RENTON, Wash. — Sam Darnold and his injured oblique are ready to go in the NFC Championship Game.
The Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl quarterback does not have a game name, although he has been limited to practice all three days this week as part of the team’s plan to prepare him for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field.
“I feel really good,” Darnold said Friday. “I feel really good this week. I feel like the process is going where it should, so I feel very ready for Sunday.”
Darnold injured his left side during practice last Thursday. He played through it two days later in the divisional round, completing 12 of 17 attempts for 124 yards and a touchdown before giving up to Drew Lock with nine minutes left in Seattle’s 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Coach Mike Macdonald said on Wednesday that Darnold’s throwing will be reduced this week as he continues to manage the injury. Macdonald said on Friday that everything has gone according to plan this week with Darnold and that he is getting better every day.
“The guys in the practice room are doing a great job with everybody, including me,” Darnold said. “We’re just taking it day by day and I’m making sure I’m doing all the things I need to do to be ready for Sunday.”
The top-seeded Seahawks will be starting left tackle Charles Cross at blindside defense for Darnold on Sunday after he missed the first practice of the week with a foot injury that kept him out in the fourth quarter against the 49ers. Cross was fully involved on Friday and has no name for Sunday’s game.
Seattle left tackle Josh Jones is listed as questionable with knee and ankle injuries. He also missed the first two days of practice before participating fully on Friday. No. 3 left tackle Amari Kight (knee) is questionable.
Fullback Robbie Ouzts (neck) is questionable. Linebacker Chazz Surratt (ankle), who remains on injured reserve, is out.
The Seahawks on Friday placed running back Zach Charbonnet on IR, the result of a season-ending knee injury he suffered against the 49ers. Seattle also placed rookie guard Bryce Cabeldue on IR to make room for rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo and running back George Holani, both of whom were cleared on IR.
Macdonald declined to say which runner will fill the No. 2 spot behind Kenneth Walker III in Charbonnet’s absence. The Seahawks have Ram Cam Akers and Velus Jones Jr. on their practice squad.
“George is prepared,” Darnold said of Holani. “He’s been preparing for this moment all season. He stepped up in a big way for us early, and even in the preseason he made a lot of great plays. So we have a lot of confidence in George not only in his ability to go out there and make plays, but how smart he is and how he can handle everything in the system.”
Darnold got the first playoff win in eight years for the NFL when Seattle defeated the 49ers.
Neither Darnold nor the Seahawks doubted he would start this game, but there was uncertainty about how he would fare while playing through his first injury. He opted not to take the field for the first time until about 45 minutes before kickoff, instead throwing up in the locker room as part of a modified warm-up routine. Darnold said his pregame show should be the same Sunday.
The Seahawks and Rams split their season series, with Los Angeles winning 21-19 at SoFi Stadium in November before Seattle won 38-37 in overtime at Lumen Field in Week 16. The Seahawks are favored by 2.5 points in Round 3 against their NFC West rivals.
Since 2005, the Seahawks are 11-1 in home playoff games. The only loss during that time was to the Rams during the 2020 COVID-19 season, when Lumen Field was empty. Until Saturday, Seattle had not played a home playoff game with fans in the stands since 2017.
“It’s going to be amazing,” Darnold said of the atmosphere Sunday. “I don’t know how he got out last week, but I’m sure the 12 will. They always bring it, so we’re happy for them.”
