Seahwaks 13, Rams 30
Q. What do you feel like changed for you guys as offense first to second half?
GENO SMITH: That would be good to see on film, to see exactly what changed. I feel like we just didn't execute when it comes down to it. You know, I'll be the first to say that as always you can put that on me.
It's my job to make sure we're ready, always prepared, always competing. I just feel like we didn't do that to the best of our ability in the second half. Just one game. Obviously not the way we wanted to start, but the good part is that it's not 17.
So we got to figure out how to get better from this and we got 16 opportunities to go out there and right this wrong.
Q. How surprised I guess though are you by the result just given I guess the expectations you guys had coming into the year?
GENO SMITH: It's the NFL. They're a good team. They're a couple years removed from winning the Super Bowl. They got some key players there that helped them do it. I'm surprised, yes, I am. I didn't expect to come out and lose at all, let alone in that fashion.
Hats off to the Rams. They wanted it more and played harder and executed better.
Q. How much of a challenge is it to have not one but both tackles go down to start the second half and try it run the offense the way you had coming into?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, I mean, when you lose any of your key guys it's going to be a challenge. We got guys who continue to step up, and so we expect those guys to step up. I don't think they were the reason we didn't execute.
I think like I said, when you look at it, you put that on me. I got to go out there and play better for the guys and make sure we're on pointe. But it's as you a challenge to lose your guys. We need those guys. They're a big part of our offense.
When it comes down to execution I got the ball in my hands and I got to go out there and make the plays no matter what happens.
Q. You said the Rams wanted it more. How concerning is that alone?
GENO SMITH: You know, that's something we got to get better at. We got to understand we got to go earn it every play, every down, every single game. Like I said, it's the NFL. I know we got a lot of young guys who for their first time are playing regular season football and might not know how hard you got to play to go out there and get wins.
They don't come easy, and so I think this is going to be a great learning experience for us. I think we can look at these moments later in the season and say that we gained from it. Obviously it stinks today and it sucks. Really does.
I hate losing. I don't like losing. But the one thing I do know about this team and myself is that we're going to get back to work and come tomorrow, really starting tonight, I'm going to get back to work and fix things and figure out how to be better for next week.
Q. Is it a wake-up call?
GENO SMITH: I hope so. It better be. You know, we don't lose at home. We can't do that. Let alone in this fashion.
So for a lot of guys around here, including myself, we got to look ourselves in the mirror, point the finger, and figure out how to get better.
Q. The touchdown in the second quarter to Metcalf, take us through that play.
GENO SMITH: Yeah, great play call by Shane. We got some man-to-man coverage right down there and DK ran a great round. Got open, I was able to find him in the end zone, and it was great to have that happen.
Q. Other touchdown opportunities in the first half and you settled for field goals. Was that disappointing?
GENO SMITH: Yeah, yeah, very disappointing. We talk about scoring touchdowns, finishing drives, and that's a big emphasis for our offense.
When we get down there in the strike zone around the 15, 20 yard line, we got to keep moving the chains until we get into the end zone.
I feel like we kind of stalled. There are some things we can do better. It's going to be important for us to fix those things moving into the future.
Q. What did you see to make you think the Rams want it more?
GENO SMITH: Just by the score. They went out and executed and did what they were supposed to do. It was a tough environment. Our fans were rocking and it was loud and it wasn't easy. They found a way.
I think that's something that obviously we'll see those guys again, but it just looked like they were playing harder and that's why they won.
Q. Sorry if you answered this already, but what happened on the third downs?
GENO SMITH: Man, that was a big disappointment, but overall we just didn't execute. That's something that we'll be able to look at on film, figure out a way to get better from it.
You know, just from my vantage point without watching film felt like we didn't execute to the best of our ability.
Q. There was 14 black quarterbacks who started in week one. Wondering what that means to you to be part of that?
GENO SMITH: It's a tremendous honor, you know, just to be able to start, and I guess that's kind of history making. You know, I don't know really what to say about that right now. I'm kind of just stuck on the game.
I guess I'll say I'm honored.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports