Why Is Geno Standing Around In The Pocket?

[AROS]

KJ Wright:

“He has the ball in his hands, he’s the decision-maker and he’s not executing. He’s not executing at a high level. He’s not the same guy we saw last year. He’s looking hesitant, he’s looking confused.”

What gives? He hikes the ball and stands back there like he has all day to survey the field.

Um, ya don't.

Quarterback Geno Smith’s numbers have taken a dip during this recent stretch, and for the season in general. After leading the NFL in completion percentage and tossing 30 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, Smith has 12 touchdowns to eight interceptions through 11 games this year.

I know the Anti-Geno crowd is going to use this to say "Told ya so!" but that's too elementary. There's more to the story here. Why isn't Geno trusting his initial reads? Or the first 15 scripted plays he still looks lost.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, including the coaches or the players seem to have an answer. Do you?

 

[Ozzy]

I would argue this proves its not all Waldron either though.

I'm not sure what the answer is honestly. He just seems hesitant for some reason.

 

[AROS]

Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard asked Wright to tell him about Smith’s game through his “linebacker eyes.”

“If I’m playing linebacker against Geno Smith, what I’m seeing is someone that’s second-guessing themselves, someone that’s not as confident in the game plan. And I’m looking at someone that if I just put some pressure on him, he’ll retreat backwards for some strange reason, so let’s make sure we take away DK Metcalf make someone else beat us. And if I’m facing this Seahawks offense, I’m pretty happy as a linebacker because I know they won’t stay committed to the run, I know they won’t utilize any of their tight ends and it’s not going to be a complex run game, so I’m having a field day if I’m a linebacker.”

 

[hgwellz12]

Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard asked Wright to tell him about Smith’s game through his “linebacker eyes.”

“If I’m playing linebacker against Geno Smith, what I’m seeing is someone that’s second-guessing themselves, someone that’s not as confident in the game plan. And I’m looking at someone that if I just put some pressure on him, he’ll retreat backwards for some strange reason, so let’s make sure we take away DK Metcalf make someone else beat us. And if I’m facing this Seahawks offense, I’m pretty happy as a linebacker because I know they won’t stay committed to the run, I know they won’t utilize any of their tight ends and it’s not going to be a complex run game, so I’m having a field day if I’m a linebacker.”

That's not cool

 

[CalgaryFan05]

KJ Wright:

“He has the ball in his hands, he’s the decision-maker and he’s not executing. He’s not executing at a high level. He’s not the same guy we saw last year. He’s looking hesitant, he’s looking confused.”

What gives? He hikes the ball and stands back there like he has all day to survey the field.

Um, ya don't.

Quarterback Geno Smith’s numbers have taken a dip during this recent stretch, and for the season in general. After leading the NFL in completion percentage and tossing 30 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, Smith has 12 touchdowns to eight interceptions through 11 games this year.

I know the Anti-Geno crowd is going to use this to say "Told ya so!" but that's too elementary. There's more to the story here. Why isn't Geno trusting his initial reads? Or the first 15 scripted plays he still looks lost.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, including the coaches or the players seem to have an answer. Do you?

I dunno. He reminds me of when Russ (or someone attempted to turn Russ) into a pocket passer.

He's just stopped trusting his gut, and he's stopped running. I don't have the stats - but I've mentioned several times that there have been ALOT of pretty obvious situations where he should have kept it and ran, and didn't (this season).

There's been a bunch of times that even when 'forced' to run, again, he treats the LOS as kryptonite - I watched him actually do a 'skip stop' typea thing as he approached the line, and then just dump it off stupidly when there was yards there.

Someone, perhaps him, had told him that he should just hang in the pocket and not run. I don't know why - but that's what it seems like to me. And, since he's gotten one dimensional - well - any kind of pass pressure is gonna make him do stupid things, 'cause the only answer he's got is 'pass the ball' - no matter how stupid or small the window might be.

When the only tool you got is a hammer, every problem starts looking a whole bunch like a nail.

Just my .02.

 

[Wheetie]

My take may be oversimplified...he got paid. Beyond the humble and team first shtick, he's still human and now the fire has lessened. He's backing up in the pocket to preserve himself, he's not running as much to preserve himself. I dunno, just my take.

