Sam Darnold Injury Update: Will Seahawks QB Play in NFL Divisional Round vs. 49ers?

Is Sam Darnold playing in the NFL Divisional Round game against the 49ers? With the Seahawks playing in their biggest game of the year on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, FOX), they have just listed their franchise QB as "questionable" with an oblique injury.

While he's expected to play, the late injury designation is something worth monitoring as part of our NFL Divisional Round predictions for this weekend's playoff games.

🤔 Is Sam Darnold playing vs. 49ers?

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Darnold picked up an oblique injury during Thursday's practice. He told reporters that he fully intends to play, but the "questionable" designation is something we need to monitor. If Darnold is unable to go in this contest, the Seahawks will rely on backup quarterback Drew Lock. As a bettor, I do not want to put any money on Lock in a playoff game.

Darnold has started all 17 games for the Seahawks this season and has done a fantastic job leading his team to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The good news for Seahawks fans and backers is that the line has not moved despite the injury designation. This is a strong indication that sportsbooks and oddsmakers expect Darnold to be a full go in Saturday night’s contest.

As someone who has a bet on the Seahawks -7 this weekend, I am not overly concerned with this news for now. The Seahawks’ game plan is likely to focus on running the ball all game long to limit Darnold's mistakes. The 49ers struggle to stop the run and, quite frankly, in tackling as well. That is why I expect the Seahawks to operate as a run-first offense that uses play action to open up the passing game, as they have all year.

All that being said, I am not worried about Darnold missing this monumental game for the Seahawks. The fact that he stated he will be playing and that the line hasn’t moved is exactly what I needed to hear to feel confident in his availability for Saturday night.

📺 How to watch 49ers vs. Seahawks: NFL Divisional Round

• Date: Saturday, Jan. 17
• Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: Lumen Field (Seattle)
• TV: FOX