At the center of their fall to the bottom of the NFC, the Seahawks rank 25th in scoring offense in large part due to their inability to sustain drives thanks to poor performance on third down. What has been behind these season-long struggles?
www.si.com
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There's not a quarterback controversy in Seattle, but it is worth noting that backup Geno Smith performed much more efficiently on third down in four games played, including three starts replacing Wilson. Along with posting a completion rate nearly 30 points higher, he completed eight passes for first downs, only two less than his counterpart on 15 less attempts. He also threw for a slightly higher 6.3 yards per attempt and a passer rating close to 23 points better.
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That fitted my eyeball test, just felt the offense was moving smoother with Geno, smoother, but also lacking a bit of entertainment value. Geno's plays won't make highlight reels, Russ's would. Converting a 5yards 3rd down pass won't wow any media talking heads, a 30 yards pass thrown from 20 yards behind line of scrimmage due to Houdini act guarantees media attention.