SEATTLE — Connor Williams knew the question was coming.
So did Derick Hall.
Geno Smith used the same word his coach, Mike Macdonald, did.
“Frustrating.”
That only begins to describe all the Seahawks did to themselves, let alone to the Bills in Seattle’s 31-10 home loss to Buffalo at booing Lumen Field Sunday.
Hall and teammate Jarran Reed threw wild arm bars at each other and grabbed at each other’s shoulder pads and facemasks. That was after Hall was penalized for needlessly pushing down Bills quarterback Josh Allen after he’d thrown an incomplete pass on third down in the second quarter.
The gift extended Buffalo’s drive to a touchdown, instead of the field goal they would have attempted without Hall’s lack of discipline. Buffalo led 14-3 at halftime instead of 10-3.
Reed ripped into Hall in the middle of field, right after referee Ron Torbert threw his penalty flag. Reed kept yelling at Hall, all the way to the Seahawks sideline. That’s where they threw hands at each other.
After the game, after he’d showered and cooled off, the second-year man Hall said Reed, Seattle’s ninth-year veteran, yelled at him “to just be smart.”
“He loves the game. I love the game,” Hall said at his locker in a very quiet Seahawks room. “And in that moment, things got heated. But he’s a leader. He’s the leader of our group, and when stuff hits the fan, you have to lean on the guys.
“And maybe we both could have done something a little bit better, but he wants me to go out and play smart, play fast, play physical. And that was basically his message in that moment.”
Macdonald wasn’t happy. Especially with Hall, the team’s leader in sacks, dumping Allen for no reason after he’d thrown the ball.
“Well, there is some frustration there,” the coach said.
“Look, our guys are connected, and they have each other’s backs. They are emotional. There are going to be flare-ups and stuff. Seems like it calmed down.
“Wasn’t a smart penalty. Just, that’s not how we train our guys to attack quarterbacks, so (it) wasn’t a smart move (by Hall).”
Connor Williams’ issues
Williams signed in mid-August, nine months removed from reconstructive knee surgery that ended his two seasons as the starting center for Miami.
He represents Seattle’s latest attempt to fix what’s been a black hole of a position for most of the last 10 years.
The seventh-year veteran center was critical of himself a week and a half ago. He told The News Tribune his play in his first seven games for the Seahawks was far below his standard.
Sunday, Williams was far more pivotal to a loss than a center should be.
The Seahawks had a second and goal at the 3-yard line early in the second quarter. They trailed 7-0. Before the day’s steady rain began falling, Williams sent a snap to Smith back in shotgun formation about 5 feet over the quarterback’s head. Running back Kenneth Walker ran 25 yards back to recover the fumble. It was third and goal at the 22.
Drive, and chance to tie, ruined. Seattle settled for a field goal.
Williams was a guard his first four NFL seasons, for Dallas. He was at tackle at the University of Texas.
He acknowledged after the game he’s been high on shotgun snaps throughout much of the first half of this Seahawks season.
“Definitely something I need to fix,” the 6-foot-5 Williams told The News Tribune at his locker. “I need to get my hips down and lower the snaps. For sure.
“I’d say it’s all the way through (games). It just showed up that one time. It’s been growing, so definitely something I need to focus on.”
On Buffalo’s ensuing possession, Josh Allen threw an interception for the first time in 301 passes dating to last season. Josh Jobe, in his second start for Seattle up from the practice squad, jumped inside a quick slant route from Amari Cooper for his first career interception.
That set up the Seahawks’ offense with a first and goal at the 7. On third down from the 1, Walker got stopped trying to run between Williams and right guard Anthony Bradford for no gain.
On fourth and goal from the 1, Smith was under Williams at center for the second consecutive play. As the quarterback took Williams’ snap he began to drop back. Williams got driven back into Smith. The center stepped back onto Smith’s foot. That tripped the QB and caused him to stumble and fall at the worst time.
“I mean fourth and 1, you can’t allow penetration,” Williams said. “You got to set the tone as the line, and so that’s on us.”
It was a 6-yard loss. Instead of a 10-7 lead, the Seahawks still trailed.
They never got closer to the Bills.
Smith was asked what happened on the fourth and goal at the 1. He wasn’t in the mood to expound.
“I thought that was pretty obvious. You could see it,” Smith said.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
