Seahawks QB Geno Smith's Expectations Fizzled After Rams Loss?

The Seattle Seahawks kicked off the new season on Sunday against the division rival Los Angeles Rams - and laid an egg.

The Seattle Seahawks kicked off the new season on Sunday against the division rival Los Angeles Rams - and laid an egg. After a successful season that saw a 9-8 record and a playoff appearance, the team is supposed poised to improve behind starting quarterback Geno Smith.

Wideouts Quandre Diggs and D.K. Metcalf completely lost their heads with personal foul calls, while the offense was booed off the field at home.

“A very difficult day to take for the opener and everybody’s expectations,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Monday. “Nobody’s were higher than ours, but everybody’s expectations were dashed a bit to get this thing started.”

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To make matters worse, the loss was at home, against a division rival that is expected to be near the bottom not just of the NFC West, but of the entire league. Sunday marks the worst home loss for Seattle in six seasons, and one of the worst in Carroll's time at the helm.

Smith didn't look like a quarterback who just earned a shiny new contract, completing just 16-of-26 passes for 112 yards. He posted a QBR of 44.4 and a quarterback rating of 84.1.

“It just looked like they were playing harder and that’s why they won,” Smith said after the game.

Thankfully it's just one game. The offense - which posted just 12 yards and one first down in the second half - clearly isn't as bad as it looked. Injuries to both starting offensive tackles obviously had an effect on the team.

What's not broken? Linebacker Bobby Smith, who, entering his 12th season, played every defensive snap and posted 19 tackles - just one off his career high of 20. The Seahawks most likely won't post another performance like this one again this season. But if they do, things are worse than everyone thought.