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Geno Smith has been good. And better than most observers expected out of a longtime backup who hadn't entered a season as a starter since 2014. Smith ranks 10th in Total QBR (62.3) and is leading the NFL in completion rate by a wide margin (77.5%). He ranks 22nd in air yards per attempt (6.86), indicating how much of Seattle's passing game has been short and intermediate throws. But Smith had some success down the field in the loss to the Falcons on Sunday that dropped the Seahawks to 1-2. His next step will be leading a game-winning drive, something he couldn't do against Atlanta or in the three chances he had while filling in for Russell Wilson last season.

Geno Smith evacuated the pocket, scrambled to his right, kept his eyes upfield and unfurled a tight spiral. It looked like the setup for a special moment for the Seahawks, but there would be no fairytale ending. Smith's pass was intercepted by Falcons safety Richie Grant, who slid to the turf to clinch a win for the Falcons. Smith has been about average in his three games as starter this season, but it's the defense that presents the biggest issue for Pete Carroll. Seattle gave up scores on five of Atlanta's first seven possessions, a worrying sign for a team that talked a lot about a new-and-improved scheme entering the year. Instead, it's been more of the same.

This is going to be a long season in large part because the defense isn't very good. They were destroyed by Falcons at home. That's not what we expect from a Pete Carroll team.

No NFC team has run the ball fewer times than Seattle. It's almost like Wilson never left.

Here's an exciting development: The Seahawks are still looking for their first punt return yards of the season. The Seahawks' defense, which ranks 32nd in defensive EPA per drive, has only forced five punts all season, and only one of those has been returned (for zero yards). These are the kind of interesting tidbits that pop up when you win your Super Bowl in Week 1.

After allowing 27 points in back-to-back games (against, checks notes, Jimmy Garoppolo and Marcus Mariota), the Seahawks defense ranks 31st in EPA per play allowed (-0.16) and 29th in yards per play allowed (6.34) over the last two weeks. Geno Smith played well enough to beat Atlanta on Sunday, but the Seahawks' young secondary will force him and the offense to be perfect to outduel most teams they'll face moving forward.

The Seahawks drafted Kenneth Walker III in the second round. They gave him nine snaps on Sunday. One of his three carries was fantastic. The Seahawks gave more snaps to DeeJay Dallas than Walker. In related news, the Seahawks lost at home to the Falcons.

The only thing this team has in common with the '72 Dolphins is that they were both 1-0.