3 biggest overreactions to Seahawks Week 3 game versus Panthers

Overreaction No. 3: Geno Smith is just too inconsistent

It's not exactly a news flash to highlight the link between the third-down conversion rate and the play of Geno Smith. As he goes, so does the Seahawks offense. And there has been some criticism of his inconsistent play to date in 2023.

The first example of this came in Week 1, at home to the Rams. The Seahawks and Smith looked good during the first half, as they staked their claim with a 13-7 lead which really should have been more. However, they couldn't have looked worse after the break, as they were blanked in the second half and went on to lose 30-13.

Week 2 saw a reverse of sorts, as the Seahawks could only manage seven points during the first 30 minutes in Detroit. In fairness, Myers did miss two field goal attempts, but regardless it wasn't a good showing in general. Now contrast this with the second half and overtime, as the Seahawks exploded for 30 points and the comeback 37-31 win.

Finally, we come to Sunday's game, when Smith just couldn't get going during the first half at Lumen Field. He was missing throws all over the field and had his first pick of the season on a particularly awful pass. That they were able to cobble together 12 points and only trail 13-12 at halftime was actually impressive.

Regardless, it was a different game in the second half. Smith was tremendous, as he missed just one pass during the third and fourth quarters. He went 12-13, for 143 yards, one touchdown pass and no interceptions.

In addition, it's worth noting the 2022 Pro Bowler was not sacked during the second half, impressive considering how banged up the O-line is. And really, it's the offensive line's lack of a cohesive unit during the opening three weeks, which has contributed to any conception of inconsistency. Not that Smith is blameless -- think his sack late in the fourth quarter versus the Lions -- but it does play a part.

Overall though, it's tough to call Smith inconsistent, especially with the Seahawks ranked fourth in the NFL in scoring through three weeks. With the exception of the terrible second half in Week 1, he's seeing how the game starts out, making the necessary adjustments, and ultimately coming through with positive results. The 32-year-old showed what he was capable of last season, and is taking steps towards proving himself again in 2023.

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