Geno Smith apologizes to teammates, city after his Seahawks lose again, 26-20 to Rams
The question was about this wildly uneven game. The deficit. The lead. His two, late interceptions. His even later rally, to overtime.
Geno Smith’s answer was an apology.
To his Seahawks teammates. To the team’s fans. To the entire city of Seattle.
“First of all, I just want to, really, start off by apologizing to my teammates, really, to the city, to the organization,” the franchise’s quarterback--and thus, by definition when it’s not going well, lightning rod--said to begin his press conference following the Seahawks’ fifth loss in six games Sunday.
“They put a lot of trust in me, in my decision-making, when they put the ball in my hands. When my teammates played the way they did today, give us a shot to win the game, I’ve got to make sure that we do. Things I did today, mistakes I made, they affected us, negatively. Really, cost us the game today.
“I’m going to step it up, though.
“I’m really hurtin’.’
He wasn’t alone.
The Seahawks looked largely unprepared to start this pivotal NFC West game. Then they rallied suddenly, improbably, into a 10-point lead when the Rams almost gave them two touchdowns out of nowhere 46 seconds apart just before halftime.
Seattle blew that lead and allowed the Rams 17 unanswered points. The final of those was a 103-yard return of Smith’s interception throwing off his backfoot into a crowd in the end zone. That worst of those bad decisions that had him sorry.
Yet Smith rebounded to throw three exquisite passes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, including on fourth down then with 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie the game.
But Seattle’s faulty offensive line couldn’t move the Rams to gain 1 yard on third and fourth down from the L.A. 16-yard line in overtime.
“We have to be able to get a half yard in two shots,” coach Mike Macdonald said, flatly. “Great football teams convert third and fourth and short.”
Then Riq Woolen missed his chance for a game-winning interceptions before he gave up Matthew Stafford’s winning touchdown pass halfway through the overtime period.
Rams 26, Seahawks 20 only begins to describe what Seattle did to fall to 4-5. To continue to ruin the 3-0 start and two-game lead they had in the division in a September that for them feels like years ago.
“We’ve got to get it done. I’ve got to get it done for my guys. For the city,” Smith said.
“I really feel like I let everybody down today. I really do.”
More crushing mistakes. Another crushing loss.
The Seahawks’ quarterback threw two interceptions on plays from inside the Rams’ 10-yard line in the fourth quarter. Kamren Kinchens returned the first one 103 yards for a stunning touchdown to put Seattle down 20-13 in a game it lead 13-3 in the third quarter.
Yet Seattle’s defense kept holding the Rams from first downs, on three consecutive drives. Smith then completed a 29-yard pass to Smith-Nigba on fourth and 5 from the Rams 43 with 57 seconds left.
On first down, Smith fired between two defenders into the end zone. Smith-Njigba endured a huge hit as he caught the touchdown pass that tied the game with 51 seconds left.
It forced overtime.
The Seahawks won the coin toss and received the kickoff to begin the extra period. Smith stood tall again, and threw a dart over the middle Smith-Njigba (seven catches, career-high 180 yards) turned into a 31-yard gain. Kenneth Walker (25 rushes, 83 yards) ran twice for 9 yards, to the Rams 16. On fourth and 1, Walker ran left--and into a wall of Rams.
“We’ve got to execute, man,” veteran left guard Laken Tomlinson said of the fateful fourth down, inside a nearly silent Seahawks locker room where few wanted or did talk.
“We’ve got to finish it off.”
The turnover on downs at the Los Angeles 17 made it sudden death.
Woolen had an interception in his sights on the next snap. But the Seahawks cornerback stayed back waiting for Stafford’s pass to arrive instead of attacking the ball. LA’s Tyler Johnson cut in front of Woolen to catch it, instead.
Woolen, who earlier intercepted Stafford on a play star receiver Puka Nacua got ejected, politely declined to The News Tribune to talk in the locker room following the game.
Three plays later, Stafford rolled left and threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson over Woolen. Seattle’s cornerback fell below the Rams receiver in the end zone as the pass arrived.
And the Seahawks lost for the fourth consecutive times at mad-then-hushed Lumen Field.
For the second straight Sunday, Seattle’s fans booed the home team.
Smith completed 21 of 34 passes for 363 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions for Seattle (4-5), which had started the season 3-0 with a two-game lead atop the NFC West.
Smith got sacked seven times, as the Rams became the latest team to beat the Seahawks’ porous offensive line.
Stafford completed 25 of 44 passes for 298 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, by Woolen. The Rams (4-4) leaped over the Seahawks in the division.
Seattle goes on its bye this coming week before playing next at San Francisco Nov. 17.
Bad on top of worse for the Seahawks: They’ve lost six in a row to the 49ers over the last three seasons.
“I’d say disappointed with the lack of being able to take advantage of the opportunities we had to win this football game,” Macdonald said.
“Promise you, we’re doing everything in our power and then some to create a nightmare at home, and right now we’re not doing it. So we’ve got to go to work.”
The rookie head coach, the NFL’s youngest at age 37, again praised the Seahawks’ effort.
“We’ve got the right guys. We just have to make it come to life,” he said. “But our backs are against the wall. And we’ve got to go.”
