The Seahawks got into a rare thriller on Thursday Night Football against the Cowboys tonight. For a while there it even seemed like they were going to pull off an unlikely upset against a nine-point favorite on the road. However, at no point were they able to stop Dak Prescott and when it mattered most they buckled in the trenches, losing 41-35.
As painful as it was to watch at the very end, we should not let this latest loss overshadow several players who put in praiseworthy performances under the worst possible circumstances. Here are our studs and duds for Week 13.
Stud: QB Geno Smith
After a rough few games Geno Smith was as sharp as we’ve ever seen him in a Seattle uniform. He got the ball out quickly, his throws were accurate and timely, they had touch when needed, zip when they did not and he finally started throwing with some anticipation. Smith finished 23/41 for 334 yards, three touchdowns and one interception – which was a great play on the ball by DaRon Bland more than anything. Smith also scored a rushing touchdown and he did all of this despite getting pressure from every angle on practically every snap – and somehow without taking a single sack. This may well have been the greatest game of Geno Smith’s career. It’s a shame it was wasted by such a poor defensive performance.
Stud: WR DK Metcalf
The Seahawks also got quite a game from No. 14, who was frankly overdue for a dominant performance. Wide receiver DK Metcalf had his best game of the 2023 season by far, catching six of eight targets and totaling 134 yards and three touchdowns.
Dud: K Jason Myers
The circumstances that led up to the kick were not his fault. However, Jason Myers missed another gimme in a big moment tonight. The 42-yard field goal that he missed in the second quarter was an excruciating flub in what turned out to be a very tight game down the stretch. No matter how it happened, missing from that range in an indoor stadium is inexcusable.
Stud: Seattle pass rush
While it didn’t stop Dallas from dropping over 40 points, the Seahawks did a pretty decent job of getting pressure on Dak Prescott. They got to him for four sacks and seven quarterback hits total. However, Prescott still managed to post 299 yards and three touchdowns, further boosting his case for MVP.
Dud: The Seahawks secondary
Unfortunately, the back end of Seattle’s defense got dominated from start to finish in this one. Riq Woolen got the worst of it, as he drew the unenviable assignment of covering CeeDee Lamb. That proved to be too much for the second-year corner, as Lamb went off for 12 catches, 116 yards, a touchdown, and about 7.4 million yards in penalties. Devon Witherspoon had his moments as usual but Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs and Tre Brown all had issues in coverage, especially in the red zone.
Dud: Clete Blakeman
This one might have gone down as the first good Thursday Night Football game in history, but referee Clete Blakeman and his crew seemed determined to ruin that. They threw a total of 19 flags against the Seahawks and Cowboys, racking up 257 total yards in penalties – a new high for this season. Blakeman also robbed Jaxon Smith-Njigba of a touchdown with an unfathomable overturn and contributed to the penalty before Jason Myers’ missed field goal.
Dud: The offensive line
Despite Geno Smith taking zero sacks, it’s hard to overstate just how badly his offensive line played. Micah Parsons and the other Cowboys pass rushers absolutely overwhelmed Seattle at the line of scrimmage, forcing Smith to throw the ball away instantly in several cases. This game further reinforces the lesson that their offensive line is in no shape to carry this team deep into the NFC Playoffs given the defensive lines they’re likely to face.
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