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If the Pittsburgh Steelers are overlooking the Seattle Seahawks without Russell Wilson, the team is not indicating this feeling publicly. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin spent a good portion of his Week 6 press conference providing a detailed breakdown of the Seahawks. Tomlin praised Geno Smith noting the veteran quarterback “is no pup.”
“First, looking at their offense, obviously they’re playing without Russell Wilson and they probably have a better understanding of the impact of that than I do,” Tomlin noted during his October 12 press conference. “But, I’ll say this, you knoW, Geno is is no pup, man. He’s been in this league for an extended period of time. Now, he’s got experience in this system. He’s been in Seattle a number of years. He was with the coordinator for the Chargers [ex-Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer] before he and the coordinator went to Seattle, and so he’s got some understanding about how that system of football is built.
“He’s 31 years old, he’s been in this league now a long time. I’d imagine he’s in place there because he gives them an opportunity to function in a very similar manner, at least schematically, in terms of their personality and so that’s what we’re anticipating. We’ve got a lot of respect for Geno. We played against him in the past, we got a lot of respect for their system of football and how they spread the ball around to a bunch of dangerous eligibles.”
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Carroll on Smith: ‘He’s Capable of Doing Everything That We’re Asking’
Smith spent his first two NFL seasons (2013-2014) as the Jets starting quarterback. Wilson has been one of the most durable players in the NFL and is set to break his streak of nine-plus seasons without missing a game. Being Wilson’s backup means you rarely see the field.
Prior to being inserted into the Seahawks’ Week 5 matchup against the Rams, Smith had played in just one regular-season game since 2018. Pete Carroll was asked about his expectations for Smith, and the Seahawks coach emphasized his faith in the quarterback given his years of work in Seattle’s program.
“What’s real is that that he’s gonna have command of what we’re doing, he’s going to be poised about it,” Carroll noted during his October 15 press conference. “He’s capable of doing everything that we’re asking of, and we’re not going to make anything, any requests of him that he can’t deal with or hasn’t dealt with in the past. So, I’m expecting, I’m hoping that he’ll feel really comfortable in the game, because he looks great in practice and everything’s going well. I hope he feels comfortable in the game and just functions like he always does, and so if he does that then he gives us a really good chance.”
Tomlin on Metcalf & Lockett: ‘Both Guys Are Big-Time Significant’
Tomlin was complimentary of the Seahawks receiver duo of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. The Steelers coach also praised Chris Carson, but the team’s starting running back will miss at least the next three weeks as he heads to the Injured Reserve list.
“First and foremost, man we we have to try to work to minimize the impact of Metcalf and Lockett and I mentioned both guys, because both guys are big-time significant,” Tomlin added. “Both guys get yards in chunks, 15 yards per catch type guys, splash playmakers. The guys that can really change [the] stadium climate in an instant. Got a lot of respect for those guys. We’ve competed against those guys in the past, and it doesn’t lessen the challenge in terms of trying to deal with them. Couple that with the fact that they have a sound running game with two quality backs [in] Carson and [Alex] Collins.”
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