Sam Darnold, the Seahawks' starting quarterback coming off a Super Bowl-winning 2025 campaign with 25 passing touchdowns, has thrown seven scores through four games in 2026 while completing 64.3 percent of his passes for 755 yards and five interceptions. A glute tendon injury sidelined him after one series in Week 1 and limited his early volume, though he returned for a four-touchdown outing against Washington before posting one score and two picks in a loss to San Francisco. Seattle's offense has shown inconsistent rhythm under new play-calling, with elevated sack rates and turnover issues persisting, while the short week ahead at altitude against Denver adds scheduling pressure. Key variables for the remainder of the schedule include Jaxon Smith-Njigba's target share, red-zone efficiency, and Darnold's ability to maintain starter security amid backup Drew Lock's prior efficiency in relief.