‘Business As Usual’ For Geno Smith & The Seahawks Despite Short, Holiday Week

This is anything but a usual week for the Seahawks, who will have to travel on Christmas Day ahead of their Week 17 game in Chicago.

A Thursday road game two time zones away is always a tough task for an NFL team, and that game falling a day after Christmas only adds to the complication—Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald noted—the team is pushing back what would be their usual Wednesday schedule to give coaches, players and staff a chance to be home for at least part of the morning.

Making this week even more interesting for the Seahawks is that, due to their recent losses, they aren’t in control of their own playoff destiny, so they won’t know following Thursday’s game if they’re still alive in the NFC West race (more on the playoff scenarios here).

But with all that’s going on this week, the Seahawks know the best thing they can do is ignore the playoff speculation and make the most of a short week so they can be at their best on Thursday.

“On to the next thing like we’ve always been,” quarterback Geno Smith said. “Business as usual. Got a lot of pros in that locker room and guys are going to go about it the right way. Guys are focused and dialed in and preparing for a short week to go on the road and travel on Christmas. You know, going out there and try to get a win.