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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Liz Mathews

Pete Carroll: Seahawks QB Geno Smith was ready for this moment

The Seattle Seahawks beat Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos on the national stage Monday night, thanks in no little part to their new starting quarterback, Geno Smith.

Smith won the job this summer over fellow QB Drew Lock, earning the chance to square off with Wilson head to head during his return to Lumen Field.

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It was Smith who came out on top.

“How about Geno? I mean, Geno, 17 for 18 in the first half,” coach Pete Carroll said after the game. “Who does that? Guys just don’t do that. Remember, he did it against Jacksonville. He had, I don’t know, 12, 13 in a row, something like that. Geno played tonight like he has been playing the whole time we’ve been practicing. That’s what he has been looking like. He didn’t look any different than what he has looked like in practice.

“That’s why we had the belief in him, and that’s why he was able to win the job and go out there on Monday Night Football and win the football game.”

Smith finished the outing completing 23 of 28 attempts for 195 yards and two touchdowns. He didn’t throw a single interception and ended the night with a 119.5 passer rating.

“He is the best he has ever been,” Carroll continued. “Because of the four years of being in the system and being loved up and taken care of and looked after, and he did his part in reverse to always be there for us. He is ready. He is ready for this moment. The experience that he had, the guys — he was so poised and calm in this game. It was just fun playing with him. We were talking as the game is going on, and he is having fun and laughing and enjoying it. The moment came to him, and he was ready for it. That’s a really beautiful illustration.

“It’s a great story, I think it’s a great story.”

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