The Seahawks know they played so poorly that the loss to the Giants was decided before the kick was blocked

SEATTLE (AP) — Two sloppy, sluggish starts in a row. Two defeats in a row.

Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks are already fed up with a few bad starts and the fact that they couldn't complete their comeback attempts in the fourth quarter.

“When the game is on the line, it seems like we find ways to get things done, right? But that has to be the mentality throughout the game,” Smith said. “We can’t wait until the end of the game to try and save it. We have to go out and execute for 60 minutes or however long the game lasts. We couldn’t do that today.”

Smith and the Seahawks lost to the New York Giants 29-20 for the second straight game on Sunday in a game full of worrisome moments for a team that was undefeated less than a week ago and reigned supreme in the NFC West.

Seattle (3-2) got off to a bad start for the second straight week and the running game was mostly a suggestion. Seattle's defense was banged up at times and was unable to leave the field for most of the first half as the Giants controlled possession.

And there was a major special teams mishap in the final seconds when Jason Myers' 47-yard field goal attempt was blocked after Isaiah Simmons jumped cleanly over the offensive line and Bryce Ford-Wheaton knocked off the blocked kick returned 60 yards for a game-winning touchdown.

“Talk about not doing things in all three phases to win a football game,” Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said. “I have to give credit to the Giants. They outdid us today.”

The special teams faux pas will receive a lot of attention because of the magnitude of the moment in which it occurred. Guard Laken Tomlinson was pushed to the ground by defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II, creating a lane for Simmons to jump through and clear the block.

It was a legal piece and a highlight. That wasn't the reason Seattle lost.

Daniel Jones threw two touchdowns and although he was sacked three times, Seattle's pressure on the QB was inconsistent. Rookie backup Tyrone Tracy rushed for 129 yards and averaged 7.2 yards per carry.

The Giants managed a total of 420 yards and had the ball for more than 37 minutes.

“It's basic football and we're falling short. That’s what’s disappointing at the moment,” Macdonald said.

Seattle's offense also needs to find a little more balance after two straight weeks in which it was heavily focused on the pass. Smith threw 40 times on Sunday after attempting 56 passes in last Monday's loss at Detroit. The Seahawks have had a total of 30 rushing attempts over the last two games, nine of which came from Smith.

“All credit to them, they did a great job keeping the ball and keeping us off the field. We couldn’t find a good rhythm,” Tomlinson said.

And there is little time to make the corrections. Rather than being in complete control of the NFC West, the two straight losses have heightened the importance of Thursday's division game against San Francisco.

“We need to spend extra time as a group, whether you get there early or stay late, just to correct that and hold honestly accountable,” said Seattle Safety Commissioner Julian Love. “Each of us needs to look within and figure out what we can do better. This goes for the entire defense (and, I'm sure, the offense and special teams as well). It requires commitment now.”

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