Steelers try to make up for lack of history facing Seahawks backup Geno Smith

If the Pittsburgh Steelers cued up videotape from the last time Geno Smith started an NFL game, they went back to the 2017 archives. If they looked for tendencies from when the former West Virginia quarterback last received regular playing time, they dug back to find 2013 footage.

The lack of recent history means the Steelers are more apt to rely on what they saw a week ago from the Seattle Seahawks backup. Smith replaced an injured Russell Wilson in the fourth quarter and generated two scoring drives in a 26-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

With Wilson missing his first start in 150 games because of finger surgery, Smith will take the snaps against the Steelers on Sunday night in a prime-time matchup at Heinz Field.

The Steelers aren’t sure what to expect from the 31-year-old Smith, a former second-round draft pick of the New York Jets who attempted just nine passes in the three seasons prior to his relief appearance in Week 5.

“He hasn’t played a lot of plays, so we’re guessing a little bit in terms of what they are going to do,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said Thursday.

Butler echoed what coach Mike Tomlin said earlier in the week. He doesn’t expect the Seahawks to drastically alter their gameplan without Wilson in the lineup.

“If we lose a guy on defense, we don’t change a whole lot because if you change a whole lot, everybody’s got to remember something else,” Butler said. “If you have to remember something else, you’re going to make mental mistakes. If you make mental mistakes, it’s going to screw everybody up. I think they’ll stay with what they do offensively.”

Smith has the keys to an offense that features two dynamic wide receivers in Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Lockett is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, and he has caught 25 passes for 390 yards and three touchdowns. His 15.6 average yards per catch is his highest total in three years. Metcalf came into his own in 2020 when he caught 83 passes for 1,303 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has 25 receptions for 383 yards and five scores through five games this season.

“They have our attention a little bit,” Butler said.

Smith is in his third season with the Seahawks, so he has familiarity with his supporting cast even if he hasn’t gotten much of a chance to throw passes to his star receivers in game situations.

“I know he’s really excited about it,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “I want him to be really calm and just go ahead and play like he’s capable. He doesn’t have to do anything different. He doesn’t have to do anything different than what he’s done, and he’ll do just fine.”

The only time Smith faced the Steelers was in 2013, his rookie season with the New York Jets. The Steelers sacked him three times and intercepted Smith twice in a 19-6 victory. The only Steelers defensive player still on the roster from that game is Cameron Heyward, who was in his first season as a starter.

What Smith did coming in cold against the Rams for one quarter — he completed 10 of 17 passes for 131 yards while leading touchdown and field goal drives — was enough for Heyward to know the Steelers can’t take him for granted.

“When you watch the film, the thing that really jumps out to you is there wasn’t a big letdown,” Heyward said. “He was able to rally the troops. … They’re not going to change much. He’s able to extend the pocket a little bit more than usual, but he has experience starting. This isn’t his first rodeo.”

Perhaps not, but he hasn’t ridden the horse in quite a while against the Steelers. After that 2013 meeting, the next four times that one of Smith’s teams — he also has played for the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers — faced the Steelers, he played a total of one snap.

“He’s still a playmaker, a big arm,” said safety Karl Joseph, whose career at West Virginia overlapped Smith’s for one season. “He’s been in the league nine years now. It’s obviously for a reason. You don’t stick around that long without having talent.”