Seahawks HC Pete Carroll (10.13.19)

Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll:

Opening statement:

“It was a character builder today. A challenging football game obviously right from the very start. We had trouble on the kickoff return unfortunately, but I’m not worried about that because of what happened on our coverage. It gave them a chance to jumpstart this football game, and they got it done. They looked great early in the game. We were reeling a little bit on defense. Offensively, we felt like we were moving the ball the whole time. We just needed a couple more conversions, a little bit better red zone early in the game. Eventually, when it was 20-6, we just hung in there. Our guys were real clear that you can’t win a game early like that, and you just have to keep battling and doing stuff right as long as you can. Then before you know it, we are trying to tie it up at halftime. Going for two there was really just because we were going to be behind if we didn’t or if we kick it either way so I just said screw it, let’s go for it and see if we get it. There was a lot of football left. I just love the way we hung tough and stayed in this game. There were so many opportunities to let this game go away from us and our guys would just not do it.

 

“The goal line stand down there, all that time and all the back and forth with all the things that happened down there, that was an extraordinary sequence, but our guys wound up stopping them. I was so fired up about that. That is when football is at its very best. It is the height of intensity. It is the most intense moments that you can find in the game when you are right down there, and our guys figured out a way to get off the field, which is great. We didn’t handle it very well. I messed it up. We should have taken the safety when we were backed up down there. I was signaling to Mike (Seahawks P Michael Dickson) and Mike didn’t see me. I should have called timeout and I didn’t. I messed that up. We should have taken the safety back there. It was the perfect time to do that, and then kick the ball out. I just couldn’t get Mike’s attention, and I should’ve done better.

 

“The second half, I thought it just showed. We put a lot of yards up in the first half, and then we just kept going. I thought the offense did a beautiful job today. (Seahawks QB) Russell (Wilson) was exquisite again. He found us ways to make plays – two touchdowns, and ran one in as well. He is just making stuff happen, and it has to be hard for the other side to try and figure out how you are going to stop the guy. He just keeps making plays. The receivers came through across the board. I loved the day for (Seahawks WR) Jaron Brown – a couple touchdowns and some really beautiful plays. I thought (Seahawks WR) DK (Metcalf) played really well. (Seahakws WR Tyler) Lock(ett) came up with some crucial plays working with Russ – that chemistry is just unbelievable. It gave us a chance to get all the turnovers today. Finally we get bunches.

 

“We have been talking about it all the time and we come up with four balls today. All across the board, everybody had a shot at it. That was a beautiful thing on defense to get the football back. It is so important. We needed the blocked kick from (Seahawks WR) David Moore, as well, just to hang in there. There is a lot about this game that I thought was really fun, and I’m also thrilled to see us finish the game on offense and run the clock out and take a knee at the end of the game. It was a great job by the coaches calling the sequence and the guys executing to get that done.”

 

On the Seahawks OL playing well while being without two starters:

“We love those guys. We wish they were with us, but it didn’t really faze us. We didn’t do anything different at all. We counted on (Seahawks T) George (Fant) to come through at left tackle. We counted on (Seahawks T) Jamarco (Jones) to play like he did. We just went through the game plan and did exactly what we wanted to do. No restrictions at all. It was a fantastic job by those guys. George at left tackle, [DE Myles Garrett] is a really good rusher a lot of the time over there. It was a terrific job by those guys. I think we rushed for 170 or something like that. That’s beautiful. That’s right where we should be.”

 

On Seahawks TE Will Dissly’s injury:

“He did hurt his Achilles. We don’t have the final on it, but it is a serious one. He has to get some tests and some MRIs and all that, but it’s a big loss. He’s been playing great football. You saw him. He was running in the open field and it just happened like Achilles do. They come out of nowhere. It’s a devastating injury for him for this season. Will has done everything he can. He’s an unbelievable Seahawk. Every play that he’s been in for us, last year and this year, is just topflight. He is a first class competitor in all ways, and it’s just unfortunate that he’s going to have miss the rest of the year, if the tests come through like we think they will.”

