There was no celebration for Rusell Wilson after the Seattle Seahawks secured a 17-16 win over the Denver Broncos on “Monday Night Football.” This was, of course, because Wilson was no longer playing for Seattle. Instead, he was Denver's QB and absorbed the stinging loss in what was once his home field. Here we'll look at some Seahawks takeaways after their Week 1 win vs. the Broncos.
Russell Wilson was the star of Monday night's game between the Broncos and the Seahawks. His replacement in Seattle, Geno Smith, however, won the Week 1 primetime finale. Smith's near-perfect performance, along with a supremely physical effort by Pete Carroll's defense in front of a rowdy Seattle crowd, kept the Seahawks ahead of their visitors all night.
The season-opening win is a tremendously positive way to begin the post-Wilson era in Seattle. Now let's look at the three Seahawks takeaways after their Week 1 win vs. the Broncos.
3. Seattle defense was a mixed bag
On the one hand, the Seahawks defended their former franchise quarterback Russell Wilson admirably. While Wilson had a solid game, defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt's constant two-high safety looks kept him in check. Wilson finished 29-of-42 for 340 yards, one touchdown, with a passer rating of 101.3. That's a solid line, but take away one huge explosive play from Jerry Jeudy, and he'd be virtually ineffective.
On the other hand, one consistent pattern from the Seahawks defense in recent years has been poor tackling and run defense early in the season. That was also a recurring theme in this game as the Broncos ran wild on the ground. Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams combined for 101 yards on 19 attempts.
2. Rashaad Penny was efficient, not extraordinary
Rashaad Penny carried 12 times for 60 yards and snagged two of three targets for seven yards in the loss.
Penny continued where he left off late last season as Seattle's starting running back. The other Seahawks running backs, meanwhile, combined for only one rushing attempt. Penny dropped the ball at the end of a 26-yard run in the second quarter, but Seattle held possession thanks to a combination of effort and awareness from center Austin Blythe.
A holding penalty in the third quarter wiped off a potential 23-yard run, but Penny still averaged 5.0 yards on the carries that counted. The probable return of rookie second-round selection Kenneth Walker might complicate matters, though. Still, Penny should have a monopoly on carries until that moment, which could be before the Seahawks visit San Francisco in Week 2.
1. Geno Smith resurgence?
On Monday Night Football, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith stunned many by guiding his team to a 17-16 victory over the Denver Broncos.
Following his triumph, Smith had a simple message for his detractors: “They wrote me off, but I ain't writing back!”
.@GenoSmith3 said it! #DENvsSEA
(via @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/Qx1rCHniOx
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2022
Smith was outstanding in Monday's win. He went 23-of-28 for 195 yards and two touchdowns. In fact, he completed his first 13 passes and finished the first half 17-of-19.
With the exception of one across-the-body pass in the first quarter, Smith's decision-making was flawless. He was also quite precise with the ball, throwing with plenty of touch or zip as needed. He received a passer rating of 119.5. Smith also wowed the fans with a pair of tough runs totaling 14 yards.
Recall that Smith, a 10-year NFL veteran, has had an unusual NFL career. He was expected to be one of the most sought-after quarterback prospects in the 2013 draft after a strong career at West Virginia. He then dropped out of the first round after allegedly rubbing several clubs the wrong way during the predraft process. The New York Jets drafted him in the second round.
After defeating Drew Lock in an offseason quarterback duel, the 31-year-old was chosen as the starting for the 2022 season. Seattle seems to have made the proper decision, as seen by their performance on Monday.
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