The moment when Washington knew Alex Smith was back originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Let's put aside the "Alex Smith or Dwayne Haskins" conversation for just a second so we can appreciate the bigger picture here.
Yes I know, I'm right in the middle of this debate, and I admit it's taken some of the attention away from the historic and inspiring comeback that Smith has embarked on.
After throwing for 325 yards with only eight incompletions and a touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Giants, it was clear Smith has already found a comfort level mentally with that injured leg. Players will tell you that the physical part of a devastating injury always heals before the mental hurdle is cleared.
No, it wasn't a perfect game given those three costly interceptions, but it was evident to pretty much anyone even half playing attention, including Washington receivers coach Drew Terrell, that Smith belongs back on an NFL field.
"It was awesome," Terrell said of Smith's 68-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin on the Washington Football Talk Podcast. "He hung in there, delivered a heck of a throw. I believe he had a little bit of presser coming off his right side, but him standing in there and making that type of throw, me and coach Pete (Hoener, the tight ends coach) kinda looked at each other after that play like 'hey, Eleven made a hell of play right there'."
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Terrell echoes what so many were thinking when we saw that throw -- Alex Smith can still play football at a high level.
If we're honest with ourselves, what Smith did Sunday shows us he gives Washington the best chance to win week in and week out. Whether or not that should be the plan instead of one last-ditch effort to see if Haskins has grown at all is a completely different debate.
What matters most though, putting the long-term conversation aside with this organization, is that Smith has defied the odds, and inspired so many with his return.
"The fact that he's even out there, it gives me chills," Terrell said. "It's awesome to see that guy out there making plays. Having gone through what he went through. He makes plays like that, you know that guy belongs, that's Alex Smith."
That's one thing we can all agree on.