Does Geno Smith Need Seahawks' OTs Healthy to Have Success?

It is yet to be seen whether or not Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith can find sustained success without a healthy offensive line.

Few passers are more dangerous than Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith when he has something to prove. Last season, Seattle shocked the football world, taking down the highly-anticipated Denver Broncos and eventually making the playoffs.

They did so largely off the back of Smith, who was overlooked as the bridge to the Seahawks’ next young quarterback. Instead, he led the league in completion percentage (69.8 percent) and threw for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns.

However, he struggled down the stretch. When rookie offensive tackle Abraham Lucas missed some time in Week 16 and 17 last season, Smith’s expected points added per play dipped to -0.125. The late-season trip up didn’t end Seattle’s season, but it has opened the door for some questions early in the 2023 campaign.

As a Seahawk, there’s been a distinct connection between the offensive line’s performance and Smith’s success.

Seattle's pass protection did surprisingly well in the third matchup with the 49ers and really recovered once Abe Lucas (who really has a case for Offensive ROY) returned from injury for the final two games.

The Seahawks finished the season at No. 21 in pass block grade pic.twitter.com/7SHScFOb2I

— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) January 17, 2023

Lucas (knee) and fellow starting tackle Charles Cross (toe) likely won’t be playing against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Seahawks need an encore from Smith’s explosive start to 2022.

Head coach Pete Carroll spoke about newly-signed veteran tackle Jason Peters on Friday. His urgency signals some level of concern for the offense.

“We gotta see how he is,” Carroll said. “You would think you’d give him a couple of weeks to get ready to go. I don’t know if we can afford to do that.”

USA TODAY

It’s no coincidence Smith struggled when his offensive line deteriorated—for many quarterbacks, that correlation is a fact of life. In last week’s 30-13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Smith managed just 112 yards on 26 pass attempts. As a whole, the offense gained 12 yards in the game’s final 30 minutes.

Seattle now returns to Detroit, where it won a shootout last year, 48-45. Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson has taken a leap as a pass rusher since the Week 4 contest, but there’s reason to believe the Lions’ defense is still suspect.

With the triumphant trio of receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njibga, Seattle maintains matchup advantages in the passing game. There are avenues to success, especially if Smith maintains his ball placement prowess from last season, when he led the NFL in completion percentage over expected.

The Seahawks, in all likelihood, won’t be historically bad for a second consecutive Sunday. Yet, the path back to the NFC playoffs demands Smith rebounds, regardless of who’s protecting his blindside.