Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith endured an up-and-down performance in Sunday’s tough-to-swallow Week 9 loss to their NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams. Smith completed 21 of 34 passing attempts for 363 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. He was also sacked on seven occasions and was under constant duress behind an offensive line that couldn’t protect him. He was fortunate to avoid additional turnovers given the amount of pressure he routinely faced.
Following a scoreless first quarter, Sean McVay’s Rams took a 3-0 lead near the conclusion of the second period. That’s when Smith caught absolute fire for the Seahawks. Smith completed 6-of-9 attempts for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the final 3:31 of the opening half, locating Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for late touchdowns.
Geno Smith 6-9 for 125 yards and 2 TDs in the final 3:31 of the first half.
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) November 3, 2024
Smith’s red-hot form awarded the Seahawks a 14-3 lead entering the break. Unfortunately, Smith, and the entire team really, crumbled during the second half. The Rams outscored Seattle 14-0 during the third quarter and began the fourth quarter on a 21-0 run by adding a defensive touchdown. Smith managed to find Smith-Njigba for his second touchdown to force overtime.
Smith and the Seahawks won the toss and embarked on a seven-play drive that stalled at the Rams’ 17-yard line. Head coach Mike Macdonald opted for a 4th-and-1 gamble instead of kicking the field goal, and the Rams defense held firm by stuffing Kenneth Walker at the line of scrimmage. Opposing quarterback Matthew Stafford quickly found DeMarcus Robinson for a game-winning 39 yard score.
