Seahawks laud Sam Darnold after 3-TD performance in NFC title win - ESPN

SEATTLE — Even as Sam Darnold was helping the Seattle Seahawks win a franchise-record 14 games during the regular season on their way to the NFC's No. 1 seed, questions persisted about his big-game ability and whether he could avoid the costly mistake.

Wonder no more.

In the biggest game of his eight-year NFL career, Darnold answered those questions in the most resounding way possible, throwing three touchdown passes with zero turnovers to power Seattle to a 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday night at Lumen Field.

Indeed, Darnold can win the big game — even while playing at less than 100%, and even on a night when Seattle's elite defense didn't have its best stuff. Now the quarterback has his team in the biggest game of all, with the Seahawks set to play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 at Levi's Stadium.

«You can't talk about the game without talking about our quarterback,» Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. «He shut a lot of people up tonight, so I'm really happy for him.»

Darnold was playing his second straight game with a left oblique injury he suffered in practice Jan. 15. When the Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers 41-6 in the divisional round two days later, he only had to attempt 17 passes before he was pulled with about nine minutes left and the game all but over.

The Seahawks needed much more from Darnold on Sunday night against a Rams defense that has been his nemesis, and their Pro Bowl quarterback delivered. He completed 25 of 36 attempts for 346 yards, playing aggressively without putting the ball in harm's way. He has now gone three straight games without a turnover.

Darnold was particularly effectively in the deep passing game. Per ESPN