Here we are on the final day of the year for the Seahawks, and there’s not a lot to root for.
Some folks want Seattle fans to lose to move up a couple of spots in the draft. Others hope to reach double-digit wins and ride off into the offseason void with some good feelings.
Some want Geno Smith to hit three reachable incentives today and collect $6 million. Others have seen enough and would rather Seahawks owner Jody Allen keep her cash.
Smith has three incentives that are reachable today. Each pays out a cool $2 million. If the Seahawks win, he throws for at least 186 yards and keeps his completion percentage (currently at 70.2%) above 69.8%, he can collect $6 million. So, today is a big day for Smith, and you can bet his teammates are pulling for him.
Should Mike Macdonald bench Smith to see what Sam Howell has?
No.
Putting Smith on the bench would be a sure way for the head coach to lose the locker room. In the modern NFL, that’s important. Smith is respected among his teammates, and taking away an opportunity for him to cash in would, for lack of a better phrase, piss off pretty much the entire team.
If you’re a fan of the team, you don’t want the Seahawks organization to be viewed as cheap. You want current players and potential free agents to feel like this is a place where players are treated well and given every opportunity to succeed.
A look at the backup against a lot of Rams backups might make sense if Howell had lit up the Packers. Instead, he went five of 14 and looked out of place. Maybe there’s more in there, but let the Seahawks figure that one out during the offseason. If he was better than Smith, he would have played this season. Macdonald and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb have played who they believe is the best guy — Smith.
Does Smith “deserve” the money?
That’s debatable.
But, he’s been on the team for six seasons now. He was underpaid in 2022. Though his play has been uneven at times, he’s done enough to earn the trust of the organization. Time will tell if this will be Smith’s final game with the franchise. Or if he’ll play under the final year of his deal. Or if he’ll sign an extension to reduce the 2025 cap number while Seattle tries to find the next guy. It’s likely, though, that his teammates are rooting for him to get paid. If they believe he deserves it, then he deserves it.
Should the Seahawks make reaching the incentives a priority?
Yes.
First, one of them is winning a 10th game. They should certainly try to win the game. While a win accomplishes nothing for this season, it brings a good feeling for next year. It’s a team that was a couple of plays away from being 12-5. It’s a first-year head coach and offensive coordinator who can make a few changes and be a real threat next season with a few additions to the roster.
Losing is never good for a franchise. Not when you’re talking about drafting in the middle anyway. As far as the other incentives go, if Geno Smith can’t pass for 186 yards against backups, the team will lose anyway. The completion percentage incentive could be an interesting one. Smith sits at 70.2 percent and will earn another $2 million if he finishes above 69.9 percent. Does Smith take a sack rather than throw the ball out of bounds? Some might argue that he’s been doing that all season.
“As far as milestones and stuff, I kind of let those things just take care of themselves,” Smith said. “I got to go out there and play football, do the right thing no matter what happens. Obviously, like I said, yeah, you want to hit those, you want to achieve all the things you can achieve but well within the respects of the game — so just going out there and playing football. Obviously, it’s going to be on your mind. You know about it, but you try not to think about it. You just go out there and do the right thing and let the chips fall where they may.”
In short, root for a win. Root for Smith’s $6 million. What else is there to root for today?
The pick: Seahawks 31, Rams 27
Categorized:Seahawks
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