Like the best QBs, Seahawks’ Geno Smith keeps finding ways to win

While resurrecting his career over the past three seasons, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has consistently shown a knack for coming through in the clutch.

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The 33-year-old veteran delivered some more late-game heroics on Sunday afternoon.

Smith led the Seahawks 42 yards in nine plays for a game-tying field goal in the final minute of regulation, and then 71 yards in eight plays for the game-winning field goal in overtime of Seattle’s 23-20 win over the New England Patriots.

It was Smith’s ninth game-winning drive since becoming Seattle’s starter at the beginning of the 2022 season, which is the most in the NFL over that span. It was also his seventh fourth-quarter comeback over that span, which is tied for the second-most in the league.

“Geno played a dynamite game,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters during his postgame press conference. “He was decisive. The ball was out fast. … You need your leaders to show up in those critical moments. And he did that.”

Smith completed 33 of 44 passes for 327 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions – a stat line that could have been even better if not for five drops from his receivers. He also didn’t get much help from the run game. With starting running back Kenneth Walker III out with an oblique injury, the Patriots held backup Zach Charbonnet to just 38 yards on 14 carries.

That put Seattle’s offense on Smith’s shoulders. And with sharp decision-making and poise, he delivered.

“He just showed you (can) put the team on his back,” Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf said. “We were down and needed a big field goal or a touchdown to win, and he delivered. … The amount of time he studies at the facility, it just comes to life on Sundays – the amount of work he does during the week.”

Both feet down. 🤌 pic.twitter.com/J2rKYrSAIu

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 15, 2024

Smith was brilliant in crunch time, completing a combined 11 of 13 passes for 81 yards on Seattle’s final two drives.

On the game-tying drive late in regulation, Smith rolled out to the right to escape pressure from a free blitzer and found Metcalf for a 14-yard completion that moved the ball to the New England 24-yard line. Then after a drop from tight end Noah Fant, Smith threw a crafty side-armed pass to Metcalf for another 9 yards, setting up a comfortable game-tying field goal from Jason Myers.

In overtime, Smith had several more plays where he showed good composure and pocket presence.

With the pocket closing, Smith rolled right and found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a short gain that kept the offense on schedule. Facing a third-and-6 blitz, Smith threw an off-balanced pass off his back foot to Charbonnet for a 7-yard gain that moved the chains. And on his final pass of the afternoon, Smith rolled right, worked back to his left and then threw on the run for a 16-yard completion to trusted veteran receiver Tyler Lockett, putting Myers in range for the game-winner.

“I always dreamed about these moments growing up,” Smith said. “It’s a dream come true just to be here, so whenever I’m in this situation and the game’s on the line, I’m just so happy and just excited for those opportunities. I look forward to them.

“I know that they’re gonna happen more and more times throughout the season, and the best quarterbacks always find ways to win. And I want to be regarded in that light, so I just want to continue to be there for my team, do what’s right and make the plays when they come.”

Smith also led a key scoring drive before the end of the first half. After taking over at the Seattle 49 with 27 seconds remaining, Smith completed three passes for 30 yards and then spiked the ball with 4 seconds left to set up a field goal as time expired.

“I’ve never been around a quarterback who has as big as a chip on his shoulder than Geno,” Seahawks safety Julian Love said. “I think that was evident when I first got out there here to Seattle last year. I’m like, ‘Man, this guy, he has some swagger to him.’

“The whole game on the sideline, he was bringing juice, and so people feed off that,” he added. “The offense, they go with him. And defensively, we try to fuel him up as well. He’s special, and I’m grateful to have him.”

More Seattle Seahawks game coverage

• Metcalf: Jaxon Smith-Njigba is ‘about to take over the league’
• Seattle Seahawks’ Julian Love on key FG block: ‘Let me get this one’
• Watch: Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf burns Patriots with long TD catch

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