Seahawks HC Calls out Critics of Geno Smith: 'You Guys Thought We Were All F--ked Up'
Oct 24, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 23: Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks are 4-3, Geno Smith has been playing at a high level and, yes, Pete Carroll is enjoying everybody's surprise at how his team has looked in a post-Russell Wilson era.
"You guys thought we were all f--ked up," Carroll told Albert Breer of The MMQB on Sunday while laughing and discussing the response over the summer to the Seahawks giving Smith the first-team reps at practice.
"This didn't come out of nowhere; we saw it every day," Carroll continued. "But we were so [wrapped up] with the way we were playing and all that, we didn't really give him a chance to ever compete to take the job. He really didn't. He was the backup. That was understood. But last year, he played three games, half of the Los Angeles Rams game and two other games, and then he popped out in the Jacksonville game and had a near-perfect game. He was 15-for-15 to start the game. That's when you could really see this isn't that hard for him; he can do it."
And do it he has, throwing for 1,712 yards, 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions in seven games while completing an impressive 73.5 percent of his passes. The longtime backup has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league thus far in 2022.
Turns out the Seahawks didn't screw this one up at all.
How Geno Smith Has Resurrected His NFL Career In Seattle
Oct 21, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 16: Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks signs autographs before a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field on October 16, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford and Jalen Hurts all play in the NFC. Yet as we approach the midway point of the 2022 NFL season, the conference's highest-rated passer is none other than Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Geno Smith.
Smith was essentially left for dead by the professional football community midway through the previous decade. Prior to this season, the No. 39 overall pick from the 2013 NFL draft had started only five games over the last six years. He's currently the league's 38th highest-paid quarterback in terms of average annual contract value, according to Spotrac.
Entering this season, Smith was widely considered nothing more than a stopgap or a bridge for a rebuilding team. To most, he was known as the former New York Jets washout who was forced to replace departed superstar Russell Wilson in Seattle.
Despite only so-so support—Seattle's offensive line has not been great, as per usual—Smith leads the league with a completion rate of 73.4. He ranks fifth with 8.0 yards per pass attempt, and he trails only Tua Tagovailoa, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes in QBR. The Seattle passing offense ranks third in DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) at Football Outsiders, and the Seahawks are a surprisingly competitive 3-3 with the eighth-highest-scoring offense in the NFL.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 16: Head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks and Geno Smith #7 celebrate a win against the Arizona Cardinals as they walk off the at Lumen Field on October 16, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)
Smith has nine touchdowns to two interceptions and an NFC-best 119.8 rating on deep passing attempts, along with a 117.0 rating on third down. Throw in 125 yards, eight first downs and a touchdown on 26 carries, and it's hard to argue that he doesn't deserve a shot at a long-term starting role in Seattle or elsewhere.
Which begs the question: Did the NFL overlook Geno Smith for the better part of a decade?
Smith essentially lost his job after teammate IK Enemkpali broke his jaw in a locker room altercation back in 2015, paving the way for veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick to step in and succeed. But he was arguably already on thin ice at that point despite being only two years into his NFL career. This league lacks patience, and Smith wasn't exactly surrounded by Hall of Famers in his early years.
Smith entered the league with the arm, the mind, the spirit and the athleticism to become a solid NFL starter, and he improved across the board statistically as a sophomore in 2014, particularly at the tail end of that campaign. During the final four games of that season, he completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 1,001 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions, a 9.2 yards-per-attempt average and a 105.3 passer rating.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 23: Geno Smith #7 of the New York Jets looks on against the Baltimore Ravens at MetLife Stadium on October 23, 2016 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Before his altercation with Enemkpali, he went eight consecutive practices without an interception to begin training camp, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. But then the punch happened, Fitzpatrick happened, and all of a sudden it was 2017, and the semi-forgotten Smith was a member of the New York Giants in his age-27 season.
Smith backed up Eli Manning that year, Philip Rivers with the then-San Diego Chargers the next year, and then he was off to Seattle to back up Wilson.
It's now safe to wonder if Smith was given a fair shake. There were clues about his potential back in his early days, but he never had a real shot again. The good news is that many quarterbacks don't hit their primes until they're well into their 30s, and Smith could be yet another case like Rich Gannon or Kurt Warner.
Is it sustainable? Under head coach Pete Carroll, and with wideouts DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett at his disposal, it's absolutely possible. The base is there, as are the broad and advanced metrics.
Nobody's saying he'll remain on track to reset the single-season completion percentage record or finish with a passer rating in the 110 range, and it's worth noting that his best performances thus far came against struggling pass defenses belonging to the New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions, while his worst came against a strong San Francisco pass D.
It's fair to expect some regression, but there's room for that with Smith still remaining in the Pro Bowl conversation.
Regardless, Carroll and the Seahawks' front office deserve kudos. It's early, but Smith is outperforming Wilson across the board, despite the fact his predecessor has more offensive support with the Denver Broncos.
That could change. It is arguably likely to change. But it's always fun to see a surprise reclamation project, and Smith's success has been one of the stories of the year.
Smith now has a chance to make another impression in a big spot against the stacked and streaking Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Next week, he'll take on the surprising Giants. Those are back-to-back tests with teams that didn't give him much of a chance when he was on their respective rosters.
Impressive and victorious performances in those spots could be enough for the Seahawks to start thinking about a long-term deal for an oft-overlooked signal-caller who is suddenly on track to become one of the NFL's more sought-after free agents this spring.
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Russell Wilson Isn't Good Enough to Overcome Nathaniel Hackett, Broncos' Deficiencies
Sep 13, 2022
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes for a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Murphy's Law should be renamed Russell Wilson's Law after the Seattle Seahawks traded their all-time leading passer to the Denver Broncos this offseason and the quarterback's disastrous return to Seattle on Monday.
As the adage states, everything that could go wrong did go wrong.
Wilson wasn't the primary reason behind the Broncos' surprising 17-16 loss, but he certainly wasn't enough to overcome all the problems in their performance. The mistakes made at every level were simply staggering.
Penalties, miscues, turnovers, red-zone impotence, clock-management issues and shoddy communication all played a part in the outcome.
Wilson remains a very good quarterback. But his former backup, Geno Smith, outplayed him for a significant portion of the game, particularly the first half. Wilson showed his transition to a new team will take longer than expected and feature significant bumps along the way.
Despite everything, the Broncos still had a chance to win. First-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett, however, took the ball out of his quarterback's hands on fourth down with the game on the line—his first crucial call—after inexplicably letting the clock wind down.
Instead, Brandon McManus' 64-yard attempt sailed wide left. The 31-year-old kicker has one of the league's strongest legs, but he should have never been placed in that position. According to Football Outsiders, the Broncos' chances to win the game would have increased by nearly 30 percentage points if they had attempted a pass rather than a field goal. As ESPN's Ed Werder noted, McManus is now 1-of-8 when asked to convert a kick of 60 or more yards.
The Broncos traded two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to acquire the Super Bowl XLVIII winner and one of the league's best at creating in the moment plus a fourth-round pick. Wilson is the franchise. He's the one who's supposed to lead the team to greater success.
None of that seemed to matter the first time the Broncos needed someone to make a play and win a game. Quite frankly, it's embarrassing for everyone involved in the decision.
"I was surprised they took Russ out at the end," Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told reporters after the game. "We weren't thinking field goal there. We were thinking they were going. It gave us a chance to win the game on that play. Very fortunate there."
The clock continued to (in your best Chris Berman voice) tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Denver had the ball with about a minute to go. The Broncos stared at 4th-and-5. The offense huddled, went to the line, ran the play clock all the way down and then called timeout. What a waste.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Head coach Nathaniel Hackett of the Denver Broncos looks on against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Hackett only made matters worse afterward when he explained the reason behind his decision.
"Fourth-and-6 for me at that time, we weren't moving it in big chunks," he told reporters. "I think we had just given up a sack right before that, so I wanted to be sure we took a chance when we had a chance. And we were confident in [McManus]."
D'oh. Rookie head coach indirectly provides indictment of his quarterback's play without correctly remembering the sequence of plays. Wilson wasn't sacked on third down. Instead, Javonte Williams had the drive's biggest gain of nine yards on a swing pass from Wilson. (That came after Williams lost four yards on another reception and Wilson threw an incompletion.) Afterward, the quarterback toed the company line.
Said Wilson: "I don't think it was the wrong decision to go for the field goal. We have the best kicker in the game."
