Purdy party vs Geno Smith’s lucky charm: Which QB represents safer bet in wild card showdown?
Not many expected the Geno Smith-led Seattle Seahawks to reach this moment this season. After trading away Russell Wilson, the team was picked by most to be in a fight for the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Instead, the team is in a fight for the Super Bowl. The team is in single elimination and their first opponent is the San Francisco 49ers.
There have been a couple of moments this year where fans expected the team to be well out of the playoff conversation by this point. With Trey Lance looking like a step down from Jimmy Garoppolo, fans braced for a sluggish season. Instead, Garoppolo ended up taking the helm after an unfortunate injury to Lance.
Will the 49ers silence Geno Smith?
However, his moment with the team didn't last long as he caught the injury bug as well. With the team trotting out their third-string quarterback, many wrote off the team. Instead, Brock Purdy took the league by storm, and the 49ers didn't skip a beat. That said, now in the playoffs, the intensity ratchets up a notch.
Pete Carroll zooming on a kick scooter in hallways of team HQs. Geno Smith, Darrell Taylor dancing through practice. Al Woods getting a kick out of my trench/raincoat as he warmed up.
Yeah, the Seahawks aren’t exactly nervous wrecks entering the playoffs. #NothingToLose https://t.co/LfpIsdN0ef
Will Geno Smith or Brock Purdy walk away from today's fight as the victor? Here's a look at which team is best to back.
Why 49ers QB Brock Purdy cannot be stopped
While Geno Smith has put on a show in 2023, there is much more tape on him. Purdy has started five games this year. Smith has played in 17 games. As a result, with almost double the tape available, there is a greater chance of the 49ers discovering a way to shut him down.
Meanwhile, the league is still stunned and caught off guard by Purdy's level of dominance. While there is tape of the quarterback hitting the wall offensively, there is none for the 49ers quarterback. Plus, Smith has put on arguably two of his worst games of the season against the team. If he keeps the same pace, Purdy won't have to do too much to win.
Why Seahawks QB Geno Smith should be feared
Last season, the San Francisco 49ers swept the Los Angeles Rams in the regular season, but they ultimately succumbed in the late stages of the NFC Championship to fall to 2-1 in the season. When Tom Brady went to the Super Bowl in 2020, he was swept by the New Orleans Saints in the regular season when the Saints let the playoff game slip away.
All four starting quarterbacks in today’s wild-card games – Seattle’s Geno Smith, San Francisco’s Brock Purdy, Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert, Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence - are making their NFL postseason debuts.
Put simply, it is tough to beat a divisional rival three times in one season. While not many expect the Seahawks to get to the Super Bowl this season, they are on pace for a playoff upset. Up to this point, every doubter of this team has been on the wrong side of history. It would not be surprising to see the team add one more upset to their resume.
Additionally, of the two matchups earlier this year, the second game was much closer. In their first game, the 49ers won 27-7. In their second game, the Seahawks lost 21-13. Put simply, in their divisional series, Geno Smith has been closing the gap. Perhaps a third game will be all it takes to unseat the San Francisco 49ers in their building.
Also, unlike a lot of playoff games this weekend, the travel time to get to San Francisco is almost non-existent. There is no time difference and a flight from Seattle to San Francisco takes just about two hours. So, while having a hostile crowd isn't preferred, travel time isn't part of the equation.
Expect Geno Smith to pull a winner out of his helmet to upset the San Francisco 49ers in their building today by at least three points.