Huard: Where Seahawks QB Geno Smith must improve vs Chargers
Oct 21, 2022, 2:53 PM
Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks throws a pass against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on October 09, 2022. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
(Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Geno Smith has been playing like a Pro Bowler this season, and he’s a big reason why the Seahawks are 3-3 and tied for first place in the NFC West entering this Sunday’s matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
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Smith, 32, entered the year with minimal expectations but has been fantastic, completing 73.4% of his passes – which leads the NFL – with 10 total touchdowns and two interceptions and 1,502 passing yards, which is 11th in the league.
While Smith has played better than almost anyone could have imagined, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard does see an area where Smith must improve this weekend against the Chargers, especially compared to last week’s win over the Arizona Cardinals.
“Get the ball out. Get the ball out,” Huard said on Thursday’s Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports 710 AM.
Smith has been sacked 14 times through six games, with five coming last week against the Cardinals. Huard thinks if Smith were to talk about the sacks publicly after watching a reel of those plays, he’d say that roughly half of the sacks were his fault.
“It’s one of the hardest, most humbling reels as a QB to look at,” Huard said. ” … A sack reel where you know your five (offensive linemen) in front of you are laying it on the line, they’re taking blitzing linebackers to the jaw, right? Watch (rookie tackles) Charles Cross and Abe Lucas watch their bodies contort is they just take on these bull rushers. I mean, normal human beings don’t ever deal with that stuff. And they’ve got to take on 280-pound athletes that are just rushing right through.”
And the Chargers boast one of the best rushers in football in Khalil Mack, who has six sacks this season.
“At least two of those sacks last week, get the ball out. There are completions,” Huard said. “Put it on (the receivers) to break a tackle and get a first down. Don’t always look for the home run play.”
Mack plays for a defensive-minded head coach in Brandon Staley, who creates “unique blitzes,” Huard said.
“Brandon Staley is good at breaking down your protections,” he said. “So for Geno, man, I just don’t want to see him holding that ball. Get the ball out of your hand Sunday afternoon.”
Listen to the full second hour of Thursday’s Brock and Salk at this link or in the player below.
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