Seahawks Move 'From Hunter to Hunted' - QB Geno Smith

The Seahawks have become a team with a target on their back, according to Geno Smith.

The Seattle Seahawks have to some degree taken the NFL world by storm, with their 6-5 record good for second in the NFC West ... but placing them just outside of the NFC playoff picture. 

The Seahawks were widely expected to handle a struggling Las Vegas Raiders team with relative ease. Instead they dropped an overtime stunner 40-36, with Raiders running back Josh Jacobs calling "game'' on his 86-yard touchdown run. 

While the Seahawks would love to have that game back, quarterback Geno Smith believes that despite the loss, it shows a change in how the Seahawks are being viewed by the league. 

"Reality is that we're going from the hunter to the hunted," Smith said. "People want to play us. As a young team, we've got to learn to be able to go out there and win those games." 

Of course, while being the team people look forward to beating is a good feeling, Smith acknowledged that now what matters is winning those games to show why they're the "hunted" team. 

"That's our next step in the evolution as a really young team," Smith said. "We got to understand the moment, capture the moments, take advantage ... I feel like we had plenty of opportunities to go out there and win that game, finish it late, and we just didn't get it done."

The season, while far from over, is down to the final stretch. Sure, the Seahawks could just go with the "happy to be here" approach and shrug off whatever happens, but why should they?

They've shown they can win big games, and are well ahead of schedule. If they can now win games where they have a target on their back ... starting this week against the depleted Rams ... then they will have taken that next step, and could be a dangerous team in the playoffs should they make it. ... and should they go on the "hunt.''

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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