The Seattle Seahawks are one of the grittiest and most difficult to beat teams when they're at full strength in the NFL. Recently quarterback Geno Smith and Coach Pete Carroll provided an update on Smith's health that sound promising at first. As per usual, reading between the lines is important, especially when it comes to the National Football League.

Recently, Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf issued a challenge to Ja'Marr Chase on behalf of the team's impressive rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon that has fans talking. Carroll also dropped a massive injury update on safety Jamal Adams that could loom large moving forward.

On Thursday, Smith strode to the podium in an effort to update the gathered media on his current injury status. While Smith sounded upbeat, he also revealed that he is still working through some things and is not quite 100 percent just yet with his lack of commitment to playing this coming weekend.

Carroll's Seahawks may need the former West Virginia Mountaineers star at quarterback if they hope to keep pace with Joe Burrow, Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals. Last week the Bengals rediscovered their confidence against Arizona on the road, setting up a showdown in the Queen City this weekend.

With a 2-3 record on the season, the Bengals are just a game behind Mike Tomlin's Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.

The Seahawks meanwhile are a game and a half behind the first-place San Francisco 49ers, a team that has rolled to a 5-0 record early in the season.

To keep pace with San Francisco, the Seahawks will likely need to keep winning as Kyle Shanahan's team shows few signs of slowing. Carroll's team's biggest advantage may reside in the ground game. The latest game prediction has the Seahawks winning on the strength of its vaunted running back duo of Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III.