I feel confident saying the Seattle Seahawks, and their fans, are quite confident in quarterback Geno Smith heading into the season. The former West Virginia standout completely resurrected his career in the Emerald City, guiding the Seahawks to the playoffs and setting a single season passing record as well.
Smith proved he was a capable starter, earning a legitimate Pro Bowl nomination and becoming the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year.
However, it appears he may not still be getting full respect. FOX Sport’s Emmanuel Acho recently ranked his top five quarterbacks in the NFC, and while Smith does crack the list at No. 5, he is below a division rival.
My Top 5 quarterbacks in the NFC (going into ‘23)
5: Geno Smith
4: Jared Goff
3: Matthew Stafford
2: Dak Prescott
1: Jalen HurtsReply with your list, or retweet if I got it right! ✍🏾👇🏾
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) July 6, 2023
Make no mistake, Stafford is a quality quarterback. He is only one year removed from a season with 41 touchdown passes and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. However, there is a key caveat here: when he is healthy.
Stafford has routinely battled injuries throughout his career, especially in these last few seasons, and 2022 was no exception. Last year, Stafford had only 10 touchdown passes compared to 8 interceptions.
I’m no arguing Stafford shouldn’t be on this list. But to have him ranked ahead of Smith, even slightly, is a bit confusing when considering where both players are at in their careers at the moment.
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