Seahawks-Titans: Game result, score, playoff picture

Seahawks-Titans, As I Sea Week 16: Seaside Joe 1757

Geno Smith was under more pressure to play well and win this week than he’s been under since his debut game as the Seahawks new starter to open the 2022 season against the Broncos. Then, he had to follow a potential Hall of Fame career after the Russell Wilson trade. Now, he had to follow Drew Lock’s game-winning, playoff-saving touchdown pass to beat the Eagles. Lose, and fans question Pete Carroll’s decision to go back to Geno. Win, and you survive Week 16 to make it to the Steelers with another game that matters.

Not only did the Seahawks beat the Titans, Geno Smith also had to match Lock’s last-minute touchdown pass to make sure there was no potential comparison left unturned.

The Seattle Seahawks are 8-7 and if they win their last two games, they will be in the playoffs. For the 11th time in Carroll’s 14-year tenure.

I made a comment this week that I would gladly take a non-thrilling win by Seattle. That wasn’t the case, but thankfully they got the “win” part right.

Similar to Monday’s win, the Seahawks put fans in the pressure cooker for three quarters and waited until the end to start scoring touchdowns. I know that you don’t win games in the first quarter, Pete. But could you at least try to sometimes?

After trailing 10-3 at halftime and 10-6 at the end of the third quarter, Seattle had a repeat of the win over the Eagles by keeping the game close enough with timely defensive plays and honestly a little bit of help from penalties by the other team. When the Seahawks don’t step on their own toes, good things can happen.

Seattle started their first drive of the fourth quarter at their own 5 and immediately got a 20-yard explosive play to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, then overcame a false start with back-to-back first down penalties by Tennessee. Geno and Ken Walker traded off plays until Smith went back to the Seahawks best all-around weapon recently, hitting DK Metcalf for an 11-yard touchdown to give Seattle their first lead of the game.

Then there was another nightmare defensive series that took almost 9 minutes off of the clock and ended in a touchdown; it was fortunate that Derrick Henry scored on first-and-goal from the 2 because the Titans could have run another two minutes off or forced the Seahawks to use their timeouts.

With Lock watching from the sidelines and every fan keenly aware of what he did in the same situation six days ago, Geno had as good of a fourth quarter drive as he’s ever had as the Seahawks starter. Seattle converted third-and-6 on a pass to Tyler Lockett, then third-and-14 on an 18-yard connection to JSN. But the closer the Seahawks got to the end zone, the more stress on everyone—Geno, Pete, fans—to not let another drive stall where it mattered most. The Seahawks couldn’t settle for a field goal this time.

They wouldn’t even have to get to fourth down.

On third-and-5, Geno put it right where Colby Parkinson needed it and the Seahawks went up 20-17 with less than a minute remaining. It was only the second tight end touchdown all year by Seattle, and the first time the score happened in the red zone.

The game ended on Riq Woolen having what Pete said after the game was “the best tackle of his career”, pushing the Titans receiver out of bounds going the wrong way to guarantee the clock would run out.

The Seahawks are 8-7 and can guarantee a playoff spot by winning their last two game. The Steelers are coming off of a blowout win over a Bengals team that most consider to be pretty good. A not-thrilling win may not be in the cards next week, but I’ll take score results like Sunday’s any way that Seattle can get it.

Geno Smith

As I sea it, a very typical game for Geno Smith. Ups and downs and the Seahawks squeak by a team that’s not having a very good season. Geno finished 25-of-36 for 227 yards and two important touchdowns. He did not do a good job of throwing those corner end zone passes, nearly getting Smith-Njigba hurt on the first one and not really giving his receivers opportunities to catch those throws. He needs to find touch on those throws.

Luckily he did everything right in the fourth quarter.

Ken Walker

As I sea it, the box score won’t do Walker justice today. A hard fought 54 yards on 16 carries.

Offensive Line

As I sea it, there’s probably some concern that Charles Cross is getting beat by Arden Key, even if Key did jump early now and again. Cross is a top-10 left tackle pick, so I’m going to be harder on him than if he was a veteran stopgap or being asked to do too much. The game only just ended so take my criticism with a grain of salt, but I would say both him and Abe Lucas want to have some plays back.

All the more reason to me to think that the Seahawks may draft an offensive tackle next year, giving themselves more options if someone gets hurt or needs to be moved inside. What do you think of Cross’s career so far?

Six sacks

As I sea it, the Seahawks would be lucky to have defensive days like today, but you do need to grade on a curve. Boye Mafe had two sacks (nine on the year), Jarran Reed, Bobby Wagner, Dre’Mont Jones, and Mario Edwards each had one. Leonard Williams had some assists in there and in our chat, I know that Cameron Young got a shout out. Jordyn Brooks left the game early and Devin Bush had six tackles.

The Seahawks know that they have Reed, Mafe, Jones, and Young coming back next year. They should re-sign Williams and they probably could re-sign Edwards with a little effort. They’ll also be getting back Uchenna Nwosu, hopefully.

So a lot of pieces are in place and Seattle was already short-handed (Devon Witherspoon and Jamal Adams didn’t play, although who know what role Adams even has anymore), but the Titans offense is on a curve. Ryan Tannehill isn’t playing at a high level, DeAndre Hopkins is the only real pass catching threat, and the Seahawks are probably lucky that Henry didn’t get more rushing attempts.

All in all though, Seattle’s defense did the job they had to do. Going on the road and holding the Titans to 17 points at home and doing so without Witherspoon or Brooks.

Vikings lose

The Vikings lost to the Lions and fell to 7-8. That means that wild card teams are now 10-4 (Cowboys, playing Dolphins as I write), and the 8-7 Rams and Seahawks. Every other NFC team below Seattle and L.A. is 7-8 or worse. So if the Seahawks beat the Steelers and Cardinals, they’re in.

Next Week:

Falcons at Bears (root for Bears)

Rams at Giants (root for Giants)

Cardinals at Eagles

Lions at Cowboys

Saints at Bucs (root for Bucs, I think)

Packers at Vikings

If the Seahawks beat the Steelers they will be 9-7. Either the Packers or Vikings will be 8-8, unless there is a tie, which might be ideal? All Seattle can do is win. Thrilling or boring, winning cures all.

Thanks for reading Seaside Joe, even when it’s the holidays. I’ll be back on Christmas, join me in the Regular Joes club if you haven’t already.