Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll Details Geno Smith's 'Enormous Impact' After Game-Winning Drive vs. Titans
The Seattle Seahawks were coming off a stirring win over the Philadelphia Eagles as their playoff hopes were kept alive. But against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville on Sunday, it took a while before the offense got into its groove.
In a first half that saw the Seattle offense put up just 93 yards of total offense, Geno Smith, in his first week back from a two-game absence, struggled to find a groove. Smith would complete 10 of his 16 passes for just 68 yards as the signs of rust were there. Seattle could only manage 3.6 yards per play and only converted two of their seven third-down attempts.
After Drew Lock had stepped in the past two games, the Seahawks offense looked out of sorts on the road in Tennessee with Smith back at the helm.
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What's more, the Seahawks' offense only picked up six first downs as they trailed 10-3 at halftime.
Needing a spark from Shane Waldron's offense, Smith would lead an 11-play, 46-yard drive to open the third quarter, but had to settle for a field goal as the Seahawks trialed 10-6 as the offense showed signs of life.
On Seattle's next possession, the offense finally got rolling as Smith led a 13-play, 81-yard drive that ended with a DK Metcalf touchdown to put the Seahawks in the lead as they finally got something going offensively.
After the Titans produced a 19-play, 62-yard drive that ended in a touchdown, the Seahawks got the ball back with just over two minutes to go and needed a touchdown to take the lead.
With Seattle's offense stuttering and spluttering, when it mattered most, Smith orchestrated a 17-play, 53-yard drive that ended in a Colby Parkinson touchdown with under a minute remaining.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll raved about how impressive Smith was on that last season-saving drive.
"You’ve got to be around him to appreciate the competitive mentality that he has. He's in such a good place," Smith said. "He believes so strongly that it's going to happen, and it’s going to get done and his guys are going to come through for him. And that belief it transfers, translates to other guys, they feel him. So they go through and do what they're supposed to do, and it comes out well. He’s having an enormous impact on these guys just because his mentality is so strong and so consistent."
The win keeps the Seahawks’ playoff hopes alive. While it wasn't the offense's best outing, they made the plays they needed to make plays down the stretch when the team needed it most.
