Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith exited "Sunday Night Football" with a ankle injury after taking an awkward fall.
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The veteran signal caller attempted to brace his fall while avoiding a low tackle by Green Bay Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper by planting both feet, and subsequently toppled backwards and grabbed for his right ankle.
Seattle backup Sam Howell replaced Smith as he is questionable to return to gameplay on Sunday.
The Seahawks trailed the Packers 23-6 upon Smith's departure in the third quarter.
Smith had acquired 149 passing yards without a touchdown score and one interception. He had completed 15 of his 19 attempts.
The interception caused fan controversy as Smith lobbed a panic ball into double coverage inside the end zone while in red territory on third-and-9.
It's been a relatively sound year for Smith as he has already surpassed his completion total from 2023 in 13 games. Smith is pacing himself to the tune of 267.2 yards per game, which is his highest output since he became Seattle's starting quarterback in 2022.
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At the same time, he has thrown his highest interceptions total this season within that span.
Howell is serving his first season on the Seahawks roster. The third-year pro gets his first chance back in the limelight after leading the Washington Commanders to a last place finish in the NFC East in 2023.
Howell averaged 232.1 yards and scored just over a touchdown per game in all 17 contests that he started under center for Washington.
He also led the league with a whopping 21 interceptions.
The Seahawks had acquired Howell in a March trade that costed four draft picks. Washington had decided it was time to move on from the 24-year-old when they were looking towards the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, which would eventually become Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels.
Seattle leads the NFC West at 8-5. The Los Angeles Rams sit aside them at 8-6.
The Packers are staying afloat in the NFL's most competitive division, the NFC North, as they hold a record of 9-4.