Seahawks deleted: Remembering when Seattle might have given up on Geno Smith

The Seattle Seahawks got off to a horrifyingly slow start against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8 last season. The offense came to life in the second quarter, sure, but then Mother Nature played a very nasty trick.

Seattle started the game poorly. And by poorly, I mean the Seahawks and Geno Smith had two three-and-outs. The Bills had a slight advantage over the Hawks 145 to 3 in yardage, Smith was just two for five for six yards. Yes, that means Seattle had zero yards on the ground.

The faithful 12s didn't have much to cheer about in those first 15 minutes. Josh Allen was on target with virtually every pass, and the Bills' ground game chewed up yardage on every snap. It was a miracle Seattle only trailed 7-0. The game turned quickly, though, in the second. At least for a while.

The Seattle Seahawks might have learned a lot about Geno Smith against the Buffalo Bills

Seattle flipped the switch in the second quarter, though. After forcing a punt, the Seahawks took over on their own nine-yard line. A penalty pushed them back to their five. Apparently, that just gave them even more motivation. Smith drove the team down the field to the Buffalo two-yard line.

If you read this article, you already know what happened. Or, you know, watched the sadness unfold in real time. Connor Williams sailed the snap over Smith's head, and Seattle had to settle for a 38-yard Jason Myers field goal.

Josh Allen had been having a huge season entering the game (and would continue that well beyond). He managed to throw an interception at Seattle, though. The first pick for Allen in 301 passes.

Meanwhile, Seattle had watched as Geno Smith had made some wretched decisions during his third season as the team's starter, especially in the red zone. He would eventually lead the NFL in red zone picks in 2024. Seeing Josh Allen play head-to-head versus Geno Smith had to make Seattle realize, Smith was not the answer long-term.

Perhaps, if Smith had not requested to be traded this offseason, he would still be with the Seahawks. That doesn't mean that the team would not have taken Jalen Milroe in the 2025 NFL draft. Smith also might not have been extended or re-signed next offseason.

As Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider watched his team get destroyed by the Buffalo Bills in Week 8, a game in which Josh Allen threw for two touchdowns and Geno Smith threw zero, but was intercepted, he had to know that if Seattle was going to win a Super Bowl, Josh Allen was the guy who could lead the team to that. Geno Smith wasn't.