Approach Geno Smith's Week 1 with caution

Sep 12, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) reacts following a play against the Denver Broncos during the second quarter at Lumen Field. Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Approach Seahawks QB Geno Smith's Week 1 performance with caution

By Dan Treacy | Last updated 9/15/22

Geno Smith was the feel-good story of Week 1, and rightfully so. After seven seasons as primarily a backup, he justified Pete Carroll's trust and helped push the Seahawks to an upset win. Is this version of Smith sustainable?

Smith's final numbers were all the Seahawks could've asked for: 23-of-28 for 195 yards and two touchdowns. It's important to remember, though, that most of his production only came in one half. In the second half, Smith was 6-of-10 for 29 yards.

Seattle committed to a more run-based approach with a lead in hand, but Smith didn't move the ball efficiently when he did pass. That doesn't take away from what Smith did in the first half, but the first nine years of his career indicate the quarterback we saw in the second half is closer to reality.

.@GenoSmith3 said it! #DENvsSEA

(via @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/Qx1rCHniOx
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2022

The Athletic's Mike Sando placed every starting quarterback in tiers at the start of training camp, based on conversations he had with those in and around the NFL. Smith was ranked last.

While we've seen quarterbacks, such as Ryan Tannehill, rise from average starters to franchise players, there isn't much of a precedent for a consensus bottom-tier veteran starter abruptly becoming a viable long-term option.

Smith probably won't be the quarterback who threw 34 interceptions between his first two seasons with the Jets, but his arm doesn't have enough big-play ability to rack up yards and get down the field consistently.

One area Smith has made real progress is turnovers. He's only thrown one interception in his last 176 passes. As limited as he might be, Smith can at least keep the Seahawks in games if he limits turnovers.

That's what he did in the second half on Monday night, and along with some fortunate bounces, it was enough for a win.

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