Grading Geno: Seahawks offense wasn’t the problem in Week 3

The Seattle Seahawks failed to score any points in the fourth quarter, resulting in a loss to the Atlanta Falcons. While that may seem like an indictment on the offense, specifically Geno Smith, it is not.

As a matter of fact, Geno Smith was one of the many bright spots for the Seahawks in Week 3. Ultimately, this game came down to the failures on the defensive side of the ball. Once again, poor tackling was at the forefront of a Seattle Seahawks loss.

Focusing on the good, the Seattle Seahawks offense looked explosive for the first time in 2022. With a focal point on running the ball, the offense opened up more and it allowed Geno to settle into a rhythm.

Although it wasn’t the finish we wanted, the production out of Geno Smith provides hope for a better finish to the season.

Evaluating Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith’s Week 3 start

In back-to-back games, we have seen flashes of the past for Tyler Lockett. I know many were questioning what his production level was going to be given the unknown of Geno Smith and the previous connection Lockett had with Wilson. However, many should have learned by now to stop underestimating Tyler Lockett.

Pivoting back to Geno Smith, I thought he did 3 things really well in this game:

Spreading the ball

Geno Smith completed passes to at least 10 different pass catchers throughout the Week 3 game. On 3rd downs, he went through his reads quickly, hitting underneath passes to DeeJay Dallas and Marquise Goodwin. Once again, the involvement of the tight ends in this game opened up the rest of the offense. This lends me to the monster that is known as D.K. Metcalf

Getting D.K. Metcalf involved

The numbers don’t necessarily indicate that D.K. Metcalf dominated in this game. However, his first touchdown pass was incredible. Great ball placement by Geno and even better catching ability by D.K. showing off his strong hands and athleticism.

For the first time this season, Geno Smith wasn’t afraid to make it his focal point to throw it to D.K. Especially, in the red zone. The willingness to feed Metcalf will pay off big as this season progresses.

Command at the line of scrimmage

One of the more frustrating aspects of the Week 2 defeat came from the lack of audibles called at the line of scrimmage. The 49ers were able to have their way up front against the Seahawks without a hitch. In Week 3 against Atlanta, it felt as if Geno was in more control. He was going through his checks, making the right calls and most importantly, reading the field well.

The final drive will show you that Geno Smith threw an interception. But, it came on an heroic attempt to save the team after a costly penalty by Damien Lewis. There were times throughout the game when Geno held onto the ball for too long. Yet, I was impressed by the overall performance.

I expect him to have another nice passing game against a weak Detroit secondary this Sunday.

Grade: B+