Smith’s two late interceptions
Smith had just thrown an interception off his back foot into traffic into the end zone with his team about to take the lead in a tie game. Kinchens returned that gift 103 yards for a stunning touchdown and Rams lead early in the fourth quarter.
Smith stood at the edge of the sideline. He clapped. He patted his chest, as if to say “my bad.” He patted center Connor Williams on the back. Teammate Jarran Reed came over to Smith and encouraged him, tapped him on the helmet.
Smith’s response was delayed--by a three and out with a sack, when guard Anthony Bradford got beat.
New hero Cody White helped.
White, a practice-squad wide receiver elevated Saturday to play his first game for Seattle, broke through the middle of L.A.’s line on a looping stunt with Jake Bobo, came free and blocked a Rams punt.
Smith had a red-zone chance to tie the game down 20-13. On second and goal from the 4, Smith threw for rookie tight end AJ Barner in the short flat. A Rams defender held Barner’s arm, keeping him from getting to the ball Kinchens intercepted.
Smith, in disbelief, walked past teammates tapping him on the helmet to the bench. He sat there briefly, then returned to the sideline’s edge to cheer on his defense. It got a second consecutive three and out.
With 1:54 left, the Seahawks had the ball 73 yards from a touchdown to tie. After the Rams’ seventh sack of Smith, he completed a 28-yard pass down the sideline to new hero White. Smith then scrambled away from another sack and ran to the L.A. 48 for another first down. Eighty seconds remained.
Then Smith threw his dart to Smith-Njigba. Lumen Field roared. And the division rivals went to overtime.
Seattle’s ugly half
The game began with the Seahawks looking unprepared. Uninspired. Ugly.
The Seahawks trailed 3-0 late in the first half. The offense was failing at basic tasks such as center snaps to the quarterback. It had converted just 1 of its previous 15 third downs dating to two weeks before, at Atlanta. Smith was looking and talking to Macdonald on the sidelines, not complaining but seemingly seeking answers.
Fans were heartily booing the home team.
DK Metcalf, in team gray sweats out for the second consecutive game because of his sprained knee, was on the sideline going down line of Seahawks defensive starters sitting on the bench, congratulating them, shaking their hands. That was after Seattle turned back the Rams in the red zone that ended with Los Angeles’ field goal early in the second quarter for the game’s first points.
Then, suddenly, the Rams just melted down, stopped and gave the Seahawks life.
Twice, their defensive front jumped offsides at the snap to give Smith free plays. Twice, Rams cornerback Darious Williams stopped covering Seahawks receivers on those free plays. Tyler Lockett ran past Williams and Smith’s pass found him in stride for a stunning, 30-yard touchdown with :51 seconds left in the first half.
Then, Woolen leaped over Nacua for a game-turning interception on a deep pass pass from Stafford, while one-on-one with the Rams’ young, star receiver. Nacua got mad at Tyrel Dodson blocking him on the interception return. Nacua threw a punch with his right arm and hand at the Seahawks linebacker. He got ejected.
It was Woolen’s third interception in five career regular-season games against Los Angeles.
The 15-yard personal foul gave the Seahawks a drive start near midfield. Los Angeles jumped offsides again. Smith again exploited the free play with a 46-yard pass to Smith-Njigba past Williams and other stationary Rams in the defensive backfield.
Smith then threw 24 yards over the middle for a touchdown past Williams wandering in the middle of the end zone with 5 seconds left in the half.
In 46 seconds, the Seahawks went from lost to leading, 13-3.
Importantly, Jason Myers had his point-after-touchdown kick blocked following Seattle’s first touchdown. That was why when the Rams kicked a field goal after that big defensive stand by Seattle the game was tied.
That missed extra point still haunts Macdonald and the Seahawks.
As Right Tackle Turns...
George Fant returned off injured reserve to start at right tackle. It was his first game since Sept. 8, when he left the opener against Denver with a knee injury.
He didn’t last the first quarter in this one, either.
On a third and 3 late in the opening period, Fant could not move Rams rookie linebacker Jared Verse off the line on a rush by Zach Charbonnet right at Fant’s right-tackle gap. The play failed, and the Seahawks punted in a scoreless game. Rookie Mike Jerrell replaced Fant to begin the next series. Fant walked off the field into the locker room with a dejected look.
The team announced he had a knee injury, again.
In the third quarter just after Los Angeles cut Seattle’s lead to 13-10, Jerrell got beaten inside his arms, into his chest plate, and pushed back into Smith as Seattle’s QB threw 40 yards down the middle to Smith-Njigba. Referee Clay Martin called the obvious holding penalty on Jerrell, the sixth-round pick from Division-II Findlay. Instead of first down at the Rams 30, the Seahawks had third and 26 at their own 14.
They punted, and their lead stayed only 13-10.
With 4 minutes left, after Anthony Bradford had given up Seattle’s sixth sack, Smith completed a pass to Smith-Njigba for 38 yards into Rams territory. But Jerrell was caught obviously holding Los Angeles edge rusher Kobie Turner. The penalty made it 78 yards on two passes Jerrell negated with his two, game-changing holding penalties.
Macdonald has said the team believes starting right tackle Abe Lucas will come back from winter knee surgery to make his season debut for Seattle’s next game, Nov. 17 at San Francisco.
This story was originally published November 3, 2024 at 5:11 PM.
