Remember this day. Sunday, November 3rd 2024. The day I have decided the Seattle Seahawks need to begin the process of finding their next franchise quarterback.
After a season that started with such promise and a new coaching that helped the Seahawks get off to a 3-0 start, Seattle has now lost five of their last six games. Heading into their bye week, they've dropped to last place in the NFC West. While it’s not entirely on him, much of the Seahawks' struggles can be attributed to the inconsistent play of quarterback Geno Smith.
Going into this Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Seahawks had been having trouble in the red zone in recent weeks, but this week's play had to be among the worst I have ever seen from this unit. In the fourth quarter, Smith threw two horrifying red-zone interceptions, one of which went all the way back the other way for a pick-six. While I will give him credit for his mental toughness as he did lead a game-tying with minutes to spare, the fact remains his mistakes are becoming more costly, and they are happening too often.
Even though the interceptions were bad, Geno Smith and the offense's inability to perform in short-yardage situations is what's getting more frustrating. Seattle managed to get a chance to win in overtime despite the late-game turnovers. The drive started off good, but while going for it in Rams territory (a call I agreed with), they were stuffed on fourth-and-one and had two chances to gain just one yard to continue the drive. The Rams then took the ball and stormed down the field to win the game.
I have defended Geno over the years, but today was a real realization for me. I get anxious more often than not when they put the ball in his hands, so I can no longer say that he is the Seahawks' long-term solution.
In recent months, it has been rumored that Smith is looking for a raise and plans on approaching the organization after the season to discuss it, but based on what I have seen, I don't think Seattle should give him one. If Smith does want an extension, it's time for the team to look seriously at college quarterbacks and think about a future that doesn't include Geno Smith. The Seahawks need a quarterback who will play consistently and make plays when the team needs it.
The only person I’m confident in within the organization is head coach Mike Macdonald. He has the vision to lead this team through a rebuild, and his defense has shown signs of promise despite a bit too much inconsistency on their own end. General Manager John Schneider, I'm not so sure about. He hasn’t been able to build an offensive line in the last 10 years, and if the team does plan on drafting a quarterback, I'm not convinced Schneider will create an environment where that player could succeed.
These next few months in Seattle should be interesting to say the least.
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