 

[AK49Hawk]

How many OL combinations have we had this year?

 

[James in PA]

That indecisiveness and taking sacks pisses me off more than anything. It was the reason I was so happy to see Me3 go. Now Geno is doing it. On 4th down is when it really looks brilliant. SMH

 

[Biscanebay12]

Geno can't process, he can't move and keep his eyes down field, so he doesn't, then when he gets outside the pocket he has to scan the field again. Again he can't process fast enough. The game is too fast for Geno.

Career backup, nuff said.

 

[scutterhawk]

To me? it looks like the continuity and trust went Kaput in game 1 injuries to his Bookend Tackles Geno has lost confidence in his O-Line.
Russ (back in the day) had basically the same issues with his O-Linemen, except Russ had the Wheels and athleticism to scramble & buy time to make plays, and too, it didn't hurt having a raging bull Marshawn Lynch keeping Defenses from having ONLY ONE person to Key on.
KJ is right in that he knows how Defenses will exploit any and all weaknesses of NOT JUST the Quarterbacks, but the entire health & tendencies of the entire O-Line, and they are NOT going to give you time to rest up, catch your breath & solve your in the ditch problems.
With this Banged up O-Line STILL in some disarray right now, there's just not many IF ANY Quarterbacks that could come in and Overcome.
I do believe that after this season is over, the Seahawks need to NOT screw around, they need to Draft a young Quarterback with some wheels to be mentored by Geno.
But that's just me.

 

[AROS]

Why aren't they calling more bootlegs?? Roll outs?? Get the hell out of the pocket man!!! The pocket is collapsing like a house of cards in a wind storm.

I. Just. Don't. Get. It.

 

[hawkfan68]

To me? it looks like the continuity and trust went Kaput in game 1 injuries to his Bookend Tackles Geno has lost confidence in his O-Line.
Russ (back in the day) had basically the same issues with his O-Linemen, except Russ had the Wheels and athleticism to scramble & buy time to make plays, and too, it didn't hurt having a raging bull Marshawn Lynch keeping Defenses from having ONLY ONE person to Key on.
KJ is right in that he knows how Defenses will exploit any and all weaknesses of NOT JUST the Quarterbacks, but the entire health & tendencies of the entire O-Line, and they are NOT going to give you time to rest up, catch your breath & solve your in the ditch problems.
With this Banged up O-Line STILL in some disarray right now, there's just not many IF ANY Quarterbacks that could come in and Overcome.
I do believe that after this season is over, the Seahawks need to NOT screw around, they need to Draft a young Quarterback with some wheels to be mentored by Geno.
But that's just me.

Good post. However, I’d rather not have Geno be a mentor to anyone with the way his career has been and how he’s been playing recently. Last season is looking like the outlier.

 

[Jerhawk]

My thoughts are two things:

1. We're not staying committed to the run. In order to let the QB be confident with the protection around him, you need to do something to slow down the pass rush. This team's unwillingness to utilize RB screens, traps and draws has always frustrated me.
On top of that, not having a consistent rushing attack makes play action essentially useless.
The Seahawks are 26th in the league in terms of rushing yards, and 30th in terms of rushing attempts. The only teams with fewer rushing attempts are the Jets and Bengals. This seems to go against everything coach Carroll preaches. And for being 6-5, I don't seen the predictable counter argument of "well they don't have a lead to preserve" to be relevant here.

2023 NFL Team Rushing Stats & NFL Team Rushing Leaders

View 2023 NFL Team Rushing stats, Team Rushing leaders & player Team Rushing statistics.

www.foxsports.com

2. Coach Carroll's montra of not turning the ball over may have a negative impact on Geno to let it rip and trust his gut, trust his pre snap reads. If the coach is getting on him for some early season interceptions, he may be going into self preservation and not willing to risk an interception.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

There's obviously a dichotomy between what Geno's saying, and what he's doing.

He's continually stood at podiums saying all the right things with a supreme air of confidence, but that's not what we're seeing on the field, and on film. He seems scared, confused and hesitant to make mistakes not trusting his reads.

