Sam Darnold is 20-5 as a starting quarterback dating to the start of the 2024 season. Scott Taetsch / Getty Images

By The Athletic NFL Staff

Nov. 2, 2025Updated Nov. 3, 2025 12:56 am EST

By Michael-Shawn Dugar, David Aldridge and Alex Valdes

Sam Darnold threw four touchdown passes and Jaxon Smith-Njigba topped 100 yards receiving for the sixth time this season as the Seattle Seahawks throttled the Washington Commanders 38-14 on Sunday night.

Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, suffered what looked to be a serious injury to his left (non-throwing) arm in the fourth quarter and left the game for X-rays.

The Seahawks kept pace with the Los Angeles Rams (both 6-2) in the NFC West, a half-game ahead of the San Francisco 49ers (6-3). The Commanders dropped to 3-6, one game out of the NFC East cellar.

Darnold capitalized on two Commanders turnovers in the second quarter, throwing a touchdown pass after each one. The first-year Seattle quarterback threw three touchdown passes in a span of four minutes, 18 seconds in the second quarter for a 28-0 lead. Darnold is now 20-5 as a starter dating to the beginning of the 2024 season, including his 14-3 record with the Minnesota Vikings last season.

Jayden Daniels was helped off the field after suffering an apparent arm injury.

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Seattle’s passing offense continues to be one of the most lethal units in the NFL. Darnold had more touchdown passes (4) than incompletions (3) and finished with 330 yards while averaging 13.8 yards per attempt. Smith-Njigba continues to look like the league’s best receiver. With eight catches for 129 yards, the third-year player remains on pace to break the NFL’s single-season record for receiving yards (1,964 by Calvin Johnson in 2012).

Even with Cooper Kupp out, Seattle had no problem moving the ball through the air. Rookie Tory Horton had two touchdowns, rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo had his first career touchdown, and practice squad call-up Cody White had a 60-yard score, the first of his career. There’s not much anyone can do against Darnold and this passing game right now. — Michael-Shawn Dugar, Seahawks beat writer

Shutdown defense

To start the game, Seattle’s defense was the healthiest it has been in weeks — and it showed. This game was over in the second quarter. Washington’s offense had 140 yards in the first half and didn’t score until there were 53 seconds remaining. Seattle’s starting defense recorded four sacks on Daniels in three quarters, and Ty Okada picked him off in the second quarter.

Daniels had 64 yards passing in the first half and his leading receiver was tight end Zach Ertz, who had 21 yards. In the first half, Washington’s running backs combined for 39 yards and three first downs on 10 attempts. The Seahawks’ defense dominated this one from the opening possession. — Dugar

Why was Daniels still in?

This was a disaster, in every sense of that word. Having Daniels on the field when your team is down 38-7 in the fourth quarter of a long-lost game is an organizational act of malpractice. It does not matter that Daniels is an ultra-competitive person, or that he wanted to stay on the field with his teammates and see this game to the finish.

He is the franchise quarterback! It has taken Washington more than three decades to be able to draft someone with Daniels’ talent and potential. He has to be protected at all costs, including from himself.

The Commanders’ season is over, at least the part concerned with making a playoff run. This franchise now needs to take a long, hard look at itself. — David Aldridge, senior columnist

Nov 3, 2025

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