The Seattle Seahawks season looked done. The team was about to be 4-6 and 0-3 in the NFC West, and the only hope the team would have had for the postseason would have been to complete a sweep of the remainder of their division games. That start would have included two losses to the San Francisco 49ers.
Instead, quarterback Geno Smith turned into 2023 Smith and led a surprising fourth quarter comeback that probably few 12s expected. Heck, we here at 12th Man Rising certainly didn't. During the game, we (OK, I did) wrote about how another horrible interception by Smith probably ended Seattle's season. We (OK, I...) were wrong. Smith found a way to keep his composure and lead a final drive where he ran twice for more than 10 yards and got Seattle a touchdown.
The drive was completed with passes to DK Metcalf, sure, but especially to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. JSN appears to becoming the quarterback's primary target just when Seattle needs it. Metcalf is the most explosive receiver, but JSN might be the best.
Geno Smith leads a shocking late touchdown drive for the Seahawks to defeat the 49ers in Week 11
After a second-half interception when Smith overthrew JSN and the 49ers intercepted the ball inside their territory, Seattle seemed on the precipice of another tough loss under first-year head coach Mike Macdonald. Instead, 12s got a Christmas present a month early. Seattle's season is alive, even just barely, but so is every other NFC West team.
Three teams are 5-5 and the first-place Arizona Cardinals are only 6-4. Seattle could still win the division. That might have seemed ridiculous even two weeks ago, but what was also silly was the Seahawks ever beating the 49ers again (seemingly). Seattle's victory over the 49ers on Sunday was not a gimmick, either.
Sure, San Francisco lost edge rusher Nick Bosa during the game, but he wasn't such a menace that Seattle's offense was completely incapable of doing anything. Seattle just seemed to make some small mistakes, except for the big mistake by Smith to begin the second half.
Seattle failed to make a fourth-and-one in the second half after Smith seemingly made a first down on third-and-short. Instead of a quarterback sneak, though, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb called a run play with Zach Charbonnet that was snuffed out. The Seahawks should have just run Geno Smith again. The season appeared done even then.
That was until Smith led Seattle 80 yards in 11 plays that took two minutes and 26 seconds. Smith used his legs twice, and while he took a sack, he made sure he did not lose too many yards. In the end, he was almost shockingly the hero, and he once again gave hope to what appeared to be a lost season.