An unfortunate hit led to quarterback Geno Smith’s exit during the Seattle Seahawks’ 30-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, raising concerns about his health and the team’s playoff prospects.
Smith left the game midway through the third quarter due to a right knee injury, prompting the Seahawks to replace him with Sam Howell. The injury dashed Seattle’s hopes of a comeback and complicated their pursuit of the NFC West title, as they fell into a tie for first place with the Los Angeles Rams, who previously defeated the Seahawks and will host them in the season finale.
Smith is scheduled for scans on Monday to assess the severity of the injury. “It’s tough,” said linebacker Ernest Jones IV. “Geno’s the heartbeat of this offense, the heartbeat of this team and one of our leaders. So obviously, you don’t want to see him get hurt. But we’ve got confidence in Sam and the guys behind him. I pray everything is OK with Geno, but we’ve got to be ready to go.”
The injury occurred when linebacker Edgerrin Cooper delivered a low hit, rolling over Smith’s leg. After initially attempting to walk off the field, Smith fell, got back up, and limped to the sideline, where he threw his helmet in frustration before heading to the locker room with trainers.
Coach Mike Macdonald indicated that there did not appear to be any structural damage to Smith’s knee. He returned to the sideline with an ice pack secured by a bandage and was considered for a return until a late turnover made the game out of reach. Howell, acquired in a trade with Washington during the offseason, completed 5 of 14 passes for 24 yards with one interception and led a touchdown drive.
Before his injury, Smith was having a challenging night, throwing his fourth end-zone interception of the season, tying him for the NFL lead with the Browns’ Jameis Winston. He finished with 15 completions on 19 attempts for 149 yards, as the Seahawks trailed 20-6 when he left the game.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur expressed admiration for Smith, noting his impressive performance this season. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Geno, and just watching him through his career how he’s reinvented himself,” LaFleur said. “He’s playing really good football — you’re not the second-ranked passing leader in this game for no reason.”
Howell stated he is prepared to step in if needed when the Seahawks host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday. “I prepare every week like I’m going to start,” Howell said. “If I am playing, getting those reps in practice will be important, and having the whole week to get ready will be a big thing. I’ve got to make sure I’m doing the right things to prepare myself for Sunday.”
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