Geno Smith, Seahawks Alive and Well in NFC West Race After 20-17 Win vs. 49ers

Cool under pressure, even against a rival who has had his number, Geno Smith may have saved the Seahawks season with his latest late game theatrics.

Nov 17, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) celebrates after scoring a rushing touchdown past San Francisco 49ers cornerback Isaac Yiadom (22) to win the game in the fourth quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images / David Gonzales-Imagn Images

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - With under three minutes to play and only one timeout remaining while trailing 17-13 on the scoreboard, Geno Smith easily could have folded under the weight of tremendous late-game pressure given his winless record against the San Francisco 49ers as starting quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks.

But as Smith took the field, the resilient veteran quarterback couldn't have been any more comfortable and in control during the heat of the moment. Not sweating his past failures against Seattle's most hated NFC West rival, which had won each of the past six matchups between the two teams, he entered the huddle with a smile on his face, ready to seize the moment in the clutch as he has done as much as any quarterback in the NFL over the past two seasons.

Playing with the poise and unflappable resolve that has endeared him to coaches and teammates alike since he replaced Russell Wilson under center three years ago, all while rebounding from an ugly interception thrown earlier in the second half, Smith calmly marched the Seahawks 80 yards on 11 plays. Using both his arms and legs to finish off the comeback, with nothing but green in front of him, he sprinted for the pylon on a 13-yard touchdown to help his team finally beat the 49ers in a thrilling 20-17 road victory.

"I just kind of felt like angels in the outfield, like somebody's rubbing my shoulders the whole time," Smith told reporters after the game. "I just felt like there was no pressure. I think the perspective that I've gained over my career has allowed me to play that way. Whenever there is a moment or a mistake that's made, I never really get too down on myself and I also don't get too high when good things happen. I think as long as you stay even keeled throughout the process, things work out better that way."

Statistically, Smith had far from his best game on Sunday with just 221 passing yards and no passing touchdowns, and as the quarterback acknowledged after the game, he made a key mistake when he overthrew Jaxon Smith-Njigba early in the third quarter and Isaac Yiadom intercepted him deep in Seattle territory. That poor decision mirrored many of the miscues made by the quarterback in previous contests against San Francisco, including two picks thrown in a loss at Lumen Field five weeks earlier.

But with the game on the line after the Seahawks' defense managed to force a punt at midfield, Smith shrugged off that previous blunder, ready to make magic happen in a hostile environment. Getting the drive off to a fast start out of the gate, he fired a bullet to DK Metcalf on an out route for an 11-yard gain and a first down that stood after instant replay review, and two plays later, he connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for an eight-yard gain on 3rd and 5 to move the chains again.

Staying sharp on money downs, Smith again hooked up with Smith-Njigba for a 15-yard gain after stepping up in the pocket to his right to evade pressure off the edge, converting on a 3rd and 3 opportunity. Even after Leonard Floyd sacked him for a three-yard loss on the next play and the clock continued to tick closer to triple zeroes, he stayed composed, reading man coverage and opting to tuck and run on the ensuing snap for a 16-yard run, sliding just after passing the line to gain before Seattle called its final timeout.

With the 49ers aggressively rushing upfield again on 2nd and 2 two plays later with the clock running, Smith took advantage of ample space in front of him, taking off and outrunning multiple defenders to the left front corner of the end zone for six points, putting the Seahawks back in front with just 12 seconds left to play for what became his league-high seventh game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime over the past two years.

"I felt like they were playing a lot of coverage there, rushing four, and they were dropping back pretty deep," Smith explained. "I felt like if I could escape that they were running some TE [tackle/end] games from twist. I knew the contain wouldn't be great and if I could find a lane somewhere in there, I could get out there and make some plays with my legs. I got in there and ade a few scramble throws as well. In those moments, I just know to play with instinct and try to do the best thing."

Overall, Smith completed seven out of eight passes for 54 yards on Seattle's game-clinching drive, including four completions to Smith-Njigba, who has become his go-to target with the game hanging in the balance. He also rushed for 29 yards on two carries, taking full advantage of the space granted to him with San Francisco losing pass rush lane integrity.

While Smith called the victory over the 49ers "just one game" and tried to downplay the significance of beating Seattle's top rival for the first time compared to other opponents, this win undoubtedly took a massive weight off of his shoulders and should silence critics who didn't think he could win the big game.

Calling the rematch personal earlier in the week, Smith fired a fastball into the the tunnel after crossing the goal line on his game-winning touchdown run, admitting pure adrenaline took over in the moment of euphoria. Losing each of his first five starts against the 49ers, even if he wants to dispel the narrative that he got the monkey off his back, his emotions alone signified just how monumental this victory was for him and his teammates after coming up short every time for the past three years.

Whether Smith wants to admit it or not, the monkey is off his back, and thinking big picture, Sunday's win has the potential to save a season that looked to be heading nowhere only two weeks ago. Following five losses in their past six games, the Seahawks somehow now sit just half a game behind the Cardinals in the NFC West standings after beating the 49ers to climb back to the .500 mark, and the two teams will be battling for first place at Lumen Field next weekend.

If Seattle manages to go on a run in the next seven weeks to win the division and/or earn a playoff spot, finally defeating San Francisco behind Smith's clutch performance could be viewed as the turning point in a season that has been anything but a smooth ride under first-year coach Mike Macdonald so far. For now, staying as poised behind the podium as he was on the final drive, the quarterback isn't getting the horse ahead of the wagon, simply saying the team controls their own destiny after a much-needed win.

"That's the best part. We get to determine what our season's going to be. The 49ers are a great team, hats off to them. Much respect to those guys, they have great players, but we do too. I think we just have to keep working and I think things will be alright."

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