close
close

Ourladyoftheassumptionparish

Part – Newstatenabenn

Derick Hall, Jarran Reed fighting. Geno Smith, Connor Williams flailing. Seahawks defeated
patheur

Derick Hall, Jarran Reed fighting. Geno Smith, Connor Williams flailing. Seahawks defeated

Connor Williams knew the question was coming.

So did Derick Hall.

Geno Smith used the same word his coach, Mike Macdonald, used.

“Frustrating.”

That just begins to describe everything the Seahawks did to themselves, let alone the Bills in Seattle’s 31-10 home loss to Buffalo at the boo at Lumen Field on Sunday.

Hall and teammate Jarran Reed threw wild bars at each other’s arms and grabbed each other’s shoulder pads and masks. That was after Hall was penalized for unnecessarily pushing Bills quarterback Josh Allen after he threw an incomplete pass on third down in the second quarter.

The gift extended Buffalo’s drive to a touchdown, instead of the field goal they would have attempted without Hall’s lack of discipline. Buffalo led 14-3 at halftime instead of 10-3.

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Seattle, Washington .Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Seattle, Washington .

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58) hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the third quarter of the game at Lumen Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 in Seattle, Washington .

Reed attacked Hall in the middle of the field, just after referee Ron Torbert threw his penalty flag. Reed continued yelling at Hall, all the way to the Seahawks’ bench. That’s where they threw their hands.

After the game, after showering and freshening up, Hall, the second-year man, said Reed, Seattle’s ninth-year veteran, yelled at him “to be smart.”

“He loves the game. I love the game,” Hall said at his locker in a very quiet Seahawks room. “And at that moment, things got heated. But he is a leader. He’s the leader of our group, and when things get tough, you have to lean on the guys.

“And maybe we both could have done a little bit better, but he wants me to go out and play smart, fast and physical. And that was basically his message at the time.”

Macdonald was not happy. Especially with Hall, the team’s leader in sacks, dumping Allen for no reason after he threw the ball.

“Well, there’s some frustration there,” the coach said.

“Look, our guys are connected and they support each other. They are emotional. There are going to be outbreaks and stuff. He seems to have calmed down.

“It wasn’t a smart penalty. “That’s just not how we train our guys to attack quarterbacks, so it wasn’t a smart move (by Hall).”

Connor Williams’ problems

Williams signed in mid-August. nine months after reconstructive knee surgery that ended his two seasons as Miami’s starting center.

It represents Seattle’s latest attempt to fix what has been a black hole for most of the last 10 years.

The seventh-year veteran center criticized himself a week and a half ago. He told The News Tribune his play in his first seven games with the Seahawks was well below his standard.

On Sunday, Williams was much more instrumental in a loss than a center should be.

The Seahawks had a second goal at the 3-yard line early in the second quarter. They were losing 7-0. Before the day’s steady rain began to fall, Williams snapped a snap to Smith in a shotgun formation about 5 feet above the quarterback’s head. Running back Kenneth Walker ran back 25 yards to recover the fumble. It was third and goal in the 22nd minute.

Drive, and chance to tie, ruined. Seattle settled for a field goal.

Williams was a guard during his first four NFL seasons, for Dallas. He was a tackle at the University of Texas.

He acknowledged after the game that he’s been high on shotgun blasts for much of the first half of this Seahawks season.

“It’s definitely something I need to fix,” the 6-foot-5 Williams told The News Tribune at his locker. “I need to lower my hips and lower my snaps. Safely.

“I would say it’s during all (the games). It only appeared that one time. “It’s been growing, so it’s definitely something I need to focus on.”

On Buffalo’s next possession, Josh Allen threw an interception for the first time in 301 passes since last season. Josh Jobe, making his second start for Seattle from the practice squad, jumped inside of Amari Cooper’s quick slant route for the first interception of his career.

That set up the Seahawks’ offense with a first-and-goal at the 7-yard line. On third down from the 1-yard line, Walker was stopped trying to run between Williams and right guard Anthony Bradford for no gain.

On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Smith was underneath Williams at center for the second straight play. When the quarterback received Williams’ snap, he began to back away. Williams was pushed back toward Smith. The center retreated to Smith’s foot. That tripped the QB and caused him to stumble and fall at the worst possible time.

“I mean fourth-and-1, you can’t allow penetration,” Williams said. “You have to set the tone as a line, and that’s up to us.”

It was a 6 yard loss. Instead of a 10-7 lead, the Seahawks were still trailing.

They never got closer to the Bills.

Smith was asked what happened on the fourth-and-goal at the 1. He wasn’t in the mood to explain.

“I thought that was pretty obvious. You could see it,” Smith said.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Seattle, Washington.Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Seattle, Washington.

How far are the Seahawks from the elite?

That’s how it was for the Seahawks.

Eleven penalties. Three personal fouls, including one on Smith because the quarterback didn’t like a hit he took on the sideline while scrambling and throwing the ball into the face of a Bills defender.

Bills 31, Seahawks 10 just implies how unbalanced he was.

“Bottom line is, we were outplayed and outcoached,” Macdonald said, “and we have to put things right. “I feel like we have had this conversation with you too often.”

Especially after games against the best teams in the league. The Seahawks had the same tone two games ago after San Francisco beat them for the sixth straight time.

TNT asked Williams how far he thinks the Seahawks (4-4) are behind the league’s best teams heading into their test against the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams (3-4) next Sunday at Lumen Field.

“I feel like we touched it today. I feel like it’s an opportunity to see if you move forward or not,” Williams said. “Those unforced errors multiplied.

“It all started with that snap. I think that changed the game. I think we came out ready to complete.

“I think we are on the brink. And I think it’s there.”

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) hug after the Buffalo Bills' 31-10 win against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, on Sunday, October 27, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) hug after the Buffalo Bills' 31-10 win against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, on Sunday, October 27, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) hug after the Buffalo Bills’ 31-10 win against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, on Sunday, October 27, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.