Seattle Seahawks set QB Geno Smith up for success

Behind Enemy Strains brings you the important thing storylines and newest information for the Arizona Cardinals’ opponents every week this season.

Schlereth: How Seahawks are setting Geno Smith as much as maintain this success – Thursday

By SeattleSports.com’s Brandon Gustafson

The Seahawks are feeling actually good heading right into a Week 9 conflict with the Arizona Cardinals as they’ve received three video games in a row, are in first place within the NFC West and have the most effective and hottest quarterbacks in soccer underneath middle in Geno Smith.

Smith has been one of many high storylines within the NFL this season as he was a longtime backup earlier than successful the Seahawks’ beginning quarterback job this offseason. Many thought Smith and the Hawks would battle and that the workforce could even be tanking for a excessive draft decide.

However as a substitute, Smith leads all quarterbacks in completion share and is within the high 10 in passing yards and touchdowns.

So is that this who Smith actually is? Can he sustain this degree of play? Former NFL offensive lineman and present NFL commentator Mark Schlereth thinks so.

“Hear, there’s no cause primarily based upon the way in which they’re taking part in and the way in which he’s taking part in that he can’t maintain it,” Schlereth informed Seattle Sports activities 710 AM’s Wyman and Bob on Tuesday.

And it goes past Smith’s play – which Schlereth thinks has been nice. He thinks head coach Pete Carroll is setting Smith up to achieve a giant means.

“One factor I learn about Pete, you’re gonna run the ball, you’re gonna arrange your play-action you’re gonna get predictable defenses,” he mentioned. “… If you run the ball exceptionally properly, you’re gonna play some kind of post-safety protection, proper? Which means you’re gonna play a single-high security since you’ve gotta get eight guys within the field and also you’ve acquired to cease that run – you’ve acquired to be dedicated to that. Nicely, you get predictable seems. Like something vertical on exterior in that look you’re gonna get man protection … So now we’re creating pre-snap predictability for our quarterback as a result of we’re so good at one thing.”

Which means the Seahawks have a real id on offense, Schlereth mentioned, and he thinks Carroll has carried out pretty much as good of a job as any coach within the NFL this yr.

So far as Smith is worried, Schlereth mentioned the Seahawks QB is taking part in nice soccer, and that individuals want to appreciate that.

“I feel that the factor that we are inclined to neglect – and I’m responsible of this, too – you see what he was with the Jets in a dysfunctional group and scenario, and also you stamp them and say, ‘There he’s.’ Nicely, he has been a scholar, he has been getting ready, he has been working,” he mentioned. “He throws the ball exceptionally properly. I imply, the dude simply unleashes. He uncorks it, he spins it tight, so you’ll be able to even be late with a number of throws and it nonetheless cuts by and will get there.”

Very hardly ever do you see a participant have such a late-career turnaround, particularly at quarterback. Schlereth performed with somebody who wound up doing that in Wealthy Gannon, an NFL journeyman who wound up successful NFL MVP at 37 years previous whereas with the Raiders.

“He caught with it, discovered the sport and acquired some alternatives after which turned MVP. So it may be carried out,” Schlereth mentioned. “And there’s no cause for me to assume that Geno Smith can’t proceed to play at this degree.”

Take heed to the total second hour of Tuesday’s Wyman and Bob at this hyperlink or within the participant beneath.

Pete Carroll is aware of haters gonna hate – Tuesday

By The Related Press

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — At what level does the dialog begin to get severe about what’s taking place with the Seattle Seahawks?

At first, it appeared a novelty that the workforce many thought-about earlier than the season to be among the many worst within the NFC was discovering some success within the post-Russell Wilson period. Beginning off 2-2 for a workforce pegged by oddsmakers to not win six video games this season was form of quaint.

Nevertheless it appears previous time for the tone in regards to the Seahawks to vary, particularly after their thorough 27-13 win over the New York Giants on Sunday.

Seattle is 5-3, winners of three straight and main the NFC West. They’re taking part in a complementary fashion throughout this win streak that different groups must be envying, particularly those who have been alleged to be the elite of the NFC and are presently scuffling.

There’s no assure that is going to proceed for Seattle. However possibly, simply possibly, Pete Carroll knew what he was doing all alongside.

“I hate that we have been crappy early within the yr and we weren’t doing stuff proper, however we held on to it and we knew — we felt like we knew the place we might go, and we’re getting going,” Carroll mentioned after Sunday’s win. “All of the folks that doubt — we run the ball an excessive amount of, you don’t perceive soccer and he can’t keep up with the brand new recreation and all that form of stuff — that’s a bunch of crap, I’m telling you.

“We’re doing wonderful. We’re all proper. I don’t thoughts proving it day in and day trip.”

Seattle’s subsequent two video games are on the street at Arizona and towards Tampa Bay in Germany earlier than the bye week. However each video games appear winnable and 7-3 can’t be out of the query for Seattle.

WHAT’S WORKING

Lower than a month in the past, Seattle’s run protection was in shambles after giving up 235 yards on the bottom towards New Orleans. Solely thrice previously 11 seasons had the Seahawks allowed extra yards on the bottom to an opponent.

And whereas there have been famous enhancements within the wins over Arizona and the Chargers, the true take a look at got here Sunday towards the Giants’ Saquon Barkley and the No. 2 rush offense within the NFL.

Clearly, the Seahawks handed the take a look at. Barkley was held to a season-low 53 yards and averaged simply 2.7 yards per carry. Quarterback Daniel Jones was unable so as to add the operating component to his recreation and managed solely 20 yards speeding per week after operating for 107 towards Jacksonville.

“Loads of issues that the Giants do is that they throw a whole lot of performs at you and see what works. In the event that they discover one, they’ll run it over and time and again,” Seattle defensive lineman Shelby Harris mentioned. “I really feel like they have been doing a whole lot of testers and there wasn’t a lot working. The entrance seven, the entire protection did properly.”

WHAT NEEDS HELP

It’s nit-picking coming off such a whole efficiency, however Seattle’s run recreation was pretty mundane till Kenneth Walker III broke free for a 16-yard landing run late within the fourth quarter. Take away that run, and Walker averaged 2.1 yards per stick with it his different 17 makes an attempt, and Seattle had simply 87 yards whole on the bottom as a workforce.

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