problem, but with all the reps that we've accumulated throughout the season and throughout training camp, OTAs, all that stuff, I wasn't really concerned about timing or anything like that on certain routes.
Q. How does it feel playing through the injury for a second straight week?
SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, felt good. You know, felt good.
Q. Sam, almost poetic for Cooper Kupp the way that wound up. Is that gratifying for you?
SAM DARNOLD: You know, I know Coop doesn't think about it like that, but just for him to just be able to step up on a day-to-day basis for us, not only in games but in practice, in the facility, like he's a true leader for us.
I feel like I say that all the time when I talk about him, but it's true. He's a great leader and someone that's going to continue to do his job every day.
Q. What can you say about just the way Jax played, the one-handed catch, the deep ball over the middle?
SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, I'm not really surprised at this point anymore about some of the stuff that Jax does on a football field.
Yeah, he's a great player, and I can't give enough kudos to do guys around him as well in the skill group, other receivers, 'Shid stepping up, Bobo having a good game.
You know, you talk about all the running backs that stepped up, George Holani stepping up for Charbs the way that he did tonight was huge. Obviously Ken doing this thing.
Our tight ends, our tight ends do it all. You know, obviously the offensive line as well, they do a good job. But, yeah, just our entire offense has been clicking and we're a tight group. I think you can kind of see that with the way we play.
Q. The way your teammates talk about you and the way your coaches talk about you and stand up for you, how rewarding is it in the biggest game of the season to have a huge performance and sort of validate all that talk that they support you with?
SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, you know, it's great. It's great that -- I feel that support not with only their words but just with how everyone treats each other in the building. There is a lot of respect that goes around the building. Everyone respects the work we all put into this great game.
So, you know, I'm just happy to be a part of this team, man, this group and this coaching staff. It's just -- I'm really happy to be here, happy to be in this position. I'm just going to continue to do the best that I can to put this team in positions to win football games.
Q. Sam, could you reflect on the guy that six years ago against the Patriots, going to see them again in the biggest game of your life. What do you say to that guy back then or what the biggest evolution is over that period of time?
SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, I almost forgot about it, so thanks. No, you're good.
No, I think for me, like, you know, there was a lot that I didn't know back then, so I'm just going to continue to learn and grow in this great game. You know, there is a lot of stuff that I can get better from today even.
I feel like I missed some throws out there that I shouldn't miss. There were some things offensively that I feel like we can do better.
So we're always looking to get better. I'm always looking to get better. That's the great part about this game is you win an NFC Championship and you win games throughout the season, but there is always ways that you can look to get better.
Q. Sam, Jake Bobo wasn't active for a lot of these games. Throw a touchdown pass in a big situation. You knew he could catch it, right?
SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, Bobo is the man. He stepped up for us in other ways throughout the season blocking, doing his thing on teams, but he came up big as well last week with that third down conversion.
So me personally and I know the coaches and other players as well have a ton of trust in him.
Q. What did you see from him on that play?
SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, they just brought their two pressure where they bring a corner and play cover two behind it.
Bobo ran a great route on the corner; ended up being that half player, and I just tried to put it in a position to where he could put himself in between the ball and the defender.
Q. Sam, the first quarterback from your draft class that includes Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, you're the first one to make it to a Super Bowl.
SAM DARNOLD: Yeah, I actually made it in '23 as well when I was in San Francisco. No, I'm just messing with you.
No, it's unbelievable, man. Just obviously those are great players, but just it's more so the team just the heart work we put in throughout this season. OTAs, training camp. I talk about it a lot and I know every team works really hard in that offseason when we're just working together, but to be able to go against that defense every single day, you know, that got us better as an offense.
I know they could say the same thing about us. So, yeah, we take it day by day and that's the beauty about this team and these guys in this locker room, this coaching staff, is we're going celebrate tonight. We're going to celebrate tomorrow in the meeting and move on and everyone is going to look to see how they can get better for this game coming up in a couple weeks.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports