RENTON, Wash. — Most of the time, Sam Darnold’s Seahawks teammates appreciate his even-keeled nature.

His ability to not get too high or too low has served him well at several key points this season, such as when he rebounded from throwing two interceptions against the Los Angeles Rams in December to lead the Seahawks back from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 38-37 overtime win.

That win is a big reason why the Seahawks have the right to host the Rams in the NFC conference game on Sunday at Lumen Field.

Last week, when Darnold injured his oblique in practice two days before the divisional playoff game against the 49ers, those same teammates were looking for any sign from their quarterback on how he was really feeling.

As speculation swirled about whether he’d be able to play, Darnold mostly kept it cool.

He told teammates he thought he’d be OK, but he didn’t practice from the time he suffered the injury until a few hours before the game, leading minds to wander.

“It was crazy," receiver Cooper Kupp said. “I think that's why it was so frustrating for guys to be like, ’Man, is he OK or not?’ He’s not able to practice, but then you get in there (to the locker room), and it's like: ‘Man, it seems like he's fine, but he also seems kind of pissed. But he's fine.’ So it was: ‘Like what is this? What is really happening?’ "

A few teammates said they didn’t really know for sure until shortly before game time if Darnold was going to play. But after throwing some passes in the locker room, Darnold declared himself good to go, started and led the Seahawks to a 41-6 divisional playoff win over the 49ers.

There will be no such drama this week.

Darnold was listed as limited in practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as the team managed his injury while assuring he also got in some work.

He was not on the game status report released after practice, indicating he is good to go.

“He did great," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said following Friday’s practice. “Everything is going to plan let’s put it that way. … He feels good, gets better every day."

Macdonald said he’d keep private details such as how much work Darnold got.

Darnold, who by NFL rules was required to meet the media Wednesday and after Friday’s practice, also made short shrift of questions about his injury.

“Feel really good," Darnold said. “Feeling really good this whole week, feel like the process is going right along where it should be, so feel really good for Sunday."

After going through stretching drills during the media viewing period as practice began, Darnold picked up a ball and began throwing just as media were escorted out.

Asked about getting some throwing in and if Friday felt as close to normal as he has since the injury, Darnold said, “Yeah, felt really good, so we’ll leave it at that.’’

Darnold said that he is likely to undergo a similar pregame routine as he did for the 49ers game, when he did not go through a normal get-loose throwing workout with the other QBs about two hours before the game, saving all of his work for the full-team warmup that begins about an hour before kickoff.

Darnold insisted he’s tried to treat this week the same as any other, even if the stakes of the game are the highest, a mantra Macdonald has also preached.

“I think that's the theme of this week,’’ Darnold said. “Obviously it's a big game. We understand the implications. But we have our same process, and we do everything the same as we have been throughout the entire season.’’

What Darnold hopes changes is the way the Rams were able to force him into six turnovers this season.

His four interceptions in the first game against the Rams tied a career high and were his most since 2019.

Darnold wasn’t sacked in that game. He was decked nine times in a wild-card playoff loss to L.A. while with Minnesota the year before.

Rams players said after the November game that they knew Darnold might want to avoid sacks and would instead try to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible, which they said allowed defensive backs to gamble some and jump a few routes at key times.

In the second game, both interceptions came on plays when Rams defenders appeared to drop into coverage areas where Darnold wasn’t expecting them to be.

“Their scheme is really good," Darnold said. “Coach (defensive coordinator Chris) Shula, those guys do a good job coaching those guys up on what to do. Like I said, the players make it come to life with certain disguises and pressures."

Darnold can also draw on the success he had late in the second game when he led the Seahawks on a 59-yard scoring drive to send the game into overtime and a 65-yard drive in overtime to win it.

A few Rams defenders have expressed confidence this week that they can again force Darnold into some miscues, notably safety Kam Kinchens, who had two interceptions in L.A.’s 21-19 win over the Seahawks in November.

Kinchens was quoted in the Los Angeles Times on Thursday saying of Darnold that: “Usually, you hope a guy doesn’t make the same mistake twice. In my case, I’m hoping he makes the same mistake twice because that’s more picks for me."

Kinchens replied yes when asked if the Seahawks are his favorite team to play against.

As for why, he said: "They have good receivers and Sam Darnold wants to throw the ball down the field and push it down the field. That’s a lot of opportunities, and I love when I get to show people my receiver skills.”

Expect that to get mentioned to Darnold.

True to his steady demeanor, Darnold said earlier in the week that he plans to play the same way he always does, no matter if he’s facing an opponent with a history of getting to him or playing a game more important than any he’s played.

“I think I've been saying it all year — I'm going to turn it loose," he said. “If it's there and we get the coverage for the right play and I feel like it's there, I'm going to let it rip. Just being smart with the football is always at a premium. I got to take care of the football at the end of the day, that's where my mind is at. If we get the right coverage and the right play and I feel like a guy is open, I'm going to let it rip.

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