Geno Smith played a lights-out 2022 that made me want to root for him in 2023. Unfortunately, he reverted to the mean this year. That stat he produced - I forget where I read it - where he led the league in turnover-worthy QB plays last year and just got extremely lucky that they kept getting dropped - has officially bitten him in the hindquarters in 2023. It's why I stayed away from Seattle offensive players in my fantasy leagues this year despite my hopes for Geno. And with his increasing age and a contract coming up, it's hard to see him as the QBOTF.
Pete and Waldron are the ones getting the blame. But they're also getting calls for their heads - before being given a shot at another QB1.
No head coach plays in February without a legit QB in this league. Even Bill Belichick has been revealed to be little more than an empty hoodie without an elite signal-caller on his roster (to say nothing of Josh McDaniels). I'm just one of those guys who sees QB play as the only really relevant factor. The rules changes in the last 20 years have made it so.
Geno is elite in flashes. It isn't enough, though I hate to admit it because his attitude change and comeback story were a great example for the league and deserved better.
But why give Pete his walking papers over Geno ?
I would never claim head coaching doesn't matter at all. Sean Payton is turning the Broncos from a bottom-dweller into a surprise upset-generator (beating both the Chiefs and the Bills). The Raiders are playing inspired football with Antonio Pierce taking over as their new front guy midseason. Under DeMeco Ryans, CJ Stroud and Devin Singletary are taking the offense into the limelight; they've won three straight and aren't likely to lose to the Jags this week.
Seattle's teams have always overachieved with Pete at the helm. This is something I'm NOT willing to pin on just the QB, Russell Wilson though he may have been. It would not seem Geno will be the guy under him, but our defense and WR corps have been littered with mediocre guys who overachieved, from Thomas Rawls to Bradley McDougal to Marquise Goodwin to Poona Ford. They've stayed in games, fought until the end. Ask anyone and that's his legacy.
Additionally, this is a good environment for a rookie QB to enter. Pete and John have killed the last two drafts. We've got a good OL (somewhere), a ton of weapons on offense, and multiple superstars on defense. And we'll have a bridge QB either way if the rookie needs to sit. The picture isn't complete, but we're far from the 2010 Rams.
Unless you're a Will Levis truther, this isn't the right situation to fire Pete. I'd be more sympathetic to that mantra without the last two excellent draft hauls. But this could also be a Belichick/Coughlin situation (minus the same veteran QB) - yeah there's a lapse for a few years, but the right players in the building plan bring it back.
Don't get so desperate for change that you root for what turns out to be the next McDaniels. Our biases have a tendency to view the unknown as good. Typically, it doesn't turn out that way. I say give him his shot to find a new QBOTF.
