The Seahawks lost to the Packers on Sunday night, falling 30-13 to end their four-game winning streak. They also lost their quarterback, Geno Smith, to a knee injury in the third quarter, and now will have to wait for more tests to know how much time, if any, Smith will miss going forward.
"It was a knee for Geno," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. "I'll tell you this, this guy is probably the toughest player I've ever been around, and it was severe enough for him not to come back in the game. We'll do all the tests tomorrow and kind of figure it out as we go. But right now, structurally it looks like it's OK, but we've got to get it imaged and all that stuff."
Asked if Smith was close to coming back into the game at any point, Macdonald said, "He wanted to, then he was about to go back I think on one of those drives, I think it was the one before we threw the pick, then he just couldn't go."
Macdonald said it's too soon to know without further testing if Smith will miss any games going forward.
"I don't know," he said. "We've got to get the tests done, and I know he'll do everything humanly possible to go play, but we just don't know right now."
With Smith sidelined, the Seahawks turned to backup quarterback Sam Howell, who, thrown into a tough situation with Seattle down big, struggled to contend with the Packers pass rush, completing 5 of 14 pass attempts for 24 yards and an interception that led to a Green Bay touchdown, while being sacked four times.
"It wasn't good enough to win," Macdonald said of Howell's performance. "I know he's disappointed. It just didn't feel like we were getting the ball out on time, then it wasn't complemented with our pass protection. I know we gave up a bunch of sacks, and they did a good job too—they covered the routes and rushed the passer, it was a complementary game on their end on defense.
"We've got faith in Sam, the guy's a great player. If he gets another opportunity, he'll do a great job."
Howell assessed his performance by saying, "At the end of the day, I've got to be better. My job is to be ready to go in there and play well and help this team win, and I didn't do that today. I've just got to be better and watch the film, learn from it. We had chances in the second half, the defense played well, put us in good positions. I've just got to be better."
For the Seahawks, losing Smith hindered their chance at a comeback, and created a tough situation for the team seeing one of its leaders go down.
"It's tough, Geno is the heartbeat of the offense, the heartbeat of the team," said linebacker Ernest Jones IV. "He's one of our leaders, so obviously you don't want to see him get hurt. But we've got confidence in Sam, confidence in the behind him, so I pray everything's OK with Geno, but we've got to be ready to go, whoever is at quarterback."
In other injury news, the Seahawks lost center Olu Oluwatimi to what Macdonald said was a quadriceps and knee injury, leading to rookie Jalen Sundell taking over at that spot.
"It's like a quad, knee combo," Macdonald said. "Not sure the severity, severe enough for him to not come in. We'll figure out the extent of it, the imaging and all that kind of stuff tomorrow."
The Seahawks were without starting running back Kenneth Walker III for the second straight game, and Macdonald said he did not yet know if Walker's calf injury will keep him out next week or not.
"I haven't had any new information since Friday," Macdonald said. "He just couldn't go this week. We're not looking at a long-term thing though, structurally he's OK."
Must-see shots of the Seahawks at their Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (87) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) and Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (10) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaelon Darden (1) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks tackle Abraham Lucas (72) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) and Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) and Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4) and Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks tackle Abraham Lucas (72) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks center Jalen Sundell (61) and Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks guard Sataoa Laumea (63) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell (6) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell (6) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks linebacker Patrick O'Connell (52) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks free safety Julian Love (20) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27), Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13), and Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Seahawks players at the Week 15 matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lumen Field on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
