When Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith went to the sideline a week ago and slammed his helmet to the turf it was anger centered on the concern of injury.
On Sunday, when he spiked it again on the same sideline, it was frustration from watching too many mistakes lead to the Seahawks’ best chance at staying in the NFC West race slip away.
“It’s always tough when you don’t get a win,” Smith said after the Seahawks’ 27-24 loss to Minnesota that put them on the cusp of playoff elimination. “I thought our guys fought throughout the entire game. I thought our offensive line protected me well. We gave ourselves a shot. Obviously didn’t get it done.”
Defining Smith’s latest performance isn’t straightforward and is part of the disappointment felt in the aftermath. At times, Smith looked terrific and some of his throws reinforce those who believe he’s a quarterback capable of getting the Seahawks to the playoffs — whether it be this season while needing a lot of help, or in the future.
postgame coverage vikings 27, seahawks 24
Like many other games this season, there were moments when Smith made decisions or throws that were either baffling, risky or just terribly ill-timed.
He finished 31 of 43 for 314 yards and three touchdowns. It was his fifth game this season topping 300 yards and first since Week 9 against the Rams. The three TD passes also matched a season-high, including his first TD toss to DK Metcalf since Week 7.
Smith threw two interceptions — albeit the last coming in desperation mode inside the final minute and after center Olu Oluwatimi was badly beat by Jihad Ward forcing Smith to throw early. The pass was intended for Metcalf, who wasn’t coming out of his break when Smith was forced to throw.
Getting into range for a potential tying field-goal attempt was a longshot for the Seahawks starting at their own 12 and without timeouts. The hope of that happening dissipated immediately.
“It was an interception, man. Anything you see that goes wrong put it on me. Anything don’t look right, put it on me,” Smith said.
His first interception in the second quarter did lead to a Minnesota field goal and the two total picks could have been closer to four or five as Smith had several dangerous throws that maybe (likely?) should have been picked off by the Vikings.
Smith also took two sacks, the most damaging coming on first-and-10 at the Minnesota 37 with less than three minutes remaining. The Seahawks couldn’t overcome the yardage lost on the sack and had to settle for Jason Myers’ 60-yard field-goal attempt that was well short.
Asked about Smith’s performance, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald issued a strong defense of his quarterback.
“Geno is probably our top competitor on our football team and we’re not sitting here with life at the end of December unless Geno’s done the things that he’s done. He’s a fighter, man. I thought he played a good game,” Macdonald said.
There’s also context that goes with Smith’s performance. A week ago, he limped off the field with a knee injury after getting bent awkwardly in the second half of the loss to Green Bay. In the moment, there was uncertainty whether Smith’s season was over and with it the Seahawks’ best chance at staying in the playoff race.
The injury turned out to be less serious than first believed. Still, Smith wasn’t as healthy as he would like to be at this time of the season.
“I felt OK. I was good enough to play,” Smith said.
There’s essentially no time for Smith and his teammates to linger on the loss with a Thursday game in Chicago arriving far quicker than the Seahawks would like. Throw in Christmas and it makes for one more item to navigate facing a truncated schedule with the short week.
What’s clear is that against good teams the Seahawks have no margin for error. That goes for Smith and his teammates and too many times this season the good teams have taken advantage of those mistakes.
Getting another chance for the Seahawks to prove that narrative wrong and get to Week 18 in Los Angeles with it being meaningful starts with a win on Thursday in Chicago, then getting some help.
“We got to win two, but it starts with one,” Smith said. “We got a tough Chicago team on the road. I know their record isn’t the greatest, but if you watch film on those guys, they got a tough team with a lot of talent. We got to be ready, coming off a short week, traveling on Christmas, guys got to get their minds right and get ready to go.”
