RENTON, Wash. -- Over the offseason, Mike Macdonald challenged Geno Smith to take the next step as a leader. The Seattle Seahawks' rookie head coach wanted the 12th-year quarterback -- a fiery competitor who hasn't always kept his cool in the heat of the moment -- to be what Macdonald called "the voice of poise" in adverse situations.
The Seahawks have faced plenty of those during the two straight losses that followed their 3-0 start.
Against the Detroit Lions in Week 4, with Ford Field rocking on "Monday Night Football" and Detroit's offense rolling against Seattle's short-handed defense, Smith threw for a career-high 395 yards to keep the Seahawks in it.