Geno Smith channels his inner Steph Curry in Seahawks victory over 49ers

The Seattle Seahawks needed a victory. Another loss to an NFC West rival to start the second half of the season and Seattle's year might have been done. The team would still be within shouting distance of first place in the division, but the Seahawks would be 0-3 in the NFC West and very unlikely to catch up to the other teams.

Seattle also needed a win for its psyche, for head coach Mike Macdonald, for general manager John Schneider, and quarterback Geno Smith. All have come under heavy criticism over the last month and a half, and a win would at least temporarily slow the disapproval. Plus, Seattle had one of its most chaotic bye weeks in team history last week, and Seattle wanted to prove the decisions were correct.

For a lot of the game, several aspects of the team appeared to be proven true. Maybe Smith was not the answer to the long-term quarterback in Seattle, but Schneider and Macdonald looked to be correct in terms of saying goodbye to linebacker Tyrel Dodson and replacing him with Tyrice Knight. Knight could play run defense and Dodson couldn't, and Knight looks like a great fit in Macdonald's scheme.

Geno Smith pays homage to Steph Curry during the Seattle Seahawks Week 11 victory

Smith, though, threw another horrid interception - he had had two such throws against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9 and that was a big reason Seattle lost - early in the second half and that gave the 49ers the ball well inside their own territory. Thankfully, the defense came up with a stop and San Francisco had to settle for a field goal. But Smith's pass remained unacceptable.

At the end of the game, Smith led the kind of drive he did an NFL-leading five times in 2023, however. The Seahawks had to have a touchdown as they were trailing 17-13, and Seattle started on their own 20-yard line with a little over two minutes left. 11 plays later, Smith ran the ball in for a touchdown and there were only 12 seconds left. Seattle was going to win the game.

In his touchdown celebration, Smith put his hand to his face, as the Golden State Warriors Steph Curry has before, to say "night night" to the 49ers and San Francisco fans in Levi's Stadium. Was the celebration over the top? Not really. Plus, after Week 9, Smith deserved to celebrate. So did the Seahawks, as the season might not be turned around, and the postseason is possibly still within reach.