Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Thursday night that quarterback Drew Lock was feeling the effects of a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Following Seattle's 27-11 loss to the Chicago Bears in their second preseason game, Carroll said of Lock: "He's really sick. He was sick. Well, that was of I think it was this morning. It hit him pretty hard."

Lock had been scheduled to start against Chicago, but with COVID rendering him unable to play, veteran Geno Smith got the start under center instead.

Smith and the first-team offense struggled Thursday, as Seattle didn't score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. Smith completed just 10 of his 18 passing attempts for 112 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions while getting sacked twice.

Seattle is one of the few teams remaining in the NFL without a definitive starting quarterback for Week 1 of the regular season, although Lock might be even more entrenched in the driver's seat now despite not playing Thursday.

In the Seahawks' first preseason game, which was a 32-25 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Smith and Lock split the snaps.

Smith went 10-of-15 for 101 yards with no touchdowns or picks, while Lock went 11-of-15 for 102 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Lock, 25, is the younger and higher-upside play, as he is still early in his NFL career.

The Denver Broncos selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Missouri, and he went on to make 21 starts in three seasons for the Broncos, going 8-13.

He saw his most extensive action in 2020, starting all 13 games he played in, and throwing for 2,933 yards, 16 touchdowns and an NFL-high 15 interceptions.

Seattle acquired him from Denver during the offseason as part of the blockbuster trade that sent future Hall of Fame quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos.

The 31-year-old Smith is something of a journeyman who has bounced around since the New York Jets took him in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.

Smith has started games for the Jets, New York Giants and Seahawks, going 13-21 with 34 touchdowns and 37 interceptions in his career.

Per ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, Lock will be eligible to return to the team Sunday if he passes the necessary thresholds.

As a result, Carroll left the door open for Lock to potentially start the Seahawks' preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 26, although he hasn't committed to it.

Drew Lock reportedly took an important step in the battle with Geno Smith to be the quarterback who fills Russell Wilson's shoes on the Seattle Seahawks.

Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune reported that Lock was the better quarterback than Smith during a mock game Saturday, noting the offense "just did more" with the former under center.

"It depends on what it tells me, I don't know that, but it's really important to see where we've come," head coach Pete Carroll said when discussing how important it was in the overall quarterback battle, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. … "We did that really well, so we've made a lot of progress, but now we need to see what it looks like on film. It might not tell us as much as I hope, but we will see."

According to Bell, Lock completed 19-of-26 passes and led two drives that ended in touchdowns and another that resulted in a field goal. By comparison, Smith went 11-for-20 and directed one touchdown drive and one field-goal drive.

"I don't have anything to tell you right now, I have to wait and see," Carroll said when asked if the performance would lead to more first-team practice reps for Lock.

Seattle opens its preseason slate on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers and kicks off the regular season with a matchup against Wilson's Denver Broncos. Whoever wins the starting job will be under the microscope even more in that season opener considering they will be facing a Seahawks legend making his first start elsewhere.

The race is far from over, but Lock reportedly looked more ready for the challenge Saturday.

The Seattle Seahawks have a quarterback battle brewing in training camp between Geno Smith and newcomer Drew Lock.

On Saturday, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters that Smith is currently in pole position.

"Geno continues to be on top, he's ahead, he's been in the lead for all the obvious reasons, and he's holding onto it and doing a really good job of battling," he said. "Both guys are communicating beautifully, they're learning well, we don't have any issues with anything we're trying to do. There are no issues here where we have to go, 'Oh, we can't quite do this or that with this guy or that guy,' it isn't like that. They're very talented arm-wise, and the ability to throw the ball down the field is there. So, let the games begin."

As for those "obvious reasons" Smith is the current frontrunner, Carroll provided more details.

"He's just doing things right," he said. "He handles the system, he's making the checks at the line of scrimmage, he's able to control the protections and working with [center] Austin [Blythe], those guys are hitting it really well, and he's just really talented. He's made great throws every day."

