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The latest Seattle Seahawks news following the team’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6 shows the franchise needs more from Geno Smith. This reality was clear during the final quarter of the team’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6. Smith threw for 323 yards but the two stats that matter most were the two interceptions compared to zero touchdowns.
The final play of the game essentially turned into another turnover as Smith held onto the ball in what was ruled an incomplete pass that was dangerously close to a fumble on fourth and goal. This came after a previous series where the Seahawks quarterback took a sack on fourth down.
Head coach Pete Carroll used two words to describe Smith’s feelings about holding onto the football: “he knows.”
“Yeah, he’d love to get the ball up,” Carroll said of Smith’s sack on fourth down during an October 15, 2023 media session. “It’s killing him. He knows.”
Seattle Seahawks News: QB Geno Smith Leads the NFL in Turnover-Worthy Plays Over the Last 2 Seasons
The Seahawks blame pie deserves to be divided up and not solely focused on Smith. The offensive line protection broke down plenty in the second half.
The offensive play-calling in the red zone also merits a much closer look. Seattle had seven penalties for 64 yards against the Bengals with several of these mistakes occurring in critical moments.
Despite two weeks to prepare for the Cincinnati matchup thanks to a bye week, the red zone performance did not look improved. Seattle’s defense was able to hold an explosive Bengals offense to 17 points, but the squad was unable to take advantage given the team’s inability to score points.
As Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzolo pointed out, Smith has been playing with fire with some of his throws the past two seasons but has been fortunate to not have been penalized with many turnovers.
“Over the last two seasons, Geno Smith leads the league 10 turnover-worthy plays in the red zone, but he just threw his first red zone INT,” Palazzolo tweeted on October 15.
Geno Smith on Seattle Seahawks’ Loss in Week 6: ‘I Know That I can Be a Lot Better on Third Downs’
To Smith’s credit, the Seattle quarterback took the blame for his play after the loss, especially the team’s struggles on third down. Smith still expressed confidence that the mistakes are correctable noting, “I can be a lot better on third downs.”
“Overall, it always comes down to execution,” Smith told reporters on October 15. “It always comes down to how we execute as players. Never putting it on anyone else. Always pointing the thumb right back at myself, and I know that I can be a lot better on third downs.
“I know that I can be a lot better just throughout the game, for the guys. And so like I said, I’m looking forward to the next one.”
Smith has had a solid start to the 2023 season and will have a bounce-back opportunity against the Cardinals. Pro Football Focus graded Smith 77.4 (out of 100) through the first five weeks of 2023. The Seahawks news this past offseason saw Smith sign a three-year, $90 million contract, but Seattle has an out in the quarterback’s deal in 2024.
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