Geno Smith comes back and leads the Seahawks to a game-winning drive.
Geno Smith experienced a mix of feelings last Monday night. Initially frustrated when Coach Pete Carroll decided not to start him due to a groin injury, Smith’s mood changed to joy as backup quarterback Drew Lock led the team to a victory against the Philadelphia Eagles with a game-winning touchdown drive. Despite the initial letdown, the unexpected win brought a positive twist to Geno Smith’s night.
Geno Smith concluded his eventful week with a game-winning touchdown drive on Sunday, earning himself a place in NFL history.
Trailing 17-13 against the Tennessee Titans with three minutes and 21 seconds left, Geno Smith orchestrated an impressive comeback for the Seahawks. He guided the team on a 75-yard, 14-play drive, capping it off with a 5-yard touchdown pass to tight end Colby Parkinson. This touchdown put the Seahawks ahead 20-17 with just one minute remaining, securing the victory for Seattle.
Geno Smith praised Drew’s performance from the previous week and aimed to match it. When on the field, his focus was solely on scoring and winning. He acknowledged the excellent work of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, highlighted the team’s strong protection, noted the receivers’ effectiveness in getting open, and commended Colby for making a crucial catch to secure the victory.
Colby Parkinson’s touchdown marked the third lead change in the fourth quarter. Geno Smith threw a touchdown pass to DK Metcalf, giving Seattle a 13-10 lead, before Derrick Henry’s touchdown run for the Titans. Geno Smith’s two go-ahead touchdown passes in the fourth quarter brought his season total to six, tying an NFL record. This achievement is shared with players like Justin Herbert in 2021 and Kirk Cousins in 2020, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Geno Smith has made NFL history with three go-ahead touchdown passes in the last minute of the fourth quarter or overtime this season, tying the record, according to Elias.
Coach Pete Carroll commended Smith’s competitive mentality, saying, “You’ve got to be around him to appreciate the competitive mindset that he has.” Carroll emphasized Smith’s strong belief in the team’s success, which motivates his teammates. According to Carroll, Smith’s consistent and strong mentality has a significant impact on the team.
Geno Smith returned to the field for the first time since November 30, showcasing an impressive performance with three touchdown passes against the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately, he faced a setback when a groin injury in practice forced him to miss the next two games. Before the Eagles game, Smith worked out and felt confident in his readiness to play. This explains his strong disagreement with Coach Carroll’s decision not to start him in that game.
In the initial half on Sunday, Geno Smith appeared to be shaking off some rust. He completed 10 out of 16 passes for 69 yards but narrowly missed potential touchdown throws to Colby Parkinson and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, both in the corner of the end zone. The Seahawks were trailing 10-3 at that point.
Geno Smith picked up the pace in the second half, completing 15 out of 20 passes for 158 yards. He threw touchdowns to DK Metcalf and Colby Parkinson. Overall, Smith finished the game with 25 completions out of 36 attempts, totaling 227 yards. Despite facing three sacks, he managed to avoid turnovers, securing a solid performance.
Geno Smith commented on his nearly missed touchdowns in the first half, mentioning how close they were. He acknowledged that sometimes you have to accept these situations, expressing a wish to make some adjustments, like throwing the ball sooner or with a flatter trajectory. Despite the first-half challenges, Smith believed they learned from the experience and made corrections in the second half.
Coach Carroll had previously noted on Friday that Smith appeared fully recovered from his groin injury, and he reiterated this observation after the Sunday game.
Coach Carroll expressed confidence in Geno Smith, stating, “There’s no doubt. He got hit a couple of times today, but he made it through.”
Geno Smith had previously delivered go-ahead touchdown passes this season in wins against the Detroit Lions in Week 2 (two), Cleveland Browns in Week 8, and Washington Commanders in Week 10.
In the latest game, Smith went 7-of-10 for 57 yards on the game-winning drive.
Drew Lock commended Geno Smith’s performance in important situations, saying, “In those moments, it’s nice because you have four downs. Going down the field, you know you have four chances, so incomplete passes are okay, on to the next play.” Lock praised Smith’s resilience, stating, “I thought he did a fantastic job tonight, even after a couple of incomplete passes. It was always a ‘next play’ mentality throughout the entire drive. Keep chipping away, and he got it done.”
Geno Smith’s last touchdown pass came from a play the Seahawks had in their playbook all season but hadn’t used until Coach Waldron called for it. The 6-foot-7 Colby Parkinson had a favorable one-on-one matchup against the 5-11 cornerback Tre Avery.
“That’s exciting because we’ve been practicing it for a while,” Carroll remarked. “Executing that play down there with a favorable matchup, and Geno threw an excellent ball. It has looked good in practice, so I love that we decided to use it right there because that was probably the last thing they expected – throwing to him in that situation. They won’t think that anymore.”
Parkinson added, “This was the first time that we called it, and I didn’t want it to be the last time, so I had to come down with the ball.”
With Seattle improving to an 8-7 record and the Minnesota Vikings dropping to 7-8 after a loss to Detroit, the Seahawks regained the NFC’s No. 7 seed. They now have control over their playoff destiny, and if they win their final two games against the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday and the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18, they’ll secure a wild-card berth.
“That’s a positive development,” Carroll said. “That’s a positive development. This week, that’s all it is.”