Analysis: Early evaluation of Geno Smith and the Seahawk offense’s sky-high ceiling
RENTON, Wash. – Seattle’s double-digit loss to the Detroit Lions on national television was deflating for a Seahawks team that entered this season with a chip on its shoulder, hoping to prove to any disbelievers that it could be one of the best in the league on both sides of the ball.
Instead, only quarterback Geno Smith and the offense put their best foot forward when the lights were brightest. The defense, led by first-year coach Mike Macdonald, had by far its worst showing of this new era. Players on that side of the ball are still confident, but they also know it’s hard to make a statement when you fall flat like that with the world watching.
“We’re trying to be the best in the world, so I kind of feel that Monday game kind put us back, in a sense,” safety K’Von Wallace said, “but we’re going to be fine, we’re going to figure it out and we’re going to get the job done.”
Smith and the offense came away from that game believing they’ve only scratched the surface. Smith had his best game in what has been a strong start to the season, but he expects the offense to take things up a notch as Seattle looks to build on its 3-1 record and stay in first place in the NFC West.
“Now it’s on to the second quarter of the season, some really tough matchups moving forward, so guys have got to be on it,” Smith said. “This is the time for us – especially for me; I feel I haven’t played my best yet – to get rolling. I think it’s going to start here soon. I’m starting to get into my groove. Us as a team, as an offense, we really got to lock in and play together.”
Smith’s attitude reflects what I’m seeing from the Seahawks through the first quarter of the season. Despite power rankings, Vegas odds and win total projections pegging them as a potential wild-card team at best, the Seahawks came into this season expecting to be championship contenders. The first four games reaffirmed their self-belief. The offense is at the forefront of that.
Stars performing like it
Seattle recently brought back 42-year-old offensive tackle Jason Peters to the practice squad. When he was at home contemplating a return to the game, he closely followed his former teams, including the Seahawks. When asked about his impressions from afar of Seattle’s offense, Peters began by simply spouting three names: Smith, Ken Walker III and DK Metcalf. Those three players stand out when assessing the first month of Seattle’s season.
Seattle knows it has other talented skill players, but Walker and Metcalf have unique physical profiles and game-breaking speed that can give opponents nightmares. They can score from anywhere on the field at any given moment. And even when they don’t have the ball, they draw attention that creates opportunities for others. You can sense how central those two are to making coordinator Ryan Grubb’s offense come to life, and in making the unit feel like it can be the best and most explosive unit in the league. There’s a reason Smith has repeatedly called them the best players at their respective positions.
Metcalf has more than 100 yards receiving in each of the past three games, and he entered Week 5 ranked third in receiving yards leaguewide (366). He’s one of four players with multiple receiving touchdowns of at least 50 yards. He’s accomplished that while being shadowed by the opponent’s best cornerback in all four games.
Walker has 183 rushing yards on 5.7 yards per carry with four rushing touchdowns in just two games. He’s sixth in rush EPA among running backs with at least 30 attempts. Beyond the numbers, though, his rushing style adds a dimension that injects life into the offense. Walker leads the league in explosive run rate and can make something out of nothing as well as anyone in the NFL. His first and third touchdown runs Monday night were examples of his vision and improvisation.
“I think he’s one of the best in the game,” Smith said. “I think he’s going to continue to show it. He’s only going to get better, and we need him. We’ve got to count on Ken.”
Belief in Geno
Smith also factors heavily into the team believing it can be a contender. The Seahawks think they have one of the best in the game behind center. Even though some of the raw statistics aren’t in his favor, Smith is playing some of his best football.
His 395-yard performance against the Lions was one of his best games as a Seahawk. He played from behind most of the night, was pressured throughout the game and – because of the score – didn’t have the benefit of leaning on the run game for support. Smith dropped back 62 times compared to just 14 carries between his two running backs.
“Geno is playing at a really, really high level,” Grubb said. “I’ve said it for quite a while now: Geno is an elite quarterback, and it’s showing up.”
Can defense measure up?
What I’m seeing from Seattle’s defense after four games is a unit that still needs to prove itself against a more formidable opponent. The Seahawks were short-handed up front against the Lions, but the substandard product they put on the field wasn’t just about the absences of Boye Mafe, Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II or Uchenna Nwosu. The Seahawks had issues in that game that must be fixed regardless of the personnel.
The Giants might be without star receiver Malik Nabers and starting running back Devin Singletary in Week 5, making the game another favorable matchup for Seattle’s defense.
The road gets tougher immediately after that, though. Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers come to town Thursday, then Seattle heads to Atlanta to face Kirk Cousins’ Falcons before home games against the Bills and Rams heading into the bye week. How Macdonald’s defense handles those offenses – especially the two division games – will tell us a lot about what the team can accomplish this season.
Even though Seattle doesn’t want to make excuses for the poor performance against Detroit, there’s no denying that having Mafe, Williams, Murphy and Nwosu would have made a difference. The good news for Seattle is that Mafe, Williams and Nwosu were limited participants in Thursday’s practice, which means they’re trending in the right direction (safety Julian Love, who missed the second half Monday with a quad injury, was a full participant and is expected to play against New York). When closer to full strength, the defense should fare better against potent offenses.
CBs earn respect
My eye will continue to be on the secondary. The cornerback room has been relatively quiet since the season opener, but that’s in part because quarterbacks haven’t been comfortable challenging them.
According to Next Gen Stats, Riq Woolen has allowed only three catches for 24 yards on six targets since picking off Bo Nix in Week 1. Devon Witherspoon has given up only 107 yards in four games, and 40 of those yards came because he missed a tackle in the flat on running back David Montgomery on Monday. Tre Brown gave up 35 yards in Week 1; he’s allowed 34 total yards in the three games since. If all three cornerbacks can consistently limit big yards, Seattle will be tough to beat.
“Through the whole of camp and moving into the season, I think Tariq and Spoon and Tre have done a really good job,” defensive coordinator Aden Durde said. “I think as we go through the season, as they build on that and as they keep working to focus in the moment, you’ll see the growth there, but they’re doing a great job.”
Pass rush looks promising
The Seahawks led the league in pressure rate entering Week 5, and I expect them to remain near the top as the defensive line heals up.
Mafe and Williams are picking up where they left off last season. Getting Nwosu back will be a big boost, but the Seahawks might be fine up front in the meantime if Derick Hall keeps growing as a pass rusher. The second-year outside linebacker has four sacks in as many games, and his strength is a real weapon against offensive tackles, as Taylor Decker learned Monday night when he was beaten for a sack by Hall, who threw Jared Goff to the ground with one arm.
“It’s been amazing, man, to see a guy make the most of his opportunities and go out there and perform at a high level, as he’s doing,” Wallace said. “Ultimately, we’ve got to match his intensity. We’ve got to match his level. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, and I feel like if every player on the defense has the edge that he do, we’ll get better.”