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The Seahawks' run game has been among the best in the NFL and their defense has gone from awful to excellent, but Geno Smith has been their MVP. He has the fourth-best Total QBR at 66.8, which is indicative of how he's been so much more than merely the game manager who many expected him to be. That's more than 23 points higher than Smith's Total QBR over his first nine seasons, and it's more than 31 points higher than the guy he replaced in Seattle. Russell Wilson ranks 28th at 35.2.

It was Next Man Up after running back Rashaad Penny went down for the year with a broken leg, and Kenneth Walker III is that Man. The rookie ran all over the Chargers in a 37-23 win, piling up 168 yards on the ground, including the game-clinching 74-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter. It was another banner day for the most surprising offense in the NFL: Geno Smith threw two more touchdown passes as Seattle rolled up 404 total yards. The Seahawks reach Week 8 all alone atop the NFC West. Tell me you predicted it, and I'll tell you you're a liar.

They lead the NFC West at 4-3. Pete Carroll has done an amazing job with this team as they ready to face the 6-1 Giants.

Look who's atop their division. And a major reason is RB Kenneth Walker III (353 rushing yards, 4 TDs in last 3 games), who might now have the inside track to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

What Geno Smith is doing is wild. He ranks sixth in EPA per dropback for the NFC West-leading Seahawks and is directing an offense that ranks third in DVOA and fourth in passing DVOA. All of this while serving as the full-time starter for the first time in eight seasons! He leads the league with a 73.5 completion percentage, which has him on track for the highest completion percentage in a single season for a quarterback not named Drew Brees.

Come to think of it, maybe the similarities between Smith and Brees are more real than we knew. Both second-round picks finding success after being discarded by the team that drafted them. Both have four-letter first names and five-letter second names. Both have a history of making at least one of their teammates very mad at them. Only one, though, has ever been deemed less interesting than Jason Garrett.

Geno Smith is at the helm of the most electric offense in football right now. No team has a higher explosive play rate than the Seahawks (14.5 percent) entering Week 8. Smith is the league leader in EPA per attempt on throws of 15-plus air yards (1.09), and the rushing attack is tied for second in total runs of 15-plus yards (17). Seattle can beat anybody—even with one of the league's worst defenses—if Smith and Co. continue to light up the scoreboard with reckless abandon.

The Seahawks are doing a little gloating, and who can blame them? Many thought they'd be in the running for worst team in the NFL, but they're in first place of the NFC West instead. More than just being in first place, the Seahawks look the part.

"Seven weeks in, and look where we are," coach Pete Carroll said, via NFL.com. "Who would have thunk it?"

Safety Ryan Neal had a stronger reaction.

"It feels great, because let's just be honest, didn't nobody think we'd be sh**," Neal said, via John Boyle of the team's site.

Maybe, just maybe, Pete Carroll knows what he's doing.