Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Addresses Geno Smith’s Struggles: 'We Have to Help Him'
RENTON, Wash. - Anytime an NFL team struggles to put points on the board in a losing effort, the quarterback always will be the first to draw scrutiny from media and fans. It's a tale as old as the league itself and not surprisingly, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith has found himself under fire after a rough performance in a 37-3 road loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Statistically, after completing just 46 percent of his pass attempts, Smith deserves some of the blame for Seattle's offensive incompetence on Sunday. Continuing a troublesome trend over the past month, he threw an ugly interception on a communication mix-up with receiver Tyler Lockett and also lost a fumble on a strip sack late in the first half, allowing Baltimore to tack on a field goal before intermission to extend its lead to 17-3, giving him eight turnovers in the past four games.
But while Smith made plenty of mistakes and hasn't been playing up to his standards for close to a month, to understand the root of any problem, one must address the symptoms that are creating the problem. Both after the game and during his Monday press conference, coach Pete Carroll remained steadfast defending his veteran quarterback, citing poor pass protection, the lack of a run game, and communication issues as symptoms making Smith's job far more difficult.
"We struggled across the board on offense," Carroll said on Monday. "Everybody had some difficulties in this game, and it just added up to where the quarterback is in the middle of that as well. We have to do a lot better; we have to protect, we had some communication things that we can clean up. I think Geno’s consistent accountability is a strength of his and it helps the guys around him, but we have to help him. We have to make sure we’re doing our part.”
Starting their sixth different offensive line combination in eight games with right guard Phil Haynes returning from injury next to Stone Forsythe, the Seahawks failed to protect Smith from start to finish against a vicious Ravens defense that entered Sunday's contest ranked first in scoring defense and sacks. Under constant siege, per NFL Next Gen Stats, the quarterback dealt with pressure on 18 of his 33 drop backs for an a eye-opening 54 percent pressure rate and absorbed four sacks.
Making matters even worse, the offensive line couldn't generate much of a push in the run game, as Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet combined to rush 13 times for 24 yards and averaged under two yards per carry. Without a run game to lean on, rushers flying at him every time he dropped back to pass, and penalties putting the team further off schedule on multiple occasions, Smith didn't stand much of a chance as everything broke down around him.
Pressured from the opening drive by a relentless Baltimore pass rush, Geno Smith was under duress on more than 50 percent of his drop backs in Seattle's 37-3 blowout defeat.
© Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
When asked whether or not the game of musical chairs in the trenches has limited play calling options, including the types of drops he can dial up with Smith, Carroll acknowledged offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has had to be cognizant of all the lineup shuffling prepping for talented pass rushes and finding ways to try to support an offensive line lacking continuity or experience playing together.
“We’re working hard at mixing the protection so that we don’t expose anybody and that’s part of it," Carroll said. "If you got five guys that can just hold up verses everything then that’s a great bonus. Our guys are still working together and we’re still developing, but he has to be very conscious of who’s going up against who, and what the situation is, and where we’re helping and chipping, and all that kind of stuff, so he’s mixing it to try to help those guys.”
Away from offensive line-related complications, Smith and his receiving corps have seemingly had multiple communication breakdowns each week and several of those cross ups have led to turnovers. On Sunday, the quarterback airmailed a deep ball over Lockett's head and with the two players not on the same page, the throw ended up being an arm punt to Ravens safety Geno Stone.
Chemistry-wise, Smith hasn't been able to click with Lockett or DK Metcalf as he did last season, particularly with the latter. Over the past two games, Metcalf has been targeted 18 times and only caught six passes for a 33 percent catch rate, including catching only one of four targets against the Ravens.
What's been at the root of that issue? While it isn't the only reason for the struggles, Carroll admitted Metcalf and Lockett missing extensive practice time nursing hip and hamstring injuries respectively has had a negative impact not only on their own play, but on the communication aspect with younger receivers such as rookies Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo.
“We need the continuity, because it’s very intricate work," Carroll said. "We need to make sure we help our young guys, help us communicate too. We’re asking a lot of them to play as much as they are. It’s transferring of the information sometimes and realizing that you need to help the guy outside of you as well. Also, the older guys that have been around help the younger guys and make sure that they’re double checking so that we’re doing a good job. We slipped a little bit on a couple of situations, but it certainly helps us when we’re all out there together. It just helps, that’s why we practice.”
Eager to turn the page after a blowout loss and steer the ship back in the right direction offensively, eliminating turnovers stands at the top of Carroll's priority list. In addition to his lost fumble on Sunday, Smith already has thrown seven interceptions in eight games after throwing 11 in the entire 2022 season and six of those have come in the past 16 quarters of play, which has drawn ire from fans who had much greater expectations for him this year.
To address that concerning issue, however, the Seahawks will have to find solutions for the aforementioned symptoms that are negatively impacting Smith's play. In the good news department, the impending return of starting right tackle Abraham Lucas, who is expected to start practicing by next week, will provide a major boost for the offensive line both in the pass and run game.
As for the communication woes with receivers, Carroll hinted that Metcalf and Lockett should be in good shape to be available for practices moving forward, hopefully nipping that problem and helping everyone get back on the right track. Getting the two star receivers rolling and playing to their potential while finding ways to get the tight ends more involved again would go a long way towards remedying all that ails Seattle's offense right now.
With hope for improved protection and blocking behind a healthier line and better production from the star receivers, Carroll remains confident Smith can turn his season around and play to the level demonstrated last year guiding the Seahawks to the playoffs. Coming off of a loss to forget in Baltimore, his message to the quarterback this week has been crystal clear: don't try to do to much, play within yourself, and we will work to provide you the support necessary to succeed.
"One of the things that I want to help Geno with as much as I can is not over-trying,” Carroll said. “Pressing to make a play where he feels like he’s got to go above and beyond and find a throw that may not be there and work too hard at it. He’s a great competitor, he believes in himself and so there’s times as all great quarterbacks that think they can get it in there and so they’ll take their shot at it. I would like to make the point to anybody that’s watching our program, we’re doing everything we can to not give them the football. Anytime we’re turning the ball over it hurts and that does not play into the way that we feel like when we’re at our best.”
