I don't disagree with the rest of what you're saying, but I'm not buying this narrative at all.
Geno looked decent when he came into the Rams game after Wilson's injury, but with the game on the line at the end, turned the ball over to lose it. He didn't look good against the Steelers or the Saints. And between those 3 games with a chance to win it in the 4th quarter he managed an interception, a fumble and a turn over on downs. He then finally got a win against the worst team in the league.
Especially if Wilson had already decided that he was done in Seattle (which I think was likely by that point), what possible motivation could Wilson have had to rush himself back from an injury? Playing through pain, risking re-injury, putting up sub-par stats compared to his typical standard of play for at least a few weeks. Somehow that was supposed to help his own stock by keeping Geno Smith off the field? If he wanted to make himself look good, he could have let the Hawks keep losing games with Geno running the show instead of losing games himself.
he threw the pick against the rams because tripped and fell. The ball was thrown excatly to where Tyler would have been. Against the Steelers, Watt was a wrecking ball and destroyed whoever he lined up against. Geno executed the plan he was given, which was overly conservative to limit the chances he might be rusty and amplify whatever sruggles the team was already having. his fumble to close the game is a fumble any QB would have had in that situation, getting hacked by a defender you dont feel coming.
And how many other qbs playing agaiinst the Jags had the kind of performance Geno had that game??
Answer - none. Certainly not the almighty Josh Allen who looked like a 2nd stringer against them the following week.
Its not a narrative to buy really. Its the fact of what happened and has dribbled out here and there over the years and been crystalized now in Russ's own actions. the offense loved TJack for who he was, his toughness and leadership, Fact. That same praise has Rarely been given Russ by his teammates over the years. Fact. The difference of opinion between Russ and his backup was stark. The best thing his #1 wr ADB had to say about him is that he had 'untapped potential'. He played with the guy for years and the best thing he can say when prompted is that he can get better?? meanwhile, when discussing Andrew Luck, he called him the best QB he ever played with. Umm...
Tate never mentioned him when asked about the best QBs he played with
DK seemed to be all team Russ after his rookie season, but then nothing overwhelmingly positive about the guy when he left and reserved his thanks to B Wags for his leadership. Seems he was caught up in the image and story RUSS created aroung not coooking anymore, until DK played another season and saw for himself why the system was flawed. When asked what the difference was late in the seaosn last year, contrary to his position when Russ was buddying him up the year before... that it was the running game wrecking things that made the passing game work.
Tyler? also his number 1 target ... relatively quiet considering the magnitude of who Russ was here.
And that says nothing about the team in hits prime years when stories would come out about how Russ was sheltered, favored, a little phony...
Not bringing in Kaep 5 years ago because it threatened Russ isnt a narrative. It was stated as such.
Russ is who he's shown himself to be through the years in leaked occurrences and opinions of his teammates and his own actions on camera and off.