Getty The Seattle Seahawks helped one of their starters set an NFL record through four games.
The Seattle Seahawks came away with a thrilling shootout victory in Week 4 over the Detroit Lions. It was a team effort, but one player in particular has played at an extremely high level through the first month of the 2022 season.
It was a dominant performance by the Seahawks offense, scoring five touchdowns with a sixth being scored by rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen on a pick six in the 48-45 win. Quarterback Geno Smith was especially dominant, completing 23 of his 30 passes for 320 yards and two scores while adding another 49 yards and a touchdown on the ground with his legs.
Seattle’s quarterback has been incredibly efficient as a passer, completing 77.3 percent of his passes through four games. According to the team’s PR Twitter account, that completion percentage is actually the highest by a quarterback in the history of the NFL through four games.
.@Seahawks QB @GenoSmith3 has a 77.3 completion percentage (102 of 132) through his first four games this season, the highest completion percentage (minimum 125 attempts) by a quarterback in his first four games of a season in NFL history. #GoHawks
The Seahawks may not be happy with a 2-2 start, but considering the expectations heading into the season, Seattle is starting to prove some doubters wrong heading into October.
How Did Geno Smith Get Here?
Considering Smith wasn’t even guaranteed to be the starter this offseason, it’s incredible that the 31-year-old veteran has made NFL history through the first four games. Things could have gone much differently for Smith after a rough start to his NFL career.
Before his pro career, Smith was one of the most electric quarterbacks in college football at West Virginia. Throwing to two explosive wide receivers in Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey, Smith threw for 11,353 yards, 97 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions over his final three seasons with the Mountaineers.
With two All-Big East selections and plenty of production, Smith was taken with the 39th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. Although he was named the starter before his rookie season, things didn’t go well for the young quarterback in New York. In two seasons, Smith led the Jets to just an 11-18 record over 29 games as a starter, throwing 34 interceptions and losing four fumbles over that span.
Smith lost his starting job in 2015 to Ryan Fitzpatrick, and had roamed around the league as a backup until this season with stints with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers before landing in Seattle in 2019.
Serving as the backup to Russell Wilson, Smith was forced into the starting lineup again in 2021 when the star Seahawks QB suffered a finger injury. He played well in limited action, posting a 103.0 passer rating with five touchdowns and an interception over four games.
Despite his success last season, Smith had to battle with former Denver Broncos QB Drew Lock this offseason to win the starting job. After a strong offseason, Smith was named the starting QB for the season opener against Denver, leading the Seahawks to an upset win in a revenge game against Wilson.
That move has appeared to pay off, with Smith playing at a high level through four games in 2022.
Can Geno Smith Keep it Up?
Completing over 77 percent of his passes is an incredible feat through four games for Smith. However, it’s hard to imagine that streak being sustainable.
The Seahawks will have a tough test next week against the New Orleans Saints with a defensive-minded head coach in Dennis Allen. Through four games, the Saints have yet to allow more than one passing touchdown in any game, with both Tom Brady and Baker Mayfield hovering around 50 percent completion in two of those contests.
Even if Smith isn’t able to keep the streak going in Week 5, Seahawks fans have to be impressed with how well the 31-year-old veteran has been playing to start the season.