Wilson completed 69 percent of his passes and threw for 340 yards. Still, the effort wasn't good enough. Even in the moments when the offense seemingly got on track, his timing and touch weren't all there.
The biggest play of the night was a 67-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy. Even in that instance, Wilson woefully underthrew the pass. Jeudy was three yards behind his defender when Wilson released the ball. If rookie Coby Bryant—who didn't turn his head in time to make a play on the ball—hadn't been in coverage, the throw could have been easily deflected.
THE PASS, THE CATCH 💰
Russ connects with Jerry Jeudy for his first TD as a Bronco 🤝
A couple of other misses occurred when Wilson tried to push the ball down the field. The quarterback is known for his deep passing. It's not automatic, though. New receivers, a new scheme and limited reps mean the players need time to coalesce.
Throughout the night, Hackett and Wilson seemed to struggle with the mechanics of down-by-down play-calling, too. The offense didn't get to the line until there were well under 10 seconds left on the play clock on numerous occasions.
Officials called 12 penalties on the Broncos for 106 yards. Three of those happened to be false starts with two more delay of games.
Denver did move the ball, even with the uphill climb the penalties created.
The Broncos outgained the Seahawks 433-253. Wilson and Co. continually stalled near the end zone. Denver had the ball in the red zone four times and came away with six points. The offense reached the 1-yard line twice and fumbled both times. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Denver was the first team to do so in the last 35 years. The Broncos ran the ball three times in the red zone and tallied minus-four yards before contact, per Pro Football Focus.
Ball security is one thing. An offensive line that gets blown off the line of scrimmage will be a much bigger concern as the season progresses.
On defense, the Broncos didn't have much of an answer for the Seahawks' multitude of tight ends. The trio of Fant, Colby Parkinson and Will Dissly combined to make eight catches for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Opposing tight ends should give Denver problems all season because its linebackers can be exploited.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks (L) and Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos shake hands before a game at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/Getty Images)
All this happened in Seattle. Yes, the story of Wilson's return to where he played his previous 10 seasons will capture headlines. But the reality may be much dimmer than the Broncos faithful may want to acknowledge.
The Seahawks aren't a good football team. Entering Monday's contest, they were among the teams with the lowest win totals. Smith played far better than expected, and the defense flew to the football. But Seattle isn't anything like the murderer's row of the AFC West.
Can Wilson be expected to compete with the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert and Las Vegas Raiders' Derek Carr when he was just outdone by his former backup?
Essentially, the Broncos sank multiple draft assets, three contributors and a $245 million contract extension into the division's third-best quarterback. Denver must rectify the issues seen throughout Monday's contest, and it will need everything to go right to even compete with the AFC's heavyweights. Wilson can't do it alone.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.
NFL Twitter Loving Geno Smith's Epic Response to Critics Writing Him Off
Sep 13, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith surprised many by leading his team to a 17-16 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.
After the victory, Smith had a succinct message for his critics: "They wrote me off. I ain't write back, though!"
"That's off the dome right there," Smith said, per The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar. "That's straight bars right there."
Smith was at his best in Monday's victory, finishing 23-of-28 for 195 yards and two touchdowns. He completed his first 13 passes and went 17-of-19 in the first half alone.
A 10-year veteran, Smith has had a unique NFL career. After a stellar run at West Virginia, he was projected to be one of the most coveted quarterback prospects in the 2013 draft. However, he fell out of the first round after he reportedly rubbed some teams the wrong way during the predraft process. The New York Jets selected him with a second-round pick.
Starting immediately for a rebuilding team, Smith struggled mightily as a rookie and threw 12 touchdowns with 21 interceptions. His sophomore season wasn't much better, as he threw 13 scores and 13 picks. Smith's third season in 2015 was derailed when he suffered a broken jaw during a locker room altercation with defensive end IK Enemkpali over a $600 unpaid debt. He suffered a torn ACL the following year.
Smith spent time as a backup for the Los Angeles Chargers and New York Giants before signing with the Seahawks in 2020, where he revitalized his career. He appeared in four games in 2021 with three starts and threw for 702 yards, five touchdowns and an interception.
The 31-year-old was named the starter for the 2022 season after beating Drew Lock in a quarterback competition this offseason. Monday's performance proved that Seattle made the right decision.
