Leading Seahawks' Surprise Ascent, Geno Smith Belongs Squarely in MVP Race
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - When it comes to evaluating players in the NFL, particularly quarterbacks, sample size absolutely matters. For the past six weeks, critics have had a "but..." statement ready when looking at the unexpected rise of Geno Smith as a viable NFL starting quarterback, waiting and waiting for him to show he's a fluke.
But after leading the Seahawks to a 37-23 road win over the Chargers on Sunday, with his team now in sole possession of first place in the NFC West and sitting with the third seed in the NFC playoff race, it's time to stop with the but and ifs waiting for him to crash back to Earth. Smith not only belongs in the MVP discussion after replacing Russell Wilson, but he should be viewed as a front runner for his tangible impact on one of the league's most surprising teams.
While Smith would be the first to admit he got away with a couple throws on Sunday and one of his forced passes did wind up getting intercepted by linebacker Kenneth Murray on Seattle's opening drive, every quarterback has those close calls playing against the best players in the world and a couple of passes bounced out of receiver's hands that should have been completions. He also isn't simply dinking and dunking to his running backs, as he confidently took to the air throwing downfield frequently against a struggling secondary from the opening snap.
As he has done all year, Smith proved to be remarkably efficient, completing 74 percent of his passes for 210 yards while throwing a pair of dimes to seldom-targeted veteran Marquise Goodwin for 20-plus yard touchdowns. Averaging nearly eight yards per attempt as a passer, he posted these numbers with a less than 100 percent Tyler Lockett playing on a sore hamstring and DK Metcalf missing the entire second half with a potentially serious knee injury.
With Metcalf sidelined and Lockett not fully healthy, Smith relied heavily on Goodwin as well as his tight ends, hitting Colby Parkinson for a 28-yard catch and finding Will Dissly for four receptions that netted 45 yards and three first downs. Not surprisingly, by spreading the wealth around with his top two targets battered, the Seahawks converted on five out of nine third down attempts, far eclipsing the Chargers ugly five for 15 output to sustain several long drives.
Time and time again, Smith stared down pass rushers bearing down on him and delivered accurate, well-anticipated throws. There's a reason he's leading the NFL completing 73.5 percent of his passes after seven games, displaying extraordinary consistency and allowing Waldron to run his entire playbook.
On top of his passing accolades, the 32-year old Smith continues to use his legs as an unexpected asset extending plays and creating as a runner. Though he only had seven rushing yards due to a kneel at the end of the game, he picked up nine on a crucial 2nd and 8 run after the two-minute warning, setting up his second touchdown toss to Goodwin right before the half to push Seattle's lead to 24-14 after Los Angeles managed to trim a 17-point first quarter deficit to three.
If there's anyone who isn't surprised by Smith's success, it's coach Pete Carroll, who has expressed his belief and confidence in the veteran quarterback since he filled in admirably for an injured Wilson in three starts last season. That confidence never waned and now, it's paying dividends with him playing the best football of his NFL career.
"There are no restrictions on Geno," Carroll said after the game. "He can do whatever we can think of. He’s different than he was. You can put a label on somebody for what he was and then you miss the whole chance to understand this guy. This guy is a different guy. He’s experienced. He’s physically fit. He’s having a blast. He’s living in an elevation of poise with the way that he’s handling it. It’s perfect. It’s perfect for the moment. We’re thrilled to see it happen and it couldn’t happen to a better guy.”
Looking at his season thus far holistically after seven weeks, Smith ranks near the top of the NFL in nearly every meaningful passing statistic. Along with posting the highest completion rate among qualified passers, he currently ranks seventh in passing yards, sixth in touchdown passes, and third in passer rating behind only Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Josh Allen of the Bills.
While Mahomes and Allen were supposed to be MVP front-runners with loaded teams expected to compete for a Super Bowl in the loaded AFC, many expected Smith to lose out on the starting job in Seattle to Drew Lock, who arrived as part of the Wilson trade. Once that didn't happen, those same skeptics thought it would only be a matter of time until he would lose his starting job due to poor play for a team contending for a top-five pick.
Even after torching the Lions and Saints with three touchdown outings in Week 4 and Week 5, national pundits continued to wait for the Geno Smith of old to resurface and the Seahawks to start crumbling around him.
But with the exception of a Week 2 loss in Santa Clara to the 49ers, quarterbacks who have played better than Smith can easily be counted on one hand. He's been remarkably accurate, he's displayed unflappable poise and confidence, he has delivered as a deep ball passer better than anyone could have reasonably predicted, and maybe most importantly, he's got a young, supposedly rebuilding team believing in him and following his lead.
Meanwhile in Denver, Wilson has struggled mightily and after missing Sunday's loss to the Jets with a hamstring injury, the Broncos are 2-5 and in last place in the AFC West.
With much of the season left to play, Smith still feels like he has much to prove and he isn't making the Seahawks success about him. He's also not going to worry about what Wilson and the Broncos are doing either. Always ready to get back to work, he's simply cherishing the hard-earned opportunity to start again after waiting seven years with three different teams for a second chance.
“This moment is not for myself. I do not really care about it. It is for the team," Smith said humbly. "The opportunity to play is all that matters to me. It is to be able to go out there with the guys to compete. As far as any vindication, I already knew who I was. This is not fulfilling me in any way. It is about the team and how we can get better and continue to win each week. For me, I just need to continue to work hard and continue to lead and all the other stuff I am not really focused on.”
Considering the massive shoes he filled taking over for Wilson and his long, winding journey as a backup, that story alone is MVP worthy. But at the end of the day, MVP's aren't won on merit or inspirational stories. With Seattle in first place in large part due to his contributions and leadership and sample size no longer a viable argument against him, Smith has rightfully earned a seat at the table with his sensational play on the field, his outstanding statistics, and his presence as lead orchestrator for a pesky team nobody wants to play.
