THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Take it easy on Darnold — but there are questions

Is there such a thing as trying too hard?

Oh, yes.

It should be named after Sam Darnold, matter of fact.

We’re going to do a column on bad ideas today, and the obvious place to start is with the hangover from the Seahawks' gut-punch loss to the Rams.

The Hawks’ universe probably wanted Darnold shipped out after a four-interception catastrophe that ruined Seattle’s powerhouse effort in terms of yardage, first downs, time of possession, yada, yada.

It doesn’t take a huge leap of imagination to picture the Seahawks being on the proper end of that 21-19 score, given how they basically bullied the Rams after the first quarter.

The problem, of course, was the four-pack of picks — which Darnold acknowledged.

“I have to play better, and take care of the ball,” he said.

So, why did he make those ugly throws?

LET ME play amateur psychologist here.

The Rams ruined Darnold’s 14-win season with Minnesota last year, sacking him nine times in a wild-card loss.

This time around, he looked like a man who refused to wind up on the ground.

That’s an admirable goal, of course, but sometimes the alternative is worse.

On Sunday, Sam got rid of the ball despite some awful situations — a funky jump pass in a crowd of angry Rams, for instance, and then a floating toss toward Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the sideline just as the pass rush knocked Darnold off balance.

For the record, we should also note that one of Darnold’s picks wasn’t his fault at all.

He tried to hit rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo over the middle, and you could tell that Sam was expecting his receiver to keep running toward the sideline — crossing in front of the safety’s face just as the ball arrived.

Unfortunately, Arroyo read it incorrectly, and turned to go straight up the seam.

That left defenders alone to make the interception.

Darnold, predictably, never mentioned that mixed-up route (or the throw just as he was hit).

Sam took the heat.

That’s exactly what you want from your quarterback, and several of the Seahawks — plus coach Mike Macdonald — jumped to Sam’s defense after the game.

Defensive studs Ernest Jones IV and Jarran Reed each spoke up, a tad close to angry, while making the point that Darnold was the reason a game against the Rams might be close in the first place.

Coach Mac: “Keep ripping it, man. We love you and we got your back.”

I AGREE that Darnold shouldn’t, you know, be burned at the stake for chucking some passes to guys in the wrong color jerseys.

On the matter of whether the Hawks can reach a Super Bowl with Sam pulling the strings, that’s a different deal.

There ARE some critical issues in Darnold’s game — things that must be cleaned up if Sam is going to reach the elite level.

Some of them land on the coaching staff.

For instance, Darnold is among the best — the VERY best — pure passers in pro football.

He can throw darts, and do it accurately.

However, in this era of quarterbacks who can wing it on the run, and take off for big gains when space opens up, there aren’t too many gunners left who need a pocket and time to look over the field.

Sam Darnold is one of them.

There’s a reason the Seahawks were excited to grab this guy in free agency.

If you piece together a running game, along with play-action passing to go with it, a QB like Darnold can run the show and light up the scoreboard.

We’ve seen it already.

Rollouts and option games (asking the quarterback to make decisions and sometimes dash toward some empty grass) will not fit Sam Darnold.

He’s not a scrambler.

Can he run an up-tempo offense?

Sure.

Quick drops and bullets to receivers like JSN, Cooper Kupp (and now Rashid Sheheed)?

Sam can take you up the field in a flash.

But your bread and butter needs to be QB under center, an outside zone running game and play-action throws.

Sam has the tools if you put him in the right spot.

And despite the naysayers, he CAN be a winner.

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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week, normally Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”