So did Sunday finally mark the beginning of Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith coming down to earth?
After entering the game leading the NFL with a passer rating of 113.2, Smith was held to a rating of 82.3, his second lowest of the year.
Smith was also held to 197 yards and a season-low 6.4 yards per attempt while taking a season-high five sacks.
Smith, while citing the play of the Arizona defense, mostly chalked it up to one of those days.
“I just don’t think I played my best game today,” Smith said. “Hats off to their defense because they played a big part in that. But I have a certain set of standards for myself personally. And not to take away from what we did as a team. We did a great job. And winning is great always in the NFL. But I know I need to be better, and I will be.”
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Seahawks 19, Cardinals 9
Smith, whose rating for the season fell to 108.1, didn’t have a completion of longer than 22 yards, also a season low, while not throwing a touchdown for only the second time this year. That also happened against the 49ers, which was the game before coach Pete Carroll said it was time for the Seahawks to open up all of the offense for Smith.
Smith didn’t throw an interception and ran for 48 yards on six carries, which helped offset the lack of a consistent passing offense. And he also came up big when it mattered most, completing 5 of 6 passes for 64 yards on what was Seattle’s only touchdown drive of the game spanning the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth.
And to Carroll, the lack of turnovers and making the clutch throws when it mattered meant more than any of the raw numbers.
“Geno had a really solid game today,” Carroll said. “We didn’t protect as well. We held the ball a little bit. But he had a really solid day throwing the football, had some really good stuff and came through for us.”
The rushing yards were the second most for Smith this year other than a 49-yard outing against Detroit.
Smith said the way Arizona played its defense led to some open lanes.
“Their defense did a great job at bracketing DK (Metcalf) and Tyler (Lockett),” Smith said. “And they had a great plan. So we had to go to some other guys and they stepped up. Dee Eskridge, Marquise (Goodwin). Noah (Fant) had a pretty good day. And then myself, you know, being a weapon as well using my legs. So if teams continue to play us that style, which I expect where they’re playing off and bracketing off our receivers, then that means there’s no one covering me, you know, if I take off and run.’’
And on the crucial drive, which came after Seattle’s botched punt allowed Arizona to cut the lead to 12-9. Smith hit each of Fant, Eskridge, Metcalf, Kenneth Walker III and Lockett for completions to take the ball from the 25 to the Arizona 11 in just six plays.
“The first half was kind of funky,” Smith said. “We had some different situations, didn’t really have the ball a lot in the first half. And so a lot of our calls were still up. So (offensive coordinator) Shane (Waldron) did a great job of getting to the calls. Protection was there. We ran the ball a few times. I think I was able to use my legs a couple times. And, overall, I think the urgency was there. We knew, hey, man, we’ve been struggling a little bit all game, but here is our time to step up and give us a lead and let our defense go out there and play ball and take momentum back. And I think that’s what we did there.”
Nick Bellore takes blame for punting error
Arizona’s only touchdown came late in the third quarter when the Cardinals recovered a fumble from Seahawks punter Michael Dickson in the end zone after he was rushed heavily by Ezekiel Turner of the Cardinals. Being unable to get the kick off, Dickson was hit and lost the ball.
Turner, who played at the University of Washington, was credited with a forced fumble, with the ball recovered by Chris Banjo for the touchdown.
Carroll said the Seahawks missed the assignment on picking up Arizona’s defense, and presumably mostly Turner.
“We missed a pickup miserably, from what I understand,” Carroll said. “We missed something.”
And after the game, fullback Nick Bellore — in comments to the team’s website — said the blown assignment was his responsibility, saying he needed to recognize it and call for a different protection.
“It was a look we had seen before, and the call is based on what I do,” Bellore said. “I set the protection, and that is why ultimately, they were able to block it. It was one of those things where I figured we’d be OK if we blocked it that way, and their rush was schemed for it. Ultimately, if I get us into the call we’re supposed to be in, it should be blocked up fine. I saw it a way I shouldn’t have, and it worked against us. I don’t want anyone else taking the heat for that.”
It was the second straight week the Seahawks gave up a touchdown due to an error with their punting team. Last Sunday at New Orleans, Dickson was unable to get off a punt on a rugby style kick and was tackled short of a first down, giving the Saints possession at the Seattle 13 and resulting in a touchdown two plays later.
Shaun Alexander inducted into Ring of Honor
Former running back Shaun Alexander became the 15th member of the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor in a ceremony at halftime, the 11th player and the fourth member associated with Seattle’s first Super Bowl team in 2005.
Alexander also raised the 12th Man flag before the game, then spoke briefly at halftime, mentioning all five of the offensive linemen from the 2005 team as well as listing off his 11 children.
Notes
— While several players left the field with injuries, including center Austin Blythe and defensive end Shelby Harris, Carroll said none of the injuries were serious. “We’re very fortunate,” he said. “We got out of the game really clean.”
— Why did Arizona keep going for it on fourth down? Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said an injury to kicker Matt Prater played a role in his decision. Arizona went with second-team kicker Matt Ammendola, who missed an extra point in the third quarter. “With our kicking situation, that played into it some,” Kingsbury said. “We’re normally aggressive on fourth down, but if Prater was here, you know, probably at least a couple of those we would’ve kicked at that point.”