PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Russell Wilson not only played 149 straight games, winning 100, but played nearly every Seattle snap as well. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said it was odd for him to have Wilson on the sidelines last Thursday after his finger injury. Sunday at Heinz Field, the Seahawks turn to a former second round pick without their star.
Seattle signed Geno Smith in 2020 as a quarterback who could compliment their system if needed. He’s needed Sunday.
“He was a really productive player,” Carroll said of the reasons for signing Smith. “He could do a lot of stuff, had a lot of throws. Had a wide spread game with a great throwing arm. He has tremendous velocity and he’s a great athlete. We saw those things. We thought that might fit.”
“It wasn’t until we got to know Geno that we come to appreciate what a great competitor he is. How he prepares. How he does compliment what we’ve done. He’s fit to our game. We are able to do the things we like doing.”
Smith came in for the injured Wilson to complete 10 of 17 passes for 131 yards with a touchdown and an interception against the Rams last week. The now 31-year-old who started 31 games in his NFL career with 30 touchdowns and 37 interceptions faces the team just over an hour from his college.
“Both Russ and Geno have great arms,” Carroll said Wednesday. “They can make all the throws. There is not a change in that regard for our guys. Of course the players aren’t the same. The dynamics seem to fit together really well.”
In his last two seasons at West Virginia in 2011 and 2012, Smith threw for 8,590 yards with 73 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Starting his first two NFL seasons for the dysfunctional Jets, including a 19-6 loss to the Steelers in 2013 when he threw a pair of interceptions, may not be a true reflection of his talent. Smith now gets a chance to game plan and a full week with Seattle’s first team.
“It enhances his chances to play well and to fit into the whole game plan,” Carroll said. “When you are a backup, you don’t get all the reps of course. You don’t get turns, get the specialty plays. You just have to kind of wing it when you get in there. He won’t be in that situation. He will be better prepared than ever.”
Smith also gets to work with veteran Tyler Lockett (25 receptions, 390 yards, 15.6 average, 3 TD) and third year, 6’4”, 235 pound DK Metcalf (25 receptions, 383 yards, 15.3 average, 5 TD). Metcalf leads the NFC in touchdown receptions. Lockett leads the NFC in receptions of 40-plus yards.
“I know he’s really excited about it,” Carroll said. “I want him to play really calm and just go ahead and play like he’s capable. He doesn’t have to do anything different and he will be just fine.”
Ben Roethlisberger
Carroll said Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is still ‘amazing’. Admiring how he gets rid of the ball quickly and how he’s adapted to the changes in the Steelers offense.
“He’s still using the whole field,” Carroll said. “He’s advanced his game in different ways.”
“When I addressed the team and talked to them about the Steelers and we talked about Ben. Everybody watched him his whole career. He’s been around forever.”
“He’s an iconic football player in the NFL.”