Bedard: The turnover ghosts are still there for Sam Darnold, and it's up to Patriots to get him there

SAN FRANCISCO — Listening to the Seahawks during Super Bowl Media Night, you'd swear quarterback Sam Darnold was a brand new guy from his Jets days, when he was seeing ghosts against the Patriots.

"He's still the same talented guy, but what's different about him is that he has so much more confidence," said offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who was with the 49ers when Darnold backed up Brock Purdy. "He knows his strengths. He plays to his strengths. He knows how to challenge his coaches, because he won't let us put them in a bad play. He's asking a lot of great questions throughout the week. ... We have so much confidence in him."

And, look, there are two years' worth of evidence that Darnold may be a changed quarterback. He went 14-3 with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024 and 14-3 with the Seahawks, joining Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks in history to win at least 14 games in consecutive seasons. Not bad company. Darnold has nine game-winning drives in the fourth quarter/overtime since 2024, the most in the NFL. Since 2024, he has 21 games with a 100-plus rating and 18 games with two-plus touchdowns — all second-most in the NFL.

And now he's led the Seahawks to the Super Bowl, thanks to an outstanding performance in the NFC Championship Game against the Rams.

“I take every experience as its own, no matter what happens,” he said. “I was really blessed to get drafted to the Jets and obviously things didn’t work out the way I wanted to there and then went to the Carolina Panthers, where I made a lot of really great friends and learned some great football as well. Just part of my journey.

“Then went to San Francisco and was able to be a backup there for a great player in Brock Purdy, learned under a great coach in Kyle Shanahan, Brian Griese, the Kubiaks obviously, then went to Minnesota and was with some really great coaches and really great players as well. Everything I do, I just take one day at a time and I think that’s the mantra for myself and what I’ve been able to do over the past couple of years.”

Yes, Darnold is a long way from New York, where his QBR of 40.3 over three years was third-worst in the NFL, and the Jets were 13-35.

But is Darnold really past all that, especially considering he'll be taking on a Patriots team, albeit under very different management, that he was 0-4 against with one touchdown and nine interceptions?

Darnold's 14 interceptions were the third-most in the league, and he was tied for the most fumbles (11) among quarterbacks.

"I can always be better taking care of the football," Darnold said. "You know, I can always be better. And, you know, if a team beats us in a protection, trying to pick it up, or maybe even throwing hot. So there's a lot of things I can always get better at."

How were Darnold and the Seahawks able to be so successful despite putting the ball in harm's way so often? The QB knows.

"I think having a really good defense helps a lot," he said. "It makes those decisions, you know, on tough downs when you're third and longer, or third and medium, and you're kind of in the red zone, maybe on the fringe, and you got a big third down, and I might scramble out. It makes making those decisions a lot easier. Like, I never feel like I have to force the football ever. And I feel like that's such a great feeling as a quarterback. There's a lot of security there as a quarterback, to be able to play with a great defense and great special teams the way that we have all year."

I've watched all of Darnold's interceptions from this season — the video (without audio) is down below, so you can feel a lot better about Sunday, like the Texans' big plays — and I'm not buying it. Turnover Sam is still in there, and the Patriots have the tools to bring it back to the surface on Sunday. A breakdown:

1. Steelers

Darnold forces a ball to Cooper Kupp in tight man coverage. This is something Marcus Jones or Craig Woodson have shown the ability to do repeatedly.

2. Steelers

Outside zone boot where Cam Heyward deflects the pass. This is almost the same play Milton Williams made on the failed fourth down stop against the Broncos.

3. Bucs

Just an awful panic throw as Darnold's hit on a slot overload blitz. Patriots' have been sending these at a high rate of rate, and RB Zach Charbonneau (Seattle's best blocking back) is injured.

4. Texans

Darnold is fooled by Houston. He thinks he has a TE seam against Cover 3, but the Texans are actually in match zone and Derek Stingley comes from nowhere to undercut the route. Carlton Davis has been more aggressive on these routes in recent weeks.

5. Commanders

Darnold doesn't have anything against tight man coverage — while JSN is doubled — and forces a ball off-balance and is undercut again.

6. Cardinals

Seahawks can't protect against pressure on a three-step drop as TE AJ Barner is pushed back into Darnold's throwing lane and the ball deflects off Barner for the interception.

7. Rams

Darnold is under pressure from a four-man rush with games, has his feet parallel to the line of scrimmage, and forces the ball for another terrible interception.

8. Rams

Another stunt by the Rams gets home, and Darnold is too slow on his release as he's hit and the Rams jump the flutter ball. The Patriots major in stunts.

9. Rams

Darnold has panicky feet and does not see the deep safety at all. This is classic Darnold.

10. Rams

Darnold is confused by the Rams switching from Cover 3 to Cover 2 and doesn't see two open receivers, including JSN. Instead of taking the sack, he tries to throw a jump pass as he's hit, and it ends up predictably horrible. Patriots switch this type of coverage often.

11. Falcons

Another backside boot — the Seahawks run this like five times a game with options on three levels. Falcons have good coverage except in the flat. Darnold bypasses that to force the ball into great coverage. Patriots have this kind of coverage ability.

12. Rams

LA shows man but changes to Cover 2. Darnold does not see the underneath player and is easily picked off. This is something the Patriots have not shown a ton of.

13. Rams

Overload pressure with a lineman dropping into coverage. Darnold never sees him as the pressure gets home, and he throws an end zone interception.

14. Panthers

Kenneth Walker (in this spot because Charbonneau is hurt) can't hold up in pass protection, and Darnold is hit again as he throws. The ball flutters for another bad end zone interception. Expect the Patriots to go after Walker and backup George Holani (who is a worse pass protector) a lot in this game.

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I don't know about you, but I see a lot of the same old Sam Darnold in these clips. And I feel a lot better about the Patriots' chances to turn him over in this game — and I didn't even get into the fumbles.