The Seahawks will be back in action Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
Geno Smith Impresses NFL Twitter as Seahawks Beat Broncos in Russell Wilson's Return
Sep 13, 2022
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 12: Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field on September 12, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
It might have taken 10 seasons, but it looks like Geno Smith finally unlocked his potential.
The veteran quarterback led the Seattle Seahawks to a 17-16 win over the Denver Broncos in a 2022 season opener on Monday Night Football. Smith put forth one of the best outings of his NFL career, finishing 23-of-28 for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
The 31-year-old was nearly immaculate in the first half, completing his first 13 passes. He showcased why he was named Seattle's starter over Drew Lock, who was acquired as part of the blockbuster offseason trade that sent longtime Seahawks signal-caller Russell Wilson to the Broncos. Wilson finished 29-of-42 for 340 yards and a touchdown.
Smith's performance drew massive praise on social media, with many believing he finally reached the form that was expected of him coming out of West Virginia in 2013.
Geno Smith started the night by completing his first 13 pass attempts.
Per @EliasSports, the only other quarterbacks since 1990 to complete each of their first 13 passes in Week 1 are Gardner Minshew (2019) and Jim Kelly (1990). pic.twitter.com/F1uLh2LGSR
I’m genuinely happy for Geno Smith because Black QBs rarely get second chances to start if the first one doesn’t go well, even if it’s not all on them, and he’s showing out tonight.
The last time Smith was a full-time starter was during his first two seasons in the NFL when he was with the New York Jets. Those were a couple of dreadful years, but he showed in recent seasons that he matured into a dependable player.
Smith filled in admirably when Wilson went down with a finger injury last season. In four games with three starts, Smith threw for 702 yards and five touchdowns against one interception, completing 68.4 percent of his passes.
If Smith can continue playing like he did Monday, the Seahawks will surprise. Seattle was expected to be in a rebuild, but Smith proved he can lead the team to success.
Smith and the Seahawks will try to keep the momentum going Sunday in an NFC West matchup at the San Francisco 49ers.
The Seattle Seahawks Have Made a Mess out of Their QB Room in 2022
Aug 25, 2022
FILE - Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks Drew Lock (2) and Geno Smith (7) take part in a drill during NFL football practice, Tuesday, May 31, 2022, in Renton, Wash. Geno Smith and Drew Lock are the candidates to be the starting QB. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
The Seattle Seahawks have had an uninspiring quarterback competition, which is partially their fault. Regardless of the team's decision on the starter, Seahawks fans should prepare for a dreadful 2022 season.
In March, Seattle traded quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos after the relationship between the star quarterback and head coach Pete Carroll had run its course, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show. Seattle acquired five draft picks, tight end Noah Fant, defensive end Shelby Harris and quarterback Drew Lock in that deal.
Lock looks like the least valuable player asset in that deal after he lost a camp battle to Teddy Bridgewater last offseason and finished in defeat in all three of his starts for the 2021 campaign. However, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted that the Seahawks saw him as a potential starter who needed a new stable environment.
"I'm told the team did not consider Lock a throw-in in the Wilson trade, but rather a viable fallback option. There's a belief among some with Seattle that some of Lock's issues in Denver were a byproduct of a revolving door of offensive coordinators and a defensive-minded head coach in Vic Fangio."
Though the changes in offensive play-calling coupled with a defensive-minded head coach may have stunted Lock's development, he's now on a team that's had three different offensive coordinators over the past five years under Carroll, who's a lead skipper with a defensive background.
Throughout the offseason, Seattle has treated Lock as plan B behind Geno Smith, who's spent two years with the team. In 2021, the latter played four games (three starts) as a fill-in for Wilson, throwing for 702 yards, five touchdowns and an interception with a 68.4 percent completion rate.
On the surface, Smith's numbers look OK, but he completed fewer than 60 percent of his pass attempts in two of those outings and didn't eclipse 209 passing yards in any of the four contests.
Despite Smith's game-manager performance in an audition and the fact that he has only started in five games since the 2015 term, the Seahawks never really had an even competition for the starting job.
Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune believes the Seahawks narrowed their focus to Smith's benefit:
Said it weeks ago: Can't understand why Pete Carroll didn't alternate Drew Lock with Geno Smith on the 1st offense from day 1 of training camp. Seahawks needlessly compressed their own QB competition. It's still not a true one. Lock's still sick, 7 days before preseason finale.
