If there is one division with questions at the quarterback position it is the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Arizona Cardinals have signal-callers that ask, “what’s next?” Geno Smith took the world by storm in 2022, outplaying the departed Russell Wilson and leading the Seahawks to an unexpected playoff birth.
However, does the feel-good story in Seattle have a second chapter? Did fans in San Francisco witness a one hit wonder? What about the Rams and the borrowed time they are playing with, and in Arizona, is it a one-and-done deal for a Heisman Trophy winner?
Can Geno Smith Recapture the Magic In 2023?
The Cascade Range echoed with a continuous roar. Down 17-16 and with one minute on the clock, Russell Wilson waited for a play call that never came. Instead, rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett rab the play clock close to zero and send out Brandon McManus for a daunting 64-yard field goal attempt. The kick sailed left, and the Seahawks would notch an improbable stunner on Monday Night Football, 17-16.
The fans in the Pacific Northwest were quickly introduced to journeyman Geno Smith, the 2013 second-round pick of the New York Jets with some frequent flier miles. The New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers were previous suitors before Smith arrived in Seattle. From 2019-2021, Smith was the primary understudy to Wilson. 2022 was the season Pete Carroll found he still had some gas in the tank.
The Seahawks shocked the fans at Lumen Field. After being a team no one thought would be anything but fighting for draft position, something else happened. Seattle would post a record of 9-8 and 4-2 in the division. But even something bigger happened on the way to a potential No. 1 pick: Geno Smith went off.
The Good
Smith had a passer rating of 100.9 with 4,282 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He played in all 17 games and earned Comeback Player of the Year honors. Smith would guide Seattle to the NFC Wild Card round where they would lose to the San Francisco 49ers, 41-23.
Two great games from last season stand out as both sides of the Smith conundrum. Against the Los Angeles Rams on December 4, 2022, Smith and the Seahawks were doing something they had not done against LA since 2020: win. Seattle has just dropped two games in a row and needed to find their groove. Smith would deliver a dazzling drive for his career resume.
On this score with 40 seconds left on the clock, Geno Smith scrambled to his right. It froze the defense long enough to deliver a strike to D.K. Metcalf in tight coverage, resulting in a game-winning touchdown. It also put the Seahawks back on track and in the win column.
Comeback Player of the Year pic.twitter.com/k2XIVvBES0
— Josh Dorsey (@J_Dorsey3) December 5, 2022
Smith silenced the doubters again with his fame against LA. He was poised under pressure and showed why he had the entire NFL buzzing about a castoff in Seattle delivering the goods.
Moment of The “Old” Geno Smith
While the bright spots were brilliant, Smith reminded fans of why he may have never “stuck” as a starter. Against Carolina, the Seahawks signal caller turned in a sloppy performance that would lead to a loss and a lot of head-scratching for fans. On this play, a route designed for D.K. Metcalf, disaster developed from the snap. Smith would roll to his left and do what he too often has done: hold the ball too long.
JAYCEE HORN 🔒
pic.twitter.com/VbhFIyOoqb— PFF (@PFF) December 11, 2022
It showed poor decision-making as the smart play would have been to throw the ball away and wait for second down. Instead, it’s an interception that led to an eventual score for a Carolina 10-0 lead.
There is no doubt that along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Seattle was a team who surprised. Both made the playoffs, with Jacksonville winning one game and losing at Kansas City. The Seahawks would go to San Francisco and lose.
Peter Carroll and the organization are believers. They had a bevy of picks courtesy of the Denver Broncos and Russell Wilson and chose not to draft a quarterback. Whether that proved the right decision or not, Smith demonstrated a lot of poise and humility and certainly owned his poor performances.
The NFC West could be more wide-open than the 49ers and then everyone else. Geno Smith may be the best bet in a league with Matthew Stafford, a toss-up between Brock Purdy, Trey Lance, and Sam Darnold. For Arizona, all eyes are on Kyler Murray and his recovery from an ACL injury, but in June, all this is just hyperbole. In September, when it counts, it will boil down to Seattle counting on Smith to be more than a “good story”.
Main Photo: Cary Edmondson – USA Today Sports