All things you can't do or be as a good NFL QB.............and makes me wonder if that lack of confidence is internal, or is it something that's coming from not being confident in his playcallers and coaches being able to instill trust in what they're scheming and calling.

If I had to guess, it's far more about the latter than the former.

 

[keasley45]

Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard asked Wright to tell him about Smith’s game through his “linebacker eyes.”

“If I’m playing linebacker against Geno Smith, what I’m seeing is someone that’s second-guessing themselves, someone that’s not as confident in the game plan. And I’m looking at someone that if I just put some pressure on him, he’ll retreat backwards for some strange reason, so let’s make sure we take away DK Metcalf make someone else beat us. And if I’m facing this Seahawks offense, I’m pretty happy as a linebacker because I know they won’t stay committed to the run, I know they won’t utilize any of their tight ends and it’s not going to be a complex run game, so I’m having a field day if I’m a linebacker.”

Exactly. this gameplan literally makes geno a sitting duck. Passing 65% of the time / league lows in rushing... And i think hes been burned enough times by miscommmunications with WRs, poor routes and rookie mistakes that he second guesses himself too much. He never had the fastest release to begin with. Hes good at processing reads, but not elite, and i think he's put too much trust in Waldron (which is also part of his hesitency now).

He needs an OC to give him a solid plan. When the playcalling gives the offensive an advantage, he's a different player. Even when the playcalling is competent, he has the arm talent to make it better - he led the league last year in difficult throws. But if the plan sucks, he's not Russ. he's not gonna just make up a highlight on his own. Thats not him.

 

[ivotuk]

Former NFL quarterback Brock Huard asked Wright to tell him about Smith’s game through his “linebacker eyes.”

“If I’m playing linebacker against Geno Smith, what I’m seeing is someone that’s second-guessing themselves, someone that’s not as confident in the game plan. And I’m looking at someone that if I just put some pressure on him, he’ll retreat backwards for some strange reason, so let’s make sure we take away DK Metcalf make someone else beat us. And if I’m facing this Seahawks offense, I’m pretty happy as a linebacker because I know they won’t stay committed to the run, I know they won’t utilize any of their tight ends and it’s not going to be a complex run game, so I’m having a field day if I’m a linebacker.”

The highlighted parts explain it all...

 

[LTH]

KJ Wright:

“He has the ball in his hands, he’s the decision-maker and he’s not executing. He’s not executing at a high level. He’s not the same guy we saw last year. He’s looking hesitant, he’s looking confused.”

What gives? He hikes the ball and stands back there like he has all day to survey the field.

Um, ya don't.

Quarterback Geno Smith’s numbers have taken a dip during this recent stretch, and for the season in general. After leading the NFL in completion percentage and tossing 30 touchdowns to 11 interceptions, Smith has 12 touchdowns to eight interceptions through 11 games this year.

I know the Anti-Geno crowd is going to use this to say "Told ya so!" but that's too elementary. There's more to the story here. Why isn't Geno trusting his initial reads? Or the first 15 scripted plays he still looks lost.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, including the coaches or the players seem to have an answer. Do you?

I think it's because he doesn't have enough time and he is afraid to make a huge mistake.

Once the Seahawks get the run game going its going to help out Geno a bunch. What nobody is considering is the physicality of Lucas and Bradford and how that's going to affect the run game. It's HUGE!


LTH

 

[WarHawks]

He's looking for a sandwich? He dropped his contacts? He has jock itch and doesn't know how to scratch without embarrassing himself? Or he just doesn't know what to do because he's a mediocre qb.

So many possibilities...

 

[AROS]

Why aren't they calling more bootlegs?? Roll outs?? Get the hell out of the pocket man!!! The pocket is collapsing like a house of cards in a wind storm.

I. Just. Don't. Get. It.

I'm not usually one to quote my own post but it bares repeating. I get in theory why he's holding on to the ball, standing back there...What I don't get is why he doesn't appear to realize he has the physical ability to roll out of a collapsing pocket and make some plays on the run?

For his NFL age, he's still quite capable to use his feet effectively.

 

[WarHawks]

He really does need to run more. He's capable of it. Teams don't fear that from him, and if they did, it would open up passing windows for him.