Story byGregg BellSat, January 17, 2026 at 2:44 AM UTC·5 min readHow will his new injury affect Sam Darnold?How much will the Seahawks’ top-ranked defense make the quarterback’s new oblique issue a secondary concern that won’t get in Seattle’s way of advancing to the NFC championship game next week?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThose have become the key questions in the final 48 hours up to the divisional-playoff game between the top-seeded Seahawks (14-3) and sixth-seeded San Francisco 49ers (13-5) Saturday at Lumen Field (5 p. m., FOX television, channel 13 locally). Darnold is questionable to play. The Pro Bowl quarterback who threw for over 4,000 yards this season with 25 touchdowns and an NFL-high 20 turnovers felt discomfort in his left oblique, his non-throwing side, throwing a pass in practice Thursday. Coach Mike Macdonald on Friday echoed his QB from the day before in saying he is “really optimistic” Darnold will play. But how will the injury affect him throwing the ball, his follow-through on passes, and taking hits and sacks?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNo one — not Darnold, not his coach or the team’s medical staff — will know that exactly until it happens Saturday. The Seahawks’ coaches and training staff will have Darnold test the oblique throwing in pregame drills, but... Macdonald was asked Friday if he expects Darnold to be limited at all by the injury, in throwing the ball or any of his other normal QB duties in the game.“Well, yeah, that’s a possibility,” Macdonald said.