Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith was less than 100 percent for last Thursday’s game against the 49ers after hurting his elbow in Week 11 and it showed as he went 18-of-27 for 180 yards and an interception in a 31-13 loss.
That loss was the second in a row for Seattle and it left them at 6-5 with diminished playoff hopes. This Thursday will find them trying to turn that tide in Dallas and it looks like Smith will be at lot closer to full strength for that effort.
Smith is not on the injury report this week and head coach Pete Carroll said on Tuesday that there’s no comparison to where Smith was at this time last week.
“The difference was night and day,” Carroll said, via the team’s website. “He was out there running practice and putting on a show for us as he does every week throwing the football all over the place. He did that exactly. He was full go the whole time, and that was not the case. We don’t want to make a big deal about it, but it was pretty obvious it was a big difference.”
Another date with the 49ers looms in Week 14 and the Seahawks host the Eagles in Week 15, so this is a crucial stretch for their playoff chances. Having a healthy Smith doesn’t guarantee they’ll navigate it successfully, but it definitely improves the chances.
