How does Geno Smith assess his replacing Russell Wilson? By the numbers. They aren’t good
Geno Smith is trying to do what for now — with this Seahawks roster, in this system — may be next to impossible.
He’s trying to replace Russell Wilson.
So far, not so good.
Yes, Smith absolutely needs more help from his mistake-prone teammates. His offensive line is again letting rushers run free like kids on a playground at recess, which it was doing when Wilson was in there. Smith’s running backs need to run more than to nowhere.
But how does Smith assess his play for the Seahawks (2-5) since Wilson tore a tendon and dislocated the middle finger on his throwing hand three games ago, Oct. 7 during the team’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams?
He assesses it literally.
“To me, you’ve just got to go by the numbers. I mean, that’s the only thing you can go by,” the 31-year-old Smith said Thursday, three days before he starts again for Wilson against the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) at Lumen Field.
Those numbers aren’t pretty.
It’s three losses in three games during Smith’s first extended action and NFL starts in four years.
“You look at the numbers versus those two defenses that I (started) against, really three defenses, and just compare that to whoever else has played them,” the former New York Jets starter said.
“That’s the way that I look at comparisons, if you want to make them.”
OK, let’s do that.
Comparing QBs
The Saints’ defense Smith played Monday is the strength of that 4-2 team. New Orleans is sixth in the NFL in yards and seventh in points allowed.
Back in week one last month Aaron Rodgers completed 15 of 28 passes (53.6%) with 133 yards, zero touchdowns, two interceptions, one sack and a passer rating of 36.8. His Packers lost to the Saints 38-3.
Smith on Monday night was 12 for 22 (54.5%) for 167 yards (84 on his first throw, to DK Metcalf for a touchdown past fallen cornerback Marshon Lattimore), zero interceptions, five sacks and a 94.3 passer rating. The Seahawks lost 13-10.
“We just didn’t finish drives. I thought we moved the ball pretty well,” Smith said. “Hats off to them. They are a great defense.
“If you want to know what they are capable of just watch week one against the 6-1 Packers, that says it all.”
A truer comparison is from Smith’s previous start, at Pittsburgh.
The week before the Seahawks played the Steelers, the Broncos played at Pittsburgh. Teddy Bridgewater, like Smith a former starter elsewhere years removed from being ‘The Man” in his best days in the league, completed 24 of 38 passes (63.2%) for 288 yards against the Steelers. Bridgewater threw two touchdown passes, had one interception and two sacks with a 92.9 passer rating. Denver lost to the Steelers 27-19 on Bridgewater’s final-play interception in the end zone trying to rally the Broncos late.
Smith was 23 for 32 (71.9%) for 209 yards, a touchdown pass, no interceptions, five sacks and a 99.6 passer rating against the Steelers two weeks ago, when Pittsburgh backed their defensive backs far off Seattle’s receivers. In overtime, Smith lost a fumble when T.J. Watt hit him from behind as the quarterback was beginning to run up field out of the pocket on the first play of a drive. That turnover handed the Steelers the winning field goal in the Seahawks’ 23-20 defeat.
“We can’t keep coming up short. I can’t keep coming up short,” Smith said after the loss in Pittsburgh. “I put that on myself, back to back weeks. Our defense gives us a chance to go out there and score, give me the ball. And we don’t get it done. “That’s solely on me. And I vow to be better.”
The week before that, Wilson got hurt against the Rams.
Smith played the fourth quarter. He was 10 for 17 for 131 yards and a touchdown pass to DK Metcalf on his first drive, 98 yards. The Rams were playing four deep, soft coverage with little pass rush.
After the Rams took a 23-14 lead and Seattle answered with a field goal by Jason Myers to make it a one-score game again, Smith threw an interception late. Tyler Lockett fell down making his break outside as Smith was throwing. The Rams then kicked the game-clinching field goal in their 26-17 victory.
After that game, Smith blamed himself for making that throw he shouldn’t have.
After Seattle’s loss to the Saints, Smith said: “These last three weeks, we’ve had the ball at the end with a chance to go win. And we didn’t get it done.
“When it comes down to executing on the field, we just got to own those moments. We just got to own them. Those are crucial moments and we had chances to really ice the game.
“And that’s something we can really work on.”
Also after that game Smith said: “Put the blame right at my feet, man.”
Smith’s sacks
The 10 sacks in his two starts appear to be indicting to the offensive line that has struggled for years protecting Wilson. But about half of those have been on Smith holding the ball too long.
“Little bit of trying to make a little bit too much out of something that might not have been there on the initial read,” offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said.
The play caller said he is talking to Smith “about that fine line of extending the play with our eyes down the field and a chance of a big, explosive play off of it — versus trying to get the ball out of our hands and save the down. Especially in some of those areas when we are getting close to field-goal range.”
Especially those.
Coach Pete Carroll said following the loss to the Saints Smith must throw the ball away in key situations rather than take sacks. The worst was when the Seahawks were in comfortable range for a Myers field goal. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was reminding the quarterback in his helmet speaker via the coach’s remote communications from the sideline to not take a sack to ensure three points and the lead.
On third and 11 from the New Orleans 24-yard line, Smith took an 11-yard sack when no one blocked two edge rushers off his right side.
That resulted in a 53-yard field goal try instead, into the open end of Lumen Field, in rain and wind. Myers missed. The game remained tied at 10. with 6:49 left in the game
The Saints took the ensuing possession to the winning field goal.
“That’s just not being comfortable with the situation,” Carroll said of Smith. “We reminded him (we were) in great shape — and we take a big loss.”
How long will Smith be playing?
An NFL Network report last weekend cited a league source saying Wilson was having the pin removed from his repaired finger within a week.
Two league sources — Carroll and another one — told The News Tribune Wednesday there is no news or anything happening right now with Wilson’s recovery. He was on the field again Thursday, on the other end of the indoor practice field again doing conditioning runs while Smith and the rest of the Seahawks on the active roster practiced to play Jacksonville.
The first time he could be eligible to play, per NFL rules on injured-reserve players, is Nov. 14 at Green Bay following Seattle’s bye Nov. 7. Yet Wilson’s timeline to return remains unknown.
Meanwhile, Smith takes what presumably are harsh critiques. From his coaches, and everybody else.
“We get grade sheets. The coaches, they critique us. The scouts and everybody, they critique us harder than anyone else,” Smith said. “
“So they know better than anybody what we can do, what we are capable of and how well we are doing.
“For me, I just play ball. If I can do better, I will. I’m going to play my hardest and do the best I can to make sure we are in position to win. And, obviously, when we have chances at the end of the game, to win the game, that’s all that matters to me, is to get the wins.”
This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 2:33 PM.
