Team chemistry is rarely discussed when a team wins three in a row, as the Seattle Seahawks did early in the season. But if a team loses three times in a row, it’s a different story.

It will also be a likely challenge for the manager, especially for a team under a first-year head coach.

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FOX football analyst and former NFL quarterback Brock Huard made that point Friday on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, about 12 hours after the Seahawks lost 36-24 to the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers in primetime.

Specifically, Huard mentioned Seattle’s starting quarterback, Geno Smith, and its star wide receiver, DK Metcalf.

“My own assessment, my own speculation without having seen all the tapes, is that when you lose like this, some of that friction and some of those sparks that those two – DK and Geno in particular – have over the years are starting to turn into a little bit more,” Huard said.

Huard was clear about the fact that viewers only see so much during a TV broadcast, but he thinks there are a few things to see on Thursday night: A visibly frustrated Metcalf putting on a headset during the game to presumably talk to offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb talk, and Smith’s post-game press conference. – did not paint the best picture.

“We are a prisoner of the cameras and the angles we see,” Huard said, with a caveat. “…Did we see Geno having conversations with DK on the sidelines yesterday?”

Not that that’s at all unusual. One person seen on the sidelines with Metcalf was backup QB Sam Howell, something Huard can relate to from his own experience as Peyton Manning’s backup with the Indianapolis Colts, who at the time had a star receiver in Marvin Harrison.

“I saw Sam Howell down there trying to calm DK down, which is a good move. That was often the move I had to play for Peyton to calm Marvin down when Marvin wasn’t getting enough touches,” Huard said. “I actually had to be the one to go there and handle some of that. … God bless Sam yesterday, Sam was the one – “Hey, you wanna deal with that guy? Will you try to help him, calm him down?’

What if there really is a problem and it continues until after Thursday’s game?

‘That will be crucial to calm down. Really crucial for this young coach and this young staff to find a way,” said Huard. “These are no longer 18 to 25 year olds studying. These are 26 to 34 year olds, quite stubborn and quite big egos, who will talk back and get after it. Dealing with that relationship here in the coming days and weeks will be hyper, hyper critical for Mr Grubb and Mr Macdonald.

Listen to Brock Huard’s full thoughts on Friday’s Blue 88 segment on the podcast at this link or in the player at the top of this post. Huard answers three football questions during Blue 88, which airs at 7:45 a.m. during each edition of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk (weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.).

More about the Seattle Seahawks

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• Seahawks Instant Reaction: 49ers hand Seattle third straight loss
• Rost: What another Seahawks loss to 49ers reveals about them
•Observations from Seahawks loss to 49ers on TNF
• Recap: SF 49ers beat Seattle Seahawks 36-24 to advance to NFC West

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