Dave Boling: Seahawks’ QB Geno Smith shows impressive command – ‘You can see his confidence growing’

Today’s example of hyperbolizing a small sample of preseason football into largely unsubstantiated significance for impending regular-season games: Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith’s five plays against the Cleveland Browns.

Five passes. Four completions. One touchdown. One minute, 55 seconds of play.

Each pass displayed Smith’s competence in key elements of quarterbacking.

They also revealed Smith’s early mastery of the diverse scheme of new coordinator Ryan Grubb, and his preparedness to return to the quality of play that stunned the league in his 2022 “comeback” season.

Granular examination of this is required because, in the NFL, the game is about the quarterback. And this is all we have to go on as the Hawks open the season at Lumen Field against the Denver Broncos.

Last season, Smith’s touchdown passes dropped from 30 to 20. Those 10 lost touchdown passes – potentially 70 points spread over the season – could have changed at least two losses to wins. Maybe more.

Recapture those touchdowns this season and chances greatly improve for the Seahawks to contend in the division.

A look back at those five plays in late August:

The first pass was incomplete on an out-route to DK Metcalf. That incompletion, however, may have been the best indicator of Smith’s readiness.

It looked like an overthrow, but it was shrewdly delivered, as strong safety Grant Delpit had sloughed off the tight end running a shallower route. Any pass Smith could have thrown with a lower flight pattern might have started the game off with an interception.

Consider that a display of veteran command and instant calculation of risk-reward.

The second pass was the showiest, to rising second-year star Jaxson Smith-Njigba. Smith feathered in a delicate touch pass over Smith-Njigba’s shoulder for a 25-yard gain against tight coverage.

By dodging a free-rushing safety on the next play, Smith backed away from pressure and delivered a strike to back Kenny McIntosh. Off platform, throwing across his body, a heartbeat from a sack, Smith displayed pocket-presence, elusiveness and awareness of his safety routes.

Smith next fired a slant-in to Smith-Njigba on the fourth pass. Candy. From. Baby. With that timing and execution in place, those two could connect on that pattern dozens of times this season.

That set up the 21-yard touchdown pass to Metcalf, who muscled up for the reception against a single defender.

On that play, five Seahawks receivers were spread at various depths, from sideline to sideline, allowing Smith to choose the best option among several open men.

Those five passes cause viewers to consider what might be possible when Grubb opens the playbook in a game plan specific to weekly opponents this season. Of course, all of this is null and void if the offensive front doesn’t provide adequate protection for Smith.

With even a modicum of protection, the Smith/Grubb partnership will be critical to this season’s success.

In preparation, Grubb studied Smith’s game films from as far back as his days as a Heisman Trophy candidate at West Virginia in 2012, when he threw 42 touchdown passes with just six interceptions.

Grubb said he tried to learn “everything about him … the things that help him, the things he does well.”

What stood out most clearly, Grubb said, was Smith’s competitiveness. “He’s a tough guy. In the (decisive) moment, he wants to step up. You look at some of the stats, with more fourth-quarter comebacks in the last two years than any quarterback. He embodies that.”

Smith’s seven go-ahead touchdowns in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime last season were the most in a season in NFL history. And that was during what critics contended was a “down” season.

Further testimony from Metcalf. “You can see his confidence growing, just by how he’s throwing the ball. … His swagger on the field or the way he talks.”

More specifically, Metcalf added: “Just speaking life into his teammates. I think that’s one thing that he’s done an incredible job at this season. Anytime we’re in the huddle, he’s always trying to motivate us that this is one play at a time, one drive at a time, and we’re going to score.”

At his news conference this week, Smith talked about the varied weapons they have at receiver and in the backfield, and his belief that everything is focused on scoring points, getting the ball into the end zone.

“I think we’re well on our way to doing something special,” he said.

Evidence will be taken for real at Lumen Field against the Broncos, when we will see just how much life Smith has breathed into the 2024 Seahawks.