That doesn't mean there isn't an opening for Lock to win the job, however.

"I'm still looking for them to really come in, and really own it, and put days together where they don't have any negative plays, the plays that they wish they had back," Carroll noted. "So, in a sense, there's been openings for both guys by not having the complete day, getting everything done, and finishing the day close to perfect."

Smith, 31, spent the previous two seasons in Seattle as Russell Wilson's backup, making three starts last season when Wilson was out injured. He led the Seahawks to a 1-2 record in those games, finishing the season with 702 passing yards, five scores and an interception while completing 68.4 percent of his passes.

After being the starter for the New York Jets early in his career during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, Smith has largely been a backup with the Jets and during stints on the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before finding his way to Seattle.

Lock, 25, was a second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in the 2019 draft with aspirations he would eventually become the team's starter.

But he struggled in 21 starts across three seasons, throwing for 4,740 yards, 25 touchdowns and 20 interceptions while completing just 59.3 percent of his passes. The Broncos were 8-13 in his starts, and when they chose to upgrade at the position by trading for Wilson, Lock was sent the other way.

For Lock, the chance to win the starting gig may come with more reps.

"He just needs to stay out there and show us how he's going to make his decisions when the big opportunities come," Carroll told reporters. "He's made a ton of plays already. He's made a ton of good throws, he really runs well, he's elusive, he has a really quick trigger, his ability to release the football shows up, he has a lot of talent now. So we just need reps. We need turns, we just need to see more situations to really find any reason to see a difference between the guys. There's just not enough stuff yet."

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith said he expects the situation related to his Jan. 10 arrest for suspicion of DUI will be "worked out."

Smith, who re-signed with the Seahawks in April to compete for the team's starting QB job following the trade of Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, spoke to the media for the first time this offseason on Wednesday, per ESPN's Brady Henderson.

"Those things will be worked out, but I'm extremely confident in all those things," Smith said when asked about the arrest. "Those things, they have a timeline and they have to get worked out, but I don't see any problem."

The Washington State Patrol report stated an officer clocked Smith traveling at 96 mph in a 60-mph zone and changing lanes without using his signal, which led to the traffic stop. He told the officer he'd had some wine but stopped 90 minutes before driving, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

Smith became "argumentative" when the officer asked him to perform a field sobriety test and refused a breathalyzer, according to the arrest report. Seahawks director of team security George Englebright showed up in an effort to calm him down, per Condotta.

The 31-year-old Florida native was booked and released after a blood test was performed.

Smith posted a statement on Twitter after the incident:

A King County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson told Henderson they are still awaiting the results from the blood test, which can take around 10 months, before deciding whether to file formal charges in the case.

Smith signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Seahawks for a chance to compete with Drew Lock and Jacob Eason for the top spot on the depth chart. He spent the past three years as the backup to Wilson.

The former New York Jets starter made four appearances (three starts) for Seattle last season while Wilson recovered from a finger injury. He completed 65 of his 95 throws (68.4 percent) for 702 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He also added a rushing score.

Smith explained Wednesday he's looking forward to the chance to become a full-time starter for the first time since 2014:

I believe in myself and my abilities, and I also know that things happen. I was sitting behind three ironmen with Eli [Manning], Philip [Rivers] and Russ. Those guys don't miss games, but I always knew that I had the ability to play in this league. I've done great things in the preseason, and even when I did start, I had good games, but I knew the time would come, and it did—it did. I think if you just talk about my play, I think I did well enough to get this opportunity, but the wins are the only thing that matter. In those starts [last year], I was 1-2. We lost two tough games to some playoff teams, really good teams, and I really think that if I had executed a few things better, then we could have won the game, and I know every single guy feels the same way. With this upcoming season, I look forward to those new opportunities and chances, if I get the opportunity, to go out and win games. Learning from those experiences last year I think will pay off.

Smith, who could face NFL discipline under the league's personal conduct policy, and Lock figure to share first-team snaps throughout training camp and the preseason.

Seattle Seahawks backup quarterback Geno Smith was arrested in King County, Washington, early Monday morning on suspicion of DUI, per TMZ Sports.

Gregg Bell of the News Tribune confirmed that Smith was released on $1,000 bail.

Smith addressed the arrest on social media:

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll told Bell that Smith was in attendance for Monday's team meeting. Smith is set to be a free agent this offseason.

Per Bell, Smith was pulled over at 2:10 a.m. and released from King County jail at 9:27 a.m. Hours before his arrest, the Seahawks had returned home after defeating the Arizona Cardinals 38-30 in their season finale to end the year with a record of 7-10.

"Geno is fully cooperative with the investigation. I hope that an open mind can be kept by all as the facts are ascertained,"  Smith's attorney Jon Fox said in a statement to the Associated Press.

Smith has served as the backup to Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson for the past three seasons. He was thrust into action this year when Wilson suffered a broken middle finger on his throwing hand that required surgery. He entered in the second half of the Week 5 game against the Los Angeles Rams and threw an interception that ended the team's comeback attempt.

Smith completed 65-of-95 passes for 702 yards, five touchdowns and an interception this year. The Seahawks went 1-2 in his three starts.

The 31-year-old has been in the NFL for nine years and has a career record of 13-21 as a starter. He's also played for the New York Jets, New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers during his career.

The Seattle Seahawks' playoff chances are slipping away, and fast. 

On a rainy night in Seattle, Jameis Winston and the New Orleans Saints came away with a 13-10 win, plunging the injury-riddled Seahawks to a dismal 2-5 record on the season.

In what was an ugly game in general, the Seahawks were downright poor. They hurt themselves with untimely penalties. Jason Myers missed two field goals. They struggled to get much going on the ground (90 yards) despite insisting on pounding the rock (28 attempts). The continuously let superstar running back Alvin Kamara hurt them at key moments.

Since Russell Wilson left the team's Oct. 7 game against the Los Angeles Rams with a fractured finger, the Seahawks are 0-3. With the Arizona Cardinals off to a blazing start (7-0) and the Rams not far behind (6-1), Seattle's division title hopes are all but extinguished, and their playoff aspirations aren't far behind. 

As for the 4-2 Saints, they remain hot on the heels of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1) in the NFC South. So long as they keep feeding Kamara—and kicker Brian Johnson can keep the composure he showed in his first NFL appearance on Monday night—the Saints will remain a problem for opponents.

Monday night was very much a battle of two teams moving in opposite directions. The Seahawks are entering must-win territory in the coming weeks. The Saints will be happy to have gutted out a less-than-pretty road win. 

Key Stats

Alvin Kamara, NO: 20 carries for 51 yards; 10 receptions for 128 yards and a score

Jameis Winston, NO: 19-for-35 for 222 yards and a touchdown

Demario Davis, NO: 10 tackles (four for loss), two sacks, three quarterback hits

Geno Smith, SEA: 12-of-22 for 167 yards and a score

D.K. Metcalf, SEA: Two catches for 96 yards and a touchdown

Alex Collins, SEA: 16 carries for 35 yards

Alvin Kamara Carried The Load

When in doubt, get Kamara the ball. 

That seemed to be the New Orlean's game plan Monday night, and while it wasn't always pretty, it ultimately worked. No surprises there—Kamara is the team's best player. 

His first half alone was epic:

But he's especially important given the lack of weapons the Saints currently have in the passing game. When your other options are Kenny Stills, Marquez Callaway, Tre'Quan Smith and Adam Trautman in the passing game, well yeah, you're gonna find Kamara as much as possible. 

Thankfully for the Saints, he made the most of his heavy workload. 

Can We Get More DK Metcalf?

For much of Monday night's game, Seahawks fans probably felt like Christopher Walken pleading for more cowbell. All they wanted, however, was more Metcalf. 

The star wideout torched the Saints in the first quarter for this 84-yard touchdown reception:

And then he didn't see another target—not a single one—until the fourth quarter. He had just five targets on the night, less than Freddie Swain (six). How does that happen?

Yes, there was some rain. It's no secret that Pete Carroll loves to establish the run game. And Carroll might be trying to protect Geno Smith with a more conservative gameplan. 

But weapons like Metcalf need the ball. Seattle's offense was pretty impotent outside of his involvement.

On a night when the Saints built their gameplan around Kamara, Metcalf's disappearance was all the more jarring. This was an offense with a fever, and it sure seemed like the only prescription was more Metcalf. Instead, it took the loss.

What's Next?

The Seahawks will try to end their skid when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET (CBS). The Saints, meanwhile, will be gearing up for a crucial divisional matchup when they host the Bucs on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX). 

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson plans to return "better than ever" from surgery on his throwing hand.

“I’ll be great,” Wilson told Peter King of NBC Sports. “I’ll be better than ever.”

King added:

"One source said Wilson spent 'about two minutes' ticked off that he’d be out for a while, then started asking Seahawk medics and good friend Drew Brees for advice on how to proceed. By the time he’d left the locker room Thursday night, he’d already spoken to the Los Angeles-based orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand procedures, Dr. Steven Shin, and figured he’d have the operation on Friday."

Wilson underwent surgery to address multiple injuries to his middle finger he suffered during Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. King reported Wilson took only 17 hours between being injured and undergoing surgery, a process that included consulting with several doctors on the best course of treatment. 

That paved the way for Geno Smith, who played well in his place during that game.

The injury sidelined Wilson for the first time in his NFL career.

The 32-year-old didn't miss a single game in any of his first nine seasons in the league while establishing himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He has eight Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl title on his resume that includes four seasons with more than 4,000 passing yards.

While the Seahawks cannot reasonably expect Smith to replicate Wilson's impact, he threw for 131 yards and a touchdown against an interception against the Rams. The 2013 second-rounder out of West Virginia has appeared in 42 games during his NFL career. 

It's Geno Smith time for the Seattle Seahawks.

"The early word out of Seattle is that they're going to go with Geno Smith," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported when discussing the fallout from Russell Wilson's injury. "They're not going to look at the street free-agent route like a Cam Newton or trade for a Nick Foles. They believe they can win with this guy.

Wilson underwent surgery to address two injuries to his middle finger he suffered during Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Fowler reported Friday that the team was "bracing" for Wilson to be sidelined for up to eight weeks.

To Smith's credit, he looked formidable for extended stretches during Thursday's game.

He finished 10-of-17 passing for 131 yards, one touchdown and one interception and nearly orchestrated a dramatic comeback. Seattle was down by nine points in the fourth quarter without Wilson when Smith directed a 10-play, 98-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to DK Metcalf.

The Rams answered with their own touchdown drive, but Smith led a field-goal drive to close the gap to six and had an opportunity to win it in the final minutes.

While he threw an interception to Nick Scott to end those comeback hopes, it was still an impressive showing for someone who hasn't started a game since the 2017 campaign. The last time he started more than one game in a season was in 2014 for the New York Jets.

Smith entered the league as a second-round pick of the Jets in 2013 and has a 12-19 record as a starter. He doesn't have the resume to match those of Newton and Foles, but the Seahawks clearly believe in him following Thursday's showing.

As for Newton, he is without a team after the New England Patriots released him prior to the 2021 campaign. The 2015 league MVP and three-time Pro Bowler struggled with eight touchdown passes to 10 interceptions in 2020.

Foles is the third-string quarterback for the Chicago Bears and figured to be a veteran option with a Super Bowl ring for a team in need of depth after an injury.

Alas, Seattle will apparently not be that team.