Smith ‘hurt’ by MNF decision, but ‘happy’ for Lock

RENTON, Wash. — Geno Smith said he was hurt by the Seattle Seahawks‘ decision to not start him Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, but happy for Drew Lock, who helped snap their four-game losing streak by throwing the winning touchdown in the final minute.

As for whether Smith will start Sunday against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville after missing the past two games with a groin injury?

“I would hope so,” he said Thursday.

Signs continue to point in that direction. Coach Pete Carroll sounded optimistic on Wednesday that Smith would return this week, and the quarterback has since been listed as a full participant in both of their practices.

“I feel pretty good,” Smith said. “Still getting better.”

Smith had been a limited participant all last week because of the groin injury he suffered in practice on Dec. 7, which kept him out of Seattle’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers three days later. Lock started in Smith’s absence and got all the first-team work leading up to the Eagles game, a main reason why the Seahawks went into Monday night believing he would start again.

But they worked out Smith pregame just in case, and he surprised the team with how good he looked. Carroll said he second-guessed the decision to not start Smith after the workout only to stick with the original plan at the advice of the team’s medical and training staffs, though they made Smith active as a backup. That led to what Carroll called a “gut-wrenching” conversation with Smith, who took the news hard.

“It was tough,” he said. “Just preparing myself and doing everything that I possibly can to be ready to play, feeling like I was ready to play, expecting to go out there and play, and then Coach making that decision. We’ve got to live with it. Obviously, I was hurt by it. I want to go out there and compete. I want to play any chance that I get, but I do understand that he’s got to make the decision for the team, and also for me, to kind of protect me from myself at times.

“So I had to deal with it and move on and go out there and support the guys. That was my main focus once I learned that I wouldn’t be able to play.”

The ESPN broadcast showed Smith celebrating with Lock on the sideline after Lock threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 33 seconds left to cap a 10-play, 92-yard winning drive. The two have developed a close relationship despite competing for the starting job last offseason.

“That was awesome,” Smith said. “So excited for Drew. That was really cool to see him in that moment, and for the all the guys really. That was a big win for us, big-time game, ‘Monday Night Football’ against a really good team. I thought Drew played really well throughout the game, and for him to close it out the way he did, for all the guys to make the plays the way they did, man, I was just so happy. It was one of those nights that you’ll remember for the rest of your life, just seeing him in that moment and the way that he handled all of that was really cool to see.”

The Seahawks listed running back Ken Walker III (shoulder), cornerback Devon Witherspoon (hip pointer) and safety Jamal Adams (knee) as nonparticipants for the second straight day Thursday. Safety Julian Love, who replaced Adams against the Eagles and had two fourth-quarter interceptions, also missed practice for the second straight day as his wife was scheduled to give birth this week.