Carroll named Lock the starter for Seattle's Week 2 preseason matchup with the Chicago Bears, but shortly after, the team announced that he tested positive for COVID-19, which meant he had to quarantine for a mandatory five days.
As a result, the fourth-year signal-caller didn't have a chance to showcase himself in a pivotal game amid a position battle. However, had the Seahawks evenly distributed the practice reps throughout the offseason, they would've been able to better assess Lock's growth within their system.
On Tuesday, Carroll told reporters that he thinks the team has two No. 1 quarterbacks, but that's not how the coaching staff handled the competition. Setting Lock's illness aside, the Seahawks made it clear that Smith had to lose a grip on the lead for the starting job in order for his primary contender to win it.
Lock returned to practice Sunday, though on The Mike Salk Show (h/t Michael-Shawn Dugar), Carroll announced that Smith would start in his third consecutive preseason game Friday against the Dallas Cowboys.
Smith hasn't made a strong case for himself in two exhibition contests. He's yet to throw for a touchdown, completing 20 of 33 pass attempts for 213 yards, though he did score a rushing touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 of the preseason. Meanwhile, as a backup in one appearance, Lock completed 11 of 15 pass attempts for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
In fairness to Smith, the Seahawks hurt themselves with penalties (13 for 92 yards) and drops in their last outing with the Bears. In the postgame press conference with reporters, Carroll highlighted missed opportunities in the passing game.
"We have to catch the ball better in general. The guys that are trying to make this club have got to catch the football for us and make our plays. And it happened a little bit to Geno again, couple of balls that we need to catch. The first third down was a beautiful read and play and protection and all that, didn't make the catch."
Moreover, Seattle's top wide receivers, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, have yet to play a snap in the preseason. The coaching staff will probably rely heavily on practice performances to make a decision on the starter, which is a disadvantage for Lock, who operated the second-team offense for most of the offseason.
Metcalf told reporters that he's "supposed to play" against the Cowboys Friday and get some work in with Smith and Lock. Nonetheless, as the backup, Lock may not be able to show enough to surpass Smith, who would probably have to produce an awful performance to fall out of favor for the lead position.
In hindsight, Lock hasn't had a fair opportunity to work through his shortcomings and improve with mostly premium talent on the field, and Smith doesn't look any better than the game manager we saw in spot duty for a few games in 2021.
Unless the San Francisco 49ers feel exceptionally generous or Seattle shows desperation and proposes a ridiculous offer for Jimmy Garoppolo in an atypical in-division trade that involves a quarterback, the Seahawks will likely roll into the season with an underwhelming starter in Smith.
Seattle would have a more realistic chance at Garoppolo if San Francisco cuts him. But even with Trey Lance set to take over the 49ers offense, they have no reason to part ways with the experienced 30-year-old signal-caller right now. If a playoff-contending team loses its quarterback early in the season, that club's general manager may call San Francisco with a decent offer for Garoppolo.
Meanwhile, in Seattle, Lock has room to grow at 25 years old. However, before he had to quarantine because of COVID-19, his development took a backseat to Smith, who's 31 years old with 34 career starts, in a "true competition."
Lock has the arm strength to stretch the field, but he must work on his ball placement and cut down on turnovers. He's thrown for 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions (led the league in 2020 with 15) with a 59.3 percent completion rate through three campaigns.
Perhaps Lock would've shown some improvement with the quality of pass-catchers around him. Metcalf, Lockett and Fant can elevate a quarterback with their playmaking abilities. Metcalf and Fant both have a broad catch radius, and Lockett has made incredible catches in tight spaces.
Publicly, Carroll kept an open mind and emphasized his patience when he discussed the Seahawks' quarterback battle with reporters Tuesday.
Though assuming Smith continues to hold on to his starting role, he'll have a second (and possibly final chance) to prove himself as a starter while Lock works on his game with backups at practices.
Typically, NFL teams have quarterback battles to give contenders the opportunity to win the starting job. Smith may win the Seahawks' competition by default—not necessarily in a convincing fashion. Don't be surprised if Carroll turns to Lock at some point in the upcoming season.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
