Standing at the podium following last week's loss, Geno Smith was asked about the second interception he threw in the game, a fourth quarter pass intended for DK Metcalf that proved to be a key play in an eventual loss to the 49ers.
"It was an interception, man," Smith said last week. "We all saw it. Bad play by me."
As it turns out, Smith was being a leader and a good teammate in that moment, demonstrating just part of what makes him so respected in Seattle's locker room, but according to the intended target on the play, Smith wasn't at fault.
"Yeah, that was definitely my fault," Metcalf said. "I was drifting upfield, saw open space, trying to do too much and let the DB undercut the route when I should have been staying flat."
As Metcalf described, he initially had inside leverage on cornerback Renardo Green, but sensing an opportunity for a big play, Metcalf broke off his route and drifted deep. The problem was that, by the time Metcalf made that decision, Smith was already pulling the trigger on a throw towards where Metcalf's route was intended to go, giving Green an easy interception after undercutting Metcalf.
"We talked on the phone Sunday, and I told him that was my fault about drifting," Metcalf said. "It just goes back to practice habits. You've got to practice like every day is the last play, every play is you're down 7 or it's the fourth quarter and you got to make the catch. I think it's just me getting into that mentality during practice, so when I get in the game, there's no second thought about it. I know what to do, I've run around a thousand times, but in just that moment, just trying to do too much, just trying to go 80 yards in one play when we shouldn't have to."
The play was one of three turnovers this season, along with a pair of fumbles in losses to the Lions and Giants, that have marred an otherwise great start to the season for Metcalf. Through six games, Metcalf ranks fourth in the NFL with 469 receiving yards, and he has scored touchdowns of 56 and 71 yards. He would have had a 52-yard score last week as well if not for an illegal shift penalty on Kenneth Walker III, who motioned wide and just barely wasn't set before the snap, and was about an inch from a touchdown at the end of the first half, hauling in a grab in the back of the end zone and getting one foot down, and all but the toes of his other foot down in bounds. Metcalf also became the first pass-catcher in franchise history with three straight games of 100 or more receiving yards.
"I think he's off to a great start," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. "I don't know the numbers, but I know I feel him throughout the games. I'm sure he'd tell you there are some opportunities for him where he could be off to an even better start. He's on a role. He's a guy we believe in, he's going to be leading us, and his presence is felt out there for sure."
But Metcalf knows those big games can't also include turnovers. Twice he has fumbled fighting for extra yardage, then on Thursday he tried to make a route adjustment to create a big play, and in all three cases, opponents turned those turnovers into touchdowns. It's worth pointing out that Metcalf and Smith making on-the-fly adjustments produced a 71-yard touchdown against Miami, so there's upside to what he was trying to do last week, it just didn't work out this time because Smith wasn't on the same page. And as Metcalf sees it, those mistakes have to go away in order to help his team win.
"The biggest thing for me is, we've got to win games," he said. "That's why I'm here, that's why I like playing football is to win football games and try to do whatever it takes to put myself and everybody else in the best position to do that. So evaluating my season, I think I've done a pretty good job, but not giving the ball away. I've been at the scene of three turnovers this year, so it's eliminating those and just taking care of the football and just continue to do my job."
The Seahawks held a practice on Wednesday, October 16 at the Virginia Mason Athletic to prepare for their upcoming Week 7 matchup at Atlanta.
Seahawks wide receiver Cody White (82) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks center Connor Williams (57) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks cornerback Dee Williams (33) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks linebacker Jamie Sheriff (44) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks tight end Brady Russell (38) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks guard Christian Haynes (64) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins (97) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks tackle Michael Jerrell (65) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks running back Brittain Brown (34) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) at practice on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks center Connor Williams (57) and quarterback Geno Smith (7) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks linebacker Patrick O'Connell (52) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and center Connor Williams (57) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks guard Laken Tomlinson (70) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks defensive end Myles Adams (95) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas (42) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks guard Laken Tomlinson (70) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks long snapper Chris Stoll (41) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks long snapper Chris Stoll (41) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris (98) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks center Connor Williams (57) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris (98) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
Seahawks safety Coby Bryant (8) practiced on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center
