Will Seahawks QB Geno Smith keep his hot streak at Ford Field alive?

Will Seahawks QB Geno Smith keep his hot streak at Ford Field alive?

Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith is off to an outstanding start in 2024. Smith currently ranks fourth in the entire league in passing yards (and the two top spots are occupied by Daniel Jones and Dak Prescott, who played on Thursday). He also ranks third in completion percentage (74.8%).

And historically speaking, Smith has been outstanding versus the Detroit Lions at Ford Field, the site of Seattle’s upcoming Week 4 opponent on Monday Night Football. Last season, Smith led the Seahawks to a thrilling 37-31 Week 2 overtime road victory over the Lions by completing 32-of-41 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns.

In 2022, Smith’s first season as Seattle’s unquestioned starter, the Seahawks won another thriller in Detroit, outlasting the Lions 48-45 in Week 4. Smith completed 23-of-30 passing attempts for 320 yards and two touchdowns. As ESPN’s Brady Henderson noted, those performances rank second- and third-best in terms of QBR since he became Seattle’s starting signal caller.

Henderson asked Smith about his comfort level at Ford Field.

“Winning there against a really good team, I thought it was obviously great for our season,” Smith said, reminiscing on those recent road victories over the Lions. “It’s a new season this year. They’re [Lions defense] doing some new things. We have to play Monday’s game. Those other games don’t matter. It’s just about this one. I’m looking forward to a tremendous opportunity,” Smith said, tempering expectations.

Smith also discussed handling the crowd noise at Ford Field.

“It gets pretty loud,” Smith added. “We handled those situations pretty well [in the past]. I think we’ll be ready for it. There’s something about those environments that just charge you up.”

https://twitter.com/BradyHenderson/status/1839420657656090737

Smith answered the questions with class and grace. He gave credit to the Lions defense and environment, and mentioned a new campaign means new opportunities. But there’s no denying Smith has historically enjoyed big-time performances at Ford Field.

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Did Sam Howell clinch Seahawks’ backup QB spot in preseason Week 1?

Did Sam Howell clinch Seahawks’ backup QB spot in preseason Week 1?

Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith did not play in Saturday’s preseason Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Mike Macdonald and the coaching staff made the right decision, taking a cautious approach since Smith had just recently returned to practice from minor knee/hip injuries. Backup quarterback Sam Howell earned the start in his place.

Howell was effective and took advantage of his opportunity to play alongside the first-team offense. He concluded the first half by completing 10-of-20 attempts with 60 passing yards and a touchdown. The statistics don’t tell the complete story. Three of Howell’s incompletions were throwaways.

Howell protected the ball and made quality decisions, which will encourage Seattle’s coaching staff, given he threw an NFL-high 21 interceptions as a member of the Washington Commanders last season. The Seahawks nursed a 14-3 lead at the half. Howell benefited from a dominant defense that allowed just 71 total yards on 25 plays.

Howell’s touchdown pass was a 13-yard score to tight end Brady Russell that opened the scoring in the second quarter. The dual-threat quarterback also used his legs well, scrambling for 17 yards via four rushing attempts.

It was a large-scale showcase for Howell, who was acquired from the Commanders in March in exchange for two 2024 NFL Draft picks. Howell played the majority of the contest, finishing with a 16-of-27 statline with 130 yards and one touchdown. He was then replaced by No. 3 quarterback PJ Walker, who completed 4-of-10 attempts for 61 yards.

The Seahawks are holding an open competition at backup quarterback. Howell has been the favorite ever since John Schneider traded for him, but it’s a little early to say the job is definitely his, given how well Walker has played throughout training camp. Howell maximized his opportunity on Saturday, showcasing he’s developing into a smarter quarterback.

More Seahawks Wire stories

Seahawks win preseason debut 16-3 vs Chargers

NFC West Watch: how did the division handle the first preseason weekend?

New Seahawks C Connor Williams to wear No. 57

5 takeaways from Seattle’s preseason victory over the Chargers

Watch: Mina Kimes plays virtual QB for Seahawks

If they need a fourth, perhaps they could hit up ESPN analyst and Seahawks superfan Mina Kimes.

The Seahawks seem to be happy with Geno Smith and Drew Lock as their top two options at QB. They are set to become free agents next month but Pete Carroll says they want to keep both. Seattle also carried a third QB on their practice squad this season, first Jacob Eason and later Sean Mannion.

If they need a fourth, perhaps they could hit up ESPN analyst and Seahawks superfan Mina Kimes. Watch Mina play some virtual QB for Seattle in this ad for Status Pro.

In related news, Mina will be a free agent herself soon.

Kimes’ contract with ESPN is set to expire, which could set off a bidding war. Bill Simmons and Dan Le Batard are interested, to name a few.

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