The Seattle Seahawks' playoff hopes took a significant hit on Sunday night, as they fell to the Green Bay Packers 30-13. However, the loss was made even more concerning by an injury to starting quarterback Geno Smith, whose status for next week's game against the Minnesota Vikings is uncertain.
Smith went down midway through the third quarter after taking a low hit from Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. The hit, which occurred as Smith attempted an incomplete pass, caused his knee to hyperextend when his right cleat got caught in the turf. Smith was visibly frustrated by the hit, which went unflagged, and limped off the field before collapsing on his back in pain. He was immediately examined in the medical tent and later limped into the locker room. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said after the game that Smith’s knee appeared structurally intact, but further tests would be needed.
“It looks like his knee is structurally OK, but we’ll get it imaged tomorrow and go from there,” Macdonald said following the loss. “He’s one of the toughest players I’ve been around, and it was severe enough that he couldn’t come back into the game. We’ll keep evaluating him.”
Despite the injury, Smith tried to return to the field in the fourth quarter. He was seen on the sideline with his helmet on and appeared ready to play, but ultimately he couldn’t go back in.
“Geno wanted to return, but he just couldn’t go,” Macdonald said.
In Smith's absence, backup quarterback Sam Howell struggled in relief. Howell completed just 5 of 14 passes for 24 yards and threw an interception. He was also sacked four times and pressured on more than half of his dropbacks.
“It wasn’t good enough to win,” Macdonald said of Howell’s performance. “We had trouble with timing, and the pass protection wasn’t there. They did a good job covering and rushing, and we just couldn’t get into a rhythm.”
Howell, who was traded from the Washington Commanders in the offseason after starting 17 games in 2023, had only seen limited action in 2024 before Sunday night. After taking over for Smith, Howell led the Seahawks on a field goal drive, bringing the score to 20-6. He also guided another touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to cut the Packers’ lead to 10 points. However, Howell’s other five possessions resulted in four punts and an interception, as the Packers defense held firm in the second half.
“I’ve got to be better,” Howell said after the game. “My job is to be ready when called upon and help the team win, but I didn’t do that today. I’ll watch the film, learn from it, and improve.”
The Seahawks also suffered another blow on offense when center Olu Oluwatimi was forced to leave the game in the first half due to a knee and quad injury. Macdonald said he wasn’t sure of the severity but confirmed that Oluwatimi would not return. Seattle's offensive line struggled mightily against Green Bay, allowing seven sacks and 12 quarterback hits — a stark contrast to the solid protection they provided in a win over the Arizona Cardinals the previous week.
Howell acknowledged that the quarterback’s job includes getting rid of the ball faster to avoid sacks.
“Quarterbacks are responsible for sacks,” he said. “I’ve got to hit the checkdowns quicker and get the ball out before the pressure gets to me.”
Before his injury, Smith had been efficient, completing 15 of 19 passes for 149 yards, though he did throw his 13th interception of the season. On the play that resulted in the turnover, Smith was under heavy pressure and threw off his back foot while trying to connect on a pass in the end zone.
"I haven’t talked to him about that play yet, but our whole team didn’t play well enough to win,” Macdonald said. “We all have to learn from this and keep moving forward."
The loss drops the Seahawks to 8-6 on the season. They had been riding a four-game winning streak before Sunday’s defeat, which, combined with the Rams' victory earlier in the week, has resulted in a tie for first place in the NFC West. The Rams now hold the tiebreaker, and the two teams will meet in Week 18 in Los Angeles.
The Seahawks' playoff position is also in jeopardy, as their loss to the Packers now leaves them one game behind the Washington Commanders for the final NFC Wild Card spot, with Washington holding a tiebreaker advantage.
"We have Sam for situations like this, and we have faith in him," Macdonald said. “He’s a great player, and if he gets another chance, he’ll step up.”
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