Bumpus: The case for Seahawks QB Geno Smith to be an MVP candidate
Nov 2, 2022, 3:03 PM | Updated: 3:05 pm
Geno Smith of the Seattle Seahawks takes the field against the New York Giants at Lumen Field on October 30, 2022. (Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
(Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
Pete Carroll said it best after the Seahawks’ Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos: “How about Geno?”
Salk: Geno Smith, the ‘E Word,’ and why he’s better than the best for Seahawks
Geno, of course, is Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith, who had a near-perfect first half and ended the day with 23 completions on 28 attempts with two touchdowns.
After a Week 2 loss where the offense failed to find the end zone, the offense was opened up more. The result? Smith is thriving.
Through eight games, Smith is completing 72.7% of his passes for 1,924 yards, 13 passing touchdowns (and a rushing touchdown) and just three interceptions. And his play is a key part of why the Seahawks enter a Week 9 clash with the Arizona Cardinals at 5-3 and in first place in the NFC West by themselves.
So yeah, how about Geno?
Well, former NFL receiver Michael Bumpus thinks Seattle’s QB1 should be in the MVP conversation. How about Geno indeed?
Here’s Bumpus’ case for Geno Smith being in the MVP conversation during Wednesday’s Bump and Stacy on Seattle Sports 710 AM.
“When I dive into the numbers, I go alright, how can I make a case for Geno to be in the MVP conversation?” he said. “He has the third-highest QB rating with throws over 40 yards. He has the third-highest QB rating overall. He has the highest completion percentage (in the NFL) at 72%. He has the sixth-most TDs in the NFL and the third-fewest interceptions. He only misses on 9% of his targets, and he has two of the top-10 most improbable throws this year. That was a 40-yard touchdown to Tyler Lockett against the Saints and an 18-yard touchdown against (the Falcons) to DK Metcalf.”
But Smith’s MVP case goes even beyond the numbers.
“Then you look at the intangibles. You look at the way he scrambles on third-and-short and he doesn’t force the ball down the field,” Bumpus said. “You look at his demeanor when a receiver drops a wide-open ball – he had two of them last week (as) Marquise Goodwin dropped one and Tyler Lockett dropped one. He showed some (facial) expressions and then he shakes it off in he’s back on. The little things.”
Smith won’t end the year with gaudy passing numbers like Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Josh Allen of the Bills, Bumpus said, but he should be in the conversation with those two when it comes to the MVP race.
“But the way (Smith) moves the offense and the way he takes care of the football is impressive,” he said. “And he has these underdogs performing like playoff contenders.”
Wyman’s Seahawks Takeaways: Where does Geno stand among NFL QBs?
