Sam Darnold throws for 244 yards 2 TDs as Seahawks beat the Titans 30-24

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns and the Seattle Seahawks beat the Tennessee Titans 30-24 Sunday for their fifth win in six games.

Darnold bounced back with a clean game after being picked off four times last week.

The Seahawks (8-3) also improved to 5-1 on the road and made sure to hold onto the first wild-card spot in the NFC playoff chase.

The Seahawks, tied for the fourth-most sacks in the NFL, added four more against the NFL’s most-sacked quarterback in Titans rookie Cam Ward. Linebacker Derick Hall sacked Ward for the fourth one with the Titans at the Seattle 21, helping the Seahawks force a turnover on downs two plays later with 6:11 left.

Ward tried once more to rally the Titans. He found Chimere Dike with a 1-yard TD pass with 43 seconds left, giving the NFL’s worst-scoring team a season high in points and one final chance.

But linebacker Dorian Mausi touched the onside kick before the ball traveled 10 yards, and Seattle finished off the win.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the NFL’s leader in yards receiving, also had a 63-yard TD on his first reception. He finished with eight catches for a season-high 167 yards with two TDs. He set Seattle’s single-season receiving yards mark through just 11 games with 1,313 yards, topping DK Metcalf’s 1,303 yards in 2020.

The Titans (1-10) lost their sixth straight overall and 10th consecutive at home where their most recent win was Nov. 3, 2024.

Ward finished with 256 yards passing and his first rushing TD late in the third quarter.

After trailing 3-0, Seattle scored 23 consecutive points, capped by the Seahawks opening the second half with Darnold finding Smith-Njigba for a 56-yard completion before hitting him again for a 13-yard TD and a 23-3 lead.

The Seahawks led 30-10 after a 6-yard TD run by Zach Charbonnet with 6:40 left.

Tennessee finally forced Seattle to punt for the first time early in the third quarter. Dike, the NFL’s leader in all-purpose yards, took the punt 90 yards up the Seahawks’ sideline for the TD. That’s his second this season.

Smith-Njigba, who had 86 yards receiving by halftime, had his 11th straight game with at least 75 yards receiving this season. He now trails only Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison (14 in 2002) and teammate Cooper Kupp (13 in 2001) for most such games in a single season in NFL history.

Seattle LB Chazz Surratt didn’t return after hurting an ankle on the Seahawks’ first kickoff return. RB George Holani hurt a hamstring in the first half and didn’t return. S Ty Okada hurt an oblique muscle and was ruled out for the second half.

Titans LT Dan Moore Jr. hurt a knee and was replaced by Olisaemeka Udoh. DT Shy Tuttle went to the locker room in the concussion protocol. C Lloyd Cushenberry hurt a foot late.

The Seahawks host Minnesota on Nov. 30.

The Titans wrap up a four-game homestand by hosting Jacksonville on Nov. 30.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl