Seahawks’ Geno Smith ‘questionable,’ but Carroll says he’s playing. But Kenneth Walker...
Officially, Geno Smith is “questionable” to play.
Practically, he’s starting the Seahawks’ mammoth game Thanksgiving night against the San Francisco 49ers.
Smith threw for the first time this week on Wednesday in practice. He and his bruised triceps on his throwing arm looked good enough for coach Pete Carroll to say after the workout he expects Smith to start Thursday night for the Seahawks (6-4) at Lumen Field. It’s their chance to seize first place in the NFC West from the front-running Niners (7-3).
“He did quite well (Wednesday). We rested him for most of the week, the short week, in terms of throwing. He did really well (Wednesday),” Carroll said.
Asked if he thinks Smith was playing Thursday, Carroll said: “I’m kind of thinking he is, yeah.”
The coach said the team will be “very judicious” on how Smith warms up throwing before the game.
Kenneth Walker is listed as doubtful because of his strained oblique. Carroll said his lead running back is not playing Thursday, barring an unforeseen improvement between now and then in his injured side muscle. Rookie Zach Charbonnet will make his first NFL start, and rookie Kenny McIntosh is coming off injured reserve to make his NFL debut as Charbonnet’s number two.
DK Metcalf didn’t practice this week because of pain in his toe, after hip and rib injuries. But the Seahawks’ wide receiver is not on the team’s injury report for the game. Metcalf is playing.
Tackle Abe Lucas practiced this week off IR from his knee injury that has sidelined the starter since he played week one Sept. 10 against the Rams. But Carroll said Lucas won’t play Thursday. Expect 41-year-old Jason Peters to make his second consecutive start at right tackle Thursday.
For the second consecutive day Smith participated at the start of practice open to the media Wednesday. He again used his left hand on his non-injured arm to slap the hands of backup quarterbacks Drew Lock and Brett Rypien as he went by them in the warm-up line.
The day before, when Smith was asked how he was feeling, he said: “Had better days, but getting there.”
Asked if he’s playing Thursday, Smith said: “That’s up to Coach.”
Coach says he is.
While Smith and the Seahawks began practice Wednesday, Metcalf was standing in the back wearing sneakers, not spikes, on the grass. Walker was again in sneakers and not participating, for the second consecutive day. He strained his oblique muscle seven plays into Seattle’s game at the Los Angeles Rams last weekend.
Sunday in Inglewood, California, Aaron Donald smashed into Smith, driving the 33-year-old quarterback to the turf after he threw a pass late in the third quarter of the Seahawks’ loss at the Rams.
Monday, Carroll had said the team’s plan was to not have him throw Monday and Tuesday so he could get his normal two days off between games, as if this was a usual, longer game week. The plan was to then have Smith practice Wednesday.
Smith’s week indeed went according to that plan.
Lock said Tuesday he didn’t expect any more than he has all season. He’s yet to make a regular-season start in the two seasons he’s been with Seattle after its trade of Russell Wilson to Denver in March 2022.
Is Lock expecting to play against the 49ers?
“No more than I did any other week going forward,” he said.
Take that as a no.
In eight plays replacing Smith at Los Angeles Sunday, Lock completed 2 of 6 passing for 3 yards and an interception the Rams turned into their winning field goal.
This story was originally published November 22, 2023 at 1:45 PM.
