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The Seattle Seahawks kicked off the preseason on Saturday, Aug. 14, with a game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Backup quarterback Geno Smith started in place of Russell Wilson, but he made an early exit due to a concussion. This injury served as a low point for the shorthanded Seahawks offense that only went 4-13 on third down en route to a 20-7 loss in the desert.
Speaking to media members after the game, head coach Pete Carroll noted that the offensive line only gave up one sack on the day. However, that one play led to Smith suffering the injury. The veteran backup headed into the blue tent for evaluation but was able to return to the field later in the drive. Though the team eventually ruled Smith out with a concussion.
“He got knocked,” Carroll told media members during a streamed press conference after the 20-7 loss. “He got hit really hard and was ok. He just kind of progressed after he went back in, and we had to take him out. He wasn’t ready to play.” Carroll added that Smith likely sustained the concussion after hitting his head on the play. He explained that there were no other moments that he noticed that could have led to the injury.
A Mistake by the Offensive Line Led to the Injury
As Carroll noted, the sack on Smith was not due to a defensive player outperforming or overpowering a member of the offensive line. Instead, he clarified that the Raiders ran a very simple pressure and that the Pacific Northwest team simply reacted to it incorrectly.
According to Gregg Bell of the “Tacoma News Tribune,” the Silver and Black sent linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski and cornerback Nate Hobbs on a blitz toward the left side of the Seahawks line. Rookie left tackle Stone Forsythe focused on Kwiatkoski, leaving Hobbs free to chase down Smith. The backup quarterback did not see the defender and took a very hard hit from him, as well as defensive tackle Darius Philon.
“We missed the look and should have keyed it, but we didn’t do it right,” Carroll added about the play. “So he gets pounded on the play. It was really a basic pressure that they ran, and we missed it. Geno got hit. He got hit hard. That was a shame. Sorry for that.”
The Seahawks Are Preparing for an Influx of Healthy Players
The Seahawks lost two players during the game, Smith and guard Phil Haynes, but the team headed to Las Vegas shorthanded. Several key players did not suit up for various reasons, including running back Rashaad Penny, rookie wide receiver D’Wayne Eskridge, guard Ethan Pocic, tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, and running back Travis Homer among others.
Carroll said prior to the trip to Las Vegas that Eskridge and Homer would likely return from the PUP list. Both players would potentially provide a boost to an offense that struggled and only registered nine first downs and 19 minutes of possession.
“We should get a real boost of guys returning to us,” Carroll said during his media availability. “The guys who didn’t play in the game, they were cheerleading in the ballgame and trying to help us coach up on the sidelines.”
Having key players return to both sides of the ball should help the Seahawks achieve more success on the field, but they will have to hit the ground running. The preseason will continue on Aug. 21 with a home game against the Broncos.
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