In the Face of Pressure

If there is one team that has given Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold fits during his career resurgence over the past two years, it has unquestionably been his opponent in this weekend’s NFL Championship Game, the Los Angeles Rams.

In his four games against the Rams since the beginning of the 2024 regular season, Darnold has been sacked 16 times and thrown seven interceptions on his way to a 1-3 record.

Much of Darnold’s dismal performance against his new divisional rival is attributed to the pressure he's faced. In the wild-card round as a member of the Minnesota Vikings a season ago, he was sacked an astonishing nine times.

With Los Angeles’ defense bringing pressure throughout the game, Darnold was unable to help his offense establish any consistent rhythm, and the Vikings were ultimately soundly defeated.

Although Darnold managed to avoid being sacked in his first contest against Los Angeles as a member of the Seahawks this season, he did end up throwing four very costly interceptions, all of which came when he was facing pressure from the pass rush.

After the game, many people speculated that his experience of being sacked nine times by the Rams' defense in the previous postseason may have led Darnold to rush his decisions, resulting in ill-advised throws to avoid being put on his back.

As Darnold prepares to face the Rams with a spot in the Super Bowl on the line, he will need to find a way to overcome the pressure that has given him fits in the past.

Naturally, that means Darnold must do extensive preparation ahead of time through film study and practice repetitions to put himself in a position to succeed when the Rams bring their patented pressure.

Furthermore, it means that Darnold must find a way to strike the perfect balance between quickly getting rid of the ball before the pressure can land, yet not panicking when in the face of an incoming onslaught.

If Darnold succeeds in all those areas, Seattle will have an excellent opportunity to return to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2014. 

As followers of Jesus, we are all well-acquainted with the idea of facing “pressure.” 

Over the course of our lives, we all experience various trials and difficulties, which increase the pressure we feel internally. And, unfortunately, it's often in these moments of pressure that we tend to “perform” at our very worst, as difficult situations tempt us to become anxious, fearful, or angry in our responses.

Thankfully, God has not left us without a way to overcome the pressure in our lives. In fact, many of the same principles that would prove to be beneficial for Sam Darnold in the face of a defense that is bringing the heat will likewise serve us well when life itself is bringing the heat.

Just as NFL offenses attempt to defeat a defense that excels at getting to the quarterback, much of our success will come from our preparation. 

If we wait until we are in the midst of a serious trial to begin dealing with it, we have already set ourselves up for failure.

To respond in a God-honoring way when life begins to bring the heat, we must be intentional about preparing in advance by filling our hearts and minds with God’s truth. 

1 Peter 4:12 (ESV) says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

We are not to be people who are caught off guard by the trials of life. Instead, we are to understand that God uses the trials and difficulties that we go through to conform us into the image of Christ.

When we are intentional about anticipating the sovereignty of God in our suffering and meditating on the fact that God will walk with us through the difficult times and bring about ultimate good, it helps prepare us to respond better when the trials actually arrive.

And once the trials finally do come into our lives, we must find that perfect balance of “getting rid of the ball quickly” without panicking.

For us, “getting rid of the ball quickly” means turning to God in prayer and releasing our burdens to him, rather than allowing the pressure to overwhelm us or “sack us.” That way, we can refrain from panicking and trying to take ultimate control of the situation by remembering that God is the One who is over all things and that He will be the One to get us through.

James 5:13a (NASB) tells us, “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray.”

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV) reminds us, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”

Today, let’s begin preparing for the trials we will eventually face. If we are currently in the midst of trials, let’s remember that God is sovereign over what we are experiencing and that He will see us through it.

Thankfully, we can all cast our cares on Him…knowing how much He cares for us.

I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you that You use the difficult things I experience in my life to make me more like Your Son. Please help me to be as prepared as possible in advance of any trials that I face, trusting You to use them for good. Strengthen me to turn to You quickly in prayer when those trials do come. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.