 

On Seahawks RB Chris Carson’s performance:

“Another great day for Chris. He worked so hard and so well. He hasn’t missed a trip. It was a few weeks ago we got him rolling. The last few weeks, he’s just been on fire. He’s just so tough. I love the way he plays.”

 

On Wilson hanging tough after taking some big shots:

“Russ got banged up a couple times. We are so lucky he’s on our team. He just keeps finding a way to compete, battle, and do great stuff, getting up and contributing in so many ways.”

 

On getting three interceptions:

“It was a huge day. You guys don’t know how much we emphasize the football. It’s the source of our philosophy. It’s all about the ball. We are +3 going in and we take pride in that, but we hadn’t had a big day yet. To come out +3 today was really important because we know everything follows the success from getting the football. Our guys are committed to that and we basically do an incredible job of taking care of the football. We’re doing it again this season. We are on a good track. We can do better, but we’re on it again. I was talking about bunches, and they come in bunches, and today was the day for that.”

 

On practicing forcing turnovers in practice this week:

“We had a big week. We were talking about it. There was Turnover Thursday – that was a day that was all about bunches, as well. There were three in a row on Thursday I think, so it was in everybody’s mind to see if we could pull that off today.”

 

On the Seahawks’ pass rush:

“It wasn’t effective enough to get him down. I don’t know what his numbers were today. He had a pretty big day. I think the quarterback did well for them. We have to keep working. We’re trying. We just have to get it done.”

 

On the safeties rotating through:

“We wanted to see (Seahawks S) Lano (Hill) get some playing time. He wasn’t in the dime package. We wanted to get (Seahawks S Marquise) Blair some work. He deserved it. He has been working hard and otherwise, he is just sitting there forever and doesn’t have a chance to get in the game. We just wanted to see what they’re doing and how they fit into the scheme, and if there’s things that we can do. We’re still searching to get it right. I’m not impatient about that. I keep telling you guys we’re still working at it. We’ll figure it out. We’re not even halfway through this thing yet so we have a long way to go.”

 

On being 5-1 and the reason for the resiliency:                    

“I’m going to go right back to what I’ve been saying. We have really good leadership from the guys that have been around here, Russ and Bobby, in particular and then there are a number of other guys that keep things on track. The messaging that I am trying to get across to players, they are helping with all the time. They know who we are and what we are all about. They are teaching and leading by example and doing a wonderful job there. The overall attitude and the mentality that our whole group has in this locker room is that these guys are all together. They are connected. They care. They are playing for one another and they get it. They understand how valuable that is and they keep showing up. That is why you make it through the tough stuff. That is why you can hang and have everybody firing in the same direction. When we make an error, somebody pulls that guy up and fixes it and helps him. That is why we have been so positive for months and months about this team and feeling and sensing that this makeup is part of it. Every game has been hard. We have only had one game where we won by more than a touchdown. These are character-builders and they’re going to make us better. The tougher, the better for us. We need all of these challenges. We need all of the situations that happened today. A million things happened today and we’ll learn from all of them. We’ll just keep on chopping wood.”

 

On making adjustments after Cleveland’s first couple of drives:

“Yes we did. Nothing that I will share with you, but we did. I thought (Seahawks defensive coordinator) Kenny (Norton, Jr.) did a nice job of redirecting stuff that we were doing at halftime and kind of kept a lid on it. That running back is a great player. (RB) Nick (Chubb) is a great player. We made a terrible mistake on that one, but he is a fantastic competitor and we have great respect for him.”

 

On Seahawks T Germain Ifedi:

“I think Germain is doing a really good job. He has been steady and playing good football for us. He’s tough. I was leaning on him this week that we’re losing a couple guys, and he needs to send a message and stand for the message of what we’re about this week. He was excited to do that. I think he’s done really well.”

 

On rotating Carson and Seahawks RB C.J. Prosise:

“We were subbing for a number of reasons. Some of it was just because we wanted C.J. to take it. It was unfortunate when the guy got his shoulder pad right on the football and knocked it out. I didn’t see it as clear as maybe you guys did. I don’t know if it was punched out or what. That’s a great aspect of football though. Guys are doing it. We’ve seen it happen.”

 

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