Two weeks into the season, there’s an undefeated team atop the NFC West and it’s not the 49ers. After a gutty overtime win at New England on Sunday, Geno Smith and Mike Macdonald have the Seattle Seahawks off to one of their best starts since winning the Super Bowl in 2013.
“We knew the game was going to come down to the fourth quarter. Didn’t expect to come down to fifth quarter, but whatever it takes,” said head coach Mike Macdonald after the game, courtesy of Seahawks.com. “Just proud of the fight, the resiliency, just the confidence, the support, the togetherness of our football team.”
That football team won without starting running back Kenneth Walker, out with an abdominal injury, but they got clutch performances from quarterback Geno Smith and two explosive targets, DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
After Tyrell Dodson and Jarran Reed stuffed Rhamondre Stevenson on third-and-1 on New England’s first overtime series, Smith drove Seattle 71 yards in nine plays to set up Jason Myers’ game-ending, 31-yard field goal. Smith dissected the Patriots’ defense on the march, completing four of five attempts, including a 16-yard strike to Tyler Lockett to pierce field-goal range. Filling in for Walker, Zach
Charbonnet had just 38 yards on 14 carries but his two longest carries came on that final drive, a crucial 7-yard run to convert a third-and-6 and a 9-yard gash inside the red zone just prior to Myers’ kick.
Smith-Njigba posted career bests in both catches (12) and receiving yards (117). He and Metcalf (10 receptions, 129 yards) became the first pair in franchise history with 10-plus catches and 100-plus yards. Metcalf, who also hauled in a 56-yard touchdown to knot the game in the first quarter, was impressed with Smith-Njigba.
“He was unbelievable,” Metcalf said. “I mean every time they seemed to be throwing the ball, he was catching it. But he’s also a hard worker, a special player, a special young player that’s about to take over the league in my opinion.”
He couldn’t take over the league, though, without his quarterback. Smith, who passed for 327 yards, was more than prepared to secure the win in overtime in his first start at New England in 10 years.
“Whenever I’m in this situation and the game is on the line,” Smith said, “I’m so happy and just excited for those opportunities. I look forward to them, actually. I know it’s going to happen more and more times throughout the season. The best quarterbacks always find ways to win. I want to be regarded in that light, so I just want to continue to be there for my team, do what’s right, make the plays when they come.”
They’ve come often for Smith, who led the Seahawks on a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime for the ninth time since he became Seattle’s starting quarterback in 2022. On his final two drives Sunday, needing points on each possession, Smith was 9 of 11 for 75 yards.
Next week at home against Miami, Seattle can advance to 3-0 for just the third time this century (also 2013 and 2020).