Let’s not sugarcoat this: Wilson’s injury will most likely be enough to completely derail Seattle’s season. After all, the team went 2-3 with him completing 72% of his passes for 1,196 yards, 11 TD (1 rushing) and 1 INT for a 125.3 quarterback rating.
Seattle’s league-best play-action attack will now essentially be erased, as both Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf have thrived on Wilson’s ability to pull the ball back and hurl it way down field with his elite arm strength. Establishing the run will now be more difficult, as an opposing defense as dangerous as Pittsburgh’s will have no issue stacking the box and putting pressure on mistake-prone Geno Smith.
All in all, it might be a very long day for Seattle’s offense and just what the doctor ordered for the Steelers defense, who is in need of a dominant performance.
Coach-speak incoming:
"He's been through everything that we've done, he's gone every step of the way with Russ," Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said about Smith, per ESPN. "They have been just shoulder to shoulder through all of the process. He's been a great help for Russ, he's been a great sounding board for Russ. He's just been an asset."
Smith went 10-17 for 131 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT in relief of Wilson vs. the Rams on Sunday and hasn’t started an NFL game since 2017. Unless he’s a completely different guy now, he should still be thought of as the guy who recorded 30 TD, 37 INT and 11 fumbles over 42 NFL starts.
Judging by the line movement and data, oddsmakers, public bettors and sharp bettors all agree.
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