The 13-3 Seahawks are one win away from earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Still, offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak sees one factor as the team’s potential Achilles heel.
Turnovers.
The Seahawks have 28 overall, in 16 games. Quarterback Sam Darnold, with 14 interceptions (third most in the league) and six lost fumbles, has 20 alone.
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“It’s not a number that we’re proud of at all, something that we’re always preaching, things that we’ve got to improve on,” Kubiak told reporters on Thursday. “Obviously, we want to maximize our possessions and we’re giving away points when we give the ball away. So, whether it’s decision making, throwing the ball, holding onto it, then protecting our quarterback so that we’re not getting sack fumbles. There’s a lot of things that go on there, but something’s got to get better if we want to be a championship team.”
The clock is ticking. And it strikes midnight on Saturday, when Darnold gets a chance — for the second straight season — to beat a division rival on the road with the top seed on the line.
Last year, Darnold’s 14-2 chariot turned into a pumpkin during a Week 18 visit by the Vikings to the Lions. Two weeks ago, Darnold got a measure of redemption by overcoming two interceptions to beat the Rams in overtime.
But that was just the appetizer. The main course for Darnold and the Seahawks arrives in two days. Against the 49ers, Darnold will either scrap the narrative for good or confirm it.