Here are the signs Geno Smith will return from injury to start for Seahawks vs Eagles
Geno Smith shimmied to the music. He turned his torso to one side then the other. He moved his hands to the beat, and skipped through his warm-up drills with teammates.
The Seahawks’ quarterback was boppin’ and full go to begin practice Thursday, four days before the Seahawks (6-7) host the Philadelphia Eagles (10-3) Monday night in an almost must-win to stay in realistic playoff contention.
It was Smith’s first practice in seven days, since he stumbled over a teammate after he threw during practice. He tested his strained groin Sunday hours before Seattle played at San Francisco. Coach Pete Carroll and the Seahawks’ medical-training staff decided against playing their 2022 Pro Bowl QB.
Backup Drew Lock started an NFL game for the first time in two years. He threw a touchdown pass to DK Metcalf plus two interceptions in the fourth quarter of Seattle’s 28-16 loss to the 49ers.
Part of Carroll’s and the Seahawks’ thinking was to not risk Smith to playing at the heavily favored 49ers (10-3) then making the groin injury worse. That could have left Smith unable to play against Philadelphia or Seattle’s other three games to end the regular season.
The Seahawks likely need to win all four or at least three of those four games to stay in postseason contention.
“He feels really good,” Carroll said of Smith. “He threw the heck out of the ball in the morning session (a walk-through practice Thursday). So we’ll see what happens...with the, really, hope that he’s ready to go.
“If not, Drew is going to be there. We will mix reps to make sure that everybody’s prepared.
“But that’s a good sign for us (about Smith). ... He feels really good. He’s ready to go.”
Last week, hours before he injured his groin, Smith said his bruised triceps on his throwing arm was not close to 100% healthy.
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald smashed into that Nov. 18 as Smith was trying to throw in the Seahawks’ 17-16 loss at Los Angeles.
Thursday, Carroll said he didn’t think the team’s extra day off this week between its loss Sunday at the Niners and hosting the Eagles Monday night has helped Smith’s arm injury.
That’s because Carroll doesn’t think that injury is an issue anymore.
“You talking about the injury from (before)? It’s not a factor,” Carroll said.
“As far as I know that’s not even an issue.”
Drew Lock: I proved I can still play
Lock completed 22 of 31 passes for 269 yards and four sacks in his first start since the final three games of the 2021 season, when he was with Denver.
The following spring the Broncos traded their second-round draft choice in 2019 to Seattle as part of the big deal for Russell Wilson.
Lock had a sterling passer rating of 133 (158.3 is perfect) entering the fourth quarter of the game at San Francisco last weekend.
Then he woefully underthrew Metcalf into double coverage along the left sideline on a go route. His second interception was by Fred Warner late in the game, when 49ers pass rusher Chase Young hit Lock’s arm as he threw.
Lock said his start affirmed he can still be a starting quarterback in the league. His contract for $4 million this year ends with the end of this season.
“It felt good to finally be back out there. I know the results weren’t what we wanted but it had been a while since I had gone out there and done that and it felt really good,” Lock said.
“I can still play football. I can still go out there and do it. It had been a while since I’ve started a game. I can be confident in my legs, confident in the deep ball, confident in just dropping back and living in the pocket. It’s just confident that I am an NFL quarterback.
“I guess I could take that away and take that into the next week, when and if I do get the chance.”
No NFL word yet on DK Metcalf’s ejection
Metcalf threw Warner to the ground rodeo-style on Warner’s return of Lock’s second interception. Seattle’s receiver said he didn’t realize Warner had lateraled the ball to a teammate. Warner retaliated by shoving the back of Metcalf’s head with two hands as Metcalf was trying to get off the ground. Metcalf’s reaction of grabbing Warner’s face mask and pushing his head back by it led to officials ejecting Metcalf.
Carroll said Thursday he’d yet to hear back from the NFL on the ejection and Warner’s actions that preceded it. The Seahawks’ coach has said he’s looking forward to hearing the league’s explanation of it all.
Devon Witherspoon still out
Rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon did not practice. He got a hip pointer in the first half of the team’s loss at San Francisco.
Carroll has said it’s likely to be the end of the preparation week or perhaps game time before the Seahawks determine whether Witherspoon can play Monday night.
“He won’t work (Thursday). We will rest him. We won’t know,” Carroll said. “We will take it day to day with that.”
With Witherspoon missing at San Francisco, the Seahawks went to more three safeties as a base defense instead of Witherspoon in nickel as usual. The 49ers successfully attacked those safeties, Jamal Adams, Julian Love and Quandre Diggs for many of their 12 plays of 15 yards or more while rolling up 527 yards Sunday.
Tre Brown missed the 49ers game with a heel injury. He remains iffy to play against the Eagles. Brown is the left cornerback when Witherspoon moves inside to nickel back.
This story was originally published December 14, 2023 at 2:59 PM.
