Los Angeles (AFP) - Denver quarterback Russell Wilson's return to Seattle started with hearty boos and finished with a 17-16 NFL loss to Geno Smith and the Seahawks on Monday.
Wilson piloted the Seahawks to nine winning seasons, eight playoff appearances, two NFC championships and a Super Bowl title in his 10-year tenure in Seattle.
But his relationship with the team soured and he departed in March for the Broncos -- the team he and the Seahawks beat 43-8 in the 2014 Super Bowl.
Earlier this month he signed a five-year deal worth a reported $245 million with Denver and none of his prior achievements in Seattle mattered to Seahawks fans who jeered him all night, while joyously cheering his former backup Smith.
While the focus was on Wilson and his return to Seattle, it was also a huge moment for Smith, who beat out Drew Lock for the starting job -- the first time he starts a season as a team's top quarterback since he played for the New York Jets back in 2014.
Smith rose to the occasion by completing 23 of 28 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns.
Both touchdowns came in the first half, when Smith was ruthlessly efficient in completing 17 of 18 passes for 164 yards.
"They wrote me off," Smith said of his critics in a post-game television interview.
Seattle didn't score in the second half, but they held on with the help of a solid defensive effort and the Broncos' inability to take advantage of their opportunities.
Wilson completed 29 of 42 passes for 340 yards, hitting Jerry Jeudy with a 67-yard touchdown pass.
But Denver committed 12 penalties and gave up two second-half fumbles on the goal line.
After those disappointments, Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett opted against going for it on fourth down with just five yards needed to extend Denver's final drive.
Instead he brought in kicker Brandon McManus, who missed a 64-yard field goal attempt.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he was "surprised" the Broncos didn't let Wilson -- renowned for his fourth-quarter and overtime comebacks -- try to extend the drive.
But Wilson had no problem with the decision.
"I believe in coach Hackett," he said."I believe in what we're doing here."
While it was the first time Wilson found himself on the wrong side of the notoriously noisy Seahawks crowd, he said the atmosphere didn't affect him.
"I couldn't have been more locked in," he said."It just didn't go our way.But guess what?There's 16 more games to go."
