Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith responded with a late touchdown after being slammed by FOX Sports analyst Jonathan Vilma, but his team still suffered a 26-20 defeat against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Seahawks were cruising against the Rams and went into the half with a 13-3 lead after Smith found wide receiver Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the end zone toward the end of the second quarter. The Rams tied the game in the third quarter after quarterback Matthew Stafford found DeMarcus Robinson before Joshua Karty converted a field goal.
In the fourth quarter, Smith threw a costly interception while in the red zone, and Rams safety Kamren Kinchens returned a 103-yard pick-six to set a new franchise record. It gave the Rams a surprise lead, and Vilma was furious with Smith on the broadcast.
“I have no clue why Geno Smith threw that ball,” Vilma said. “He didn’t have enough mustard on it. He might have been trying to go to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That was just terrible.”
- Amon-Ra St Brown vindicated after bold pre-game dig at Green Bay Packers
- Jason McCourty rubs salt in Giants’ wounds after Saquon Barkley’s backward hurdle
The game turned on its head once again as Smith forced overtime, finding Smith-Njigba in the end zone with just 51 seconds remaining to tie the game. However, the Rams completed the comeback in overtime following a stunning 39-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Robinson.
While Smith ensured that the Seahawks didn’t throw away the game in regulation time, many fans are still confused as to who he was aiming at before the costly pick-six. It was also one of three interceptions during the game for Smith, as he had an afternoon to forget.
Although Smith’s pass wasn’t accurate on that occasion, he lacked coverage from the offensive line and was pressured by the Rams throughout the game. Vilma has noticed a pattern when the Seahawks reach the red zone, which may be something the team looks at going forward.
Smith was charged down by Rams linebacker Byron Young, and Vilma added: “Young is actually going to get a little bit of his left arm on Geno Smith as he’s throwing the football…But the big issue is that last week the Seahawks had all kinds of issues in the red zone, as well.”
In suffering defeat, the Seahawks dropped below .500 for the first time this season after racing into a 3-0 start. The Seahawks recorded wins over the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Miami Dolphins to start the year, but have struggled to keep that run going.
A defeat to the Detroit Lions in Week 4 was followed by a shock loss to the New York Giants, before falling to 3-3 after losing against the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks got back to winning ways with an impressive win over the Atlanta Falcons, but have now lost consecutive games after losing to the Buffalo Bills before facing the Rams in Week 9.
Leave a Reply