Brock: Why it’s so hard to evaluate Seahawks QB Geno Smith

It was another roller-coaster ride for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith on Sunday.

What loss to Vikings means for Seahawks’ playoff hopes

There were spectacular throws and moments of brilliance. There was more late-game magic, with Smith spearheading a go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown drive that put Seattle on the brink of beating one of the NFL’s top teams. But there also were back-breaking mistakes that clouded everything else.

In many ways, Smith’s performance in a crushing 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings epitomized the complicated nature of his up-and-down 2024 campaign.

The highs, the lows and the context of the situation around him – particularly the team’s offensive line struggles and lack of a consistent rushing attack – continue to make it especially difficult to evaluate Smith’s play.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s simple,” former NFL quarterback Brock Huard said Monday on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

Smith completed 31 of 43 passes for 314 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday against one of the league’s top defenses, including a go-ahead 4-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end AJ Barner with 4:21 remaining. But he also threw two interceptions and took a costly sack that pushed the Seahawks out of field-goal range in the final minutes.

“Geno’s done some really good things,” said Mike Salk, Huard’s co-host. “Yesterday was one of those (games where) you get a chance to see every single part of this argument, because he did some unbelievable things.

“But the two picks, the terrible sack which puts them out of field-goal range – in that moment, you can’t take it. And I thought there were a couple of other kind of iffy throws and decisions.”

The good

Smith was once again at his best in end-of-half and late-game situations.

At the end of the first half, he completed five straight passes for 88 yards, capped by an 18-yard touchdown strike to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 20 seconds remaining. And in the fourth quarter, he led an 11-play, 68-yard touchdown drive that gave Seattle a 24-20 lead. He completed 5 of 5 passes for 60 yards on that drive and also added an 8-yard scramble.

It would have been Smith’s league-leading eighth fourth-quarter comeback of the past two seasons, but the Seahawks’ defense gave up a go-ahead touchdown to the Vikings just 30 seconds later that proved to be the difference.

“He battled his tail off, man. This guy’s an absolute competitor,” Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said Monday during his weekly appearance on Seattle Sports. “I actually thought he played a really good game for the most part. … Defensively, if we get a stop, now we’re talking about another Geno Smith fourth-quarter comeback.”

What a grab! Seahawks take the lead with 4:21 left!

📺: #MINvsSEA on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/TDyHUB13QV

— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024

The bad

The mistakes, however, continue to make Smith’s performance a mixed bag.

In the second quarter, Smith rolled out and was chased down by safety Joshua Metellus, who hit him just after he released a pass for tight end Noah Fant. Smith’s throw was off-target and picked off by linebacker Dallas Turner, which spotted Minnesota the ball at Seattle’s 31-yard line and resulted in a Vikings field goal.

In the closing minutes of the game, after completing back-to-back passes that drove the Seahawks to the Minnesota 37-yard line, Smith took a costly first-down sack. That led to a longer field-goal attempt from Jason Myers, who then missed a potential game-tying 60-yard kick with 1:55 left.

Seattle got the ball back in the final minute, but Smith threw another interception from deep in his own territory on an apparent miscommunication with wide receiver DK Metcalf.

Smith now has 15 interceptions, which is tied for second-most in the NFL. That includes a league-high four interceptions in the red zone. Smith also had two or three other precarious throws on Sunday that could have been picked off.

“That first pick (in the second quarter) was really, really bad,” Huard said. “And he’s got like a really, really bad pick in just about every game this year.”

.@UnoErra snags it!

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/wzbuV3yS8a

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 22, 2024

“The whole burden is on him”

There are complicating factors that make it difficult to categorize Smith’s overall play, as Huard mentioned.

He plays behind a Seahawks offensive line that ranks 25th in the league in pass blocking, according to Pro Football Focus. And Seattle’s offense has been extremely one-dimensional, ranking 30th in the league at just 91.9 rushing yards per game. That was on display once again Sunday as the Seahawks rushed for just 59 yards on 15 carries. They finished with 13 designed run plays compared to 47 designed pass plays.

In addition, Smith was playing through a knee injury that he suffered in last week’s loss to the Green Bay Packers.

“The whole burden is on him,” Huard said. “They can’t find consistent push (up front). … The run game just does not get in any way established with any rhythm to set up the play-action and slow (the Vikings) down. Instead, all 43 of those passes are largely leverage plays where he’s gotta produce.

“I think when you put the whole burden of responsibility offensively on him and ask him as a hobbled guy to carry you versus a 12-2 team, you’re not going to win.”

Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• The Seahawks’ destiny is no longer in their own hands
• Two untimely penalties prove costly in Seattle Seahawks’ loss to Vikings
• Observations from Seattle Seahawks’ crushing 27-24 loss to Vikings
• Seattle Seahawks Instant Reaction: Wyman & Bob on loss to Vikings
• Rost: Seattle Seahawks’ loss to Vikings leaves two big questions

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