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The Seattle Seahawks came into Week 15 riding high. The team was on a four-game winning streak and alone at the top of the NFC West. But after a humbling loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, the Seahawks are suddenly in a desperate fight to make the playoffs. And the health of starting quarterback Geno Smith is of paramount importance.
Fortunately for Seattle, it looks as if Smith avoided a serious injury against the Packers. Head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters Monday that he’s optimistic the veteran passer will practice and play in Week 16, according to Seahawks reporter John Boyle on X. “We’re fortunate, a lot of positive, optimistic signs,” Macdonald said. The coach then added that Smith was at the facility working out that morning and called him “a beast.”
Smith suffered the knee injury while attempting a pass under heavy pressure in the second half. He was replaced in the game by backup QB Sam Howell. When Smith was forced to exit the game, the Packers were already up 20-3 halfway through the third quarter.
Howell led the team to 10 points in relief but the numbers weren’t pretty for either passer. Smith threw for 149 scoreless yards and tossed an interception while Howell was even worse, going 5/14 for just 24 yards with zero touchdowns and an interception.
Clearly Seattle needs Smith under center to have a shot at the postseason. And the team anxiously awaited an update on its quarterback’s ailing knee. Despite Geno’s initial pain on the field and obvious frustration over having to leave the contest and head to the locker room, it appears the Seahawks dodged a bullet.
The Seahawks need a healthy Geno Smith for their playoff push
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Seattle is eager to put the embarrassing 30-13 loss to Green Bay behind them. Yes, Smith was hurt. True, starting running back Kenneth Walker III was unable to suit up due to injury. But it’s unlikely either player being fully healthy would have changed the outcome. Packers fans even drowned out Seahawks fans in a surreal scene in Seattle, which is known for being one of the toughest places to play in the NFL because of the home field advantage created by crowd noise.
The Seahawks missed out on an opportunity to maintain a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Rams in the division. LA took care of business, beating the San Francisco 49ers and moving into sole possession of first place in the NFC West – despite the teams’ identical 8-6 records, the Rams won the first head-to-head matchup of the season.
Now the Seahawks will look to finish strong. Seattle takes on the Minnesota Vikings at home before traveling to Chicago to play the Bears and ending the regular season in what could be a decisive final clash with the Rams. But first and foremost for the team is the state of Smith’s knee.
