Russell Wilson proved his pocket passing mettle one more time, Pete Carroll said.
Brandon Marshall beat Richard Sherman a few times, but Sherman got even with two picks.
Sherman said Marshall likes to use his hands to fend off cornerbacks, “the game within the game” Sherman had to win.
Wilson and Jimmy Graham continued to connect, with another 100-yard game.
Larry Stone wanted to rest Wilson, because he didn’t understand how great Wilson is.
It’s going to be a big party in Los Angeles on Sunday when the Rams and Pete Carroll return to play an NFL game there for the first time since 1994.
Carroll and the California Seahawks are excited to make the return for obvious reasons, but there’s another, more significant, factor that makes the Seahawks very happy and gives them a better chance to win.
As Darrell Bevell said, “I think we get to play at a normal time.”
That’s right: No more 10 a.m. starts for the Hawks when they play the Rams. This game will be played at 1:05 p.m., and every other game going forward will be no earlier than 1 p.m.
The Seahawks’ defense has put together an unprecedented run — becoming the first modern NFL team to go four straight years as the No. 1 scoring unit.
After Seattle shut down Arizona 36-6 in the 2015 season finale to clinch the top spot again, a beaming Pete Carroll said, “I don’t know if there is a record that I could be more proud of than to see our guys go for four straight years and lead the league in scoring defense. I think that is a remarkable accomplishment by a bunch of guys dedicated to the program and what we are doing.”
Carroll’s defense also has given up the fewest yards over the last three years, ranking first in the 2013 and 2014 Super Bowl years and second last season.
That’s a pretty darn good run of defense — and yet the Seahawks know they can become more consistent if they can cover their Achilles’ heel.
Because they have so many veterans on the unit now, the coaches apparently are finally planning to address the soft underbelly of their defense, which has been prone to giving up big chunks of yards and too many touchdowns to tight ends, running backs and slot receivers.
Their plan to fix that issue figures to be one of the big stories of training camp, which begins Saturday.
Russell Wilson had a big week, getting drafted first overall for the Pro Bowl, leading in merchandise sales and signing a long-term endorsement deal with Nike.
Russell Okung is going to have shoulder surgery and be out until June — a development that could severely limit his options in free agency.
Robbie Tobeck gave his nickel’s worth on the Seahawks’ offensive line. It’s good advice.
Under the new Pro Bowl drafting format, the Seahawks are going to be split, with Wilson, Michael Bennett and Richard Sherman on Michael Irvin’s squad and and Bobby Wagner and Tyler Lockett on Jerry Rice’s side.
Lockett is having a blast in Hawaii, rubbing elbows with Rice (who briefly played for the Seahawks, as you might recall) and some of the NFL’s best.
Wagner, a two-time Pro Bowl pick, is enjoying his first trip to the game — exchanging notes with fellow linebacking greats such as NaVorro Bowman and Clay Matthews.
Bennett did a bit of everything in Pro Bowl practice Friday.
With Arizona’s exciting overtime win over a resilient Green Bay team, the Seahawks know where they will be going if they can knock out Carolina for the second straight year.
So, the big question: Can the Seahawks exact some revenge on the Panthers for the last-minute, 27-23 win in Week 6?
That loss — a second straight fourth-quarter collapse — sent the Seahawks to 2-4, where their historic odds of making the playoffs were 8.3 percent. But, since then, they have won nine of 11 — including the “football gods are smiling on you” wild-card win in Minnesota.
What has changed since that Week 6 loss to Carolina?
Bobby Wagner will return and Fred Jackson talked to the team about his car crash.
Anquan Boldin and Carlos Hyde were listed as questionable for the 49ers.
Bucky Brooks explains what we have said since last season: The Seahawks are vulnerable to short passing games.
Unlike previous seasons, Seahawks-49ers is less must-see TV than it is must-win TV.
Key matchups for the Seahawks vs. the 49ers tonight, via Seahawks.com.
Five things to watch for, from NFL.com.
The Seahawks are 13-2 in prime time under Pete Carroll.
Almost a year ago, the Seahawks were in the exact position they are in now — struggling to find themselves as they prepared to face the Carolina Panthers.
The Seahawks have many of the same problems they had last year at this time: Their defense has had trouble against tight ends as Greg Olsen comes to town; their interception total is uncommonly low; Bobby Wagner is hurt; Marshawn Lynch is a story; the offense is in transition; and Derrick Coleman won’t play again.
Continue reading Different year but same opponent and problems
The Seahawks are focusing this week on figuring out how to finish games, but a fair number might not even get in the game Sunday when they play the Carolina Panthers.
Of the 10 players on the Seahawks’ injury report Thursday, nine were defensive players – and their front seven suddenly has joined their secondary in making the entire defense a M*A*S*H unit.
That could create problems against Carolina, which comes in with the No. 4 rushing offense in the NFL (132.3 yards per game) and has the best toxic differential (turnover margin and big-play margin) in the league.
Just what the Seahawks’ reeling defense needs: No Bobby Wagner or Jordan Hill.
Both could miss “a couple of weeks” with injuries suffered Sunday in Cincinnati, according to Pete Carroll. Hill left with a strained quadriceps and Wagner missed a couple of plays with a strained chest muscle.
Hill is expected to miss two weeks, Carroll said, and he is hoping Demarcus Dobbs can return after missing the past two games with a shoulder injury. If that doesn’t happen, the Seahawks might need to make a move to help D-line depth.
Wagner also could be out “a couple of weeks if (the muscle) doesn’t respond,” Carroll said. “But he might be able to play this week, so we’ll wait and see.’’
Continue reading Hill is out two weeks, Wagner could join him
The Seahawks entered their second preseason game with a lot of questions on the offensive line and secondary and came out with some mixed answers in a 14-13 loss to the Chiefs in Kansas City.
They also showed what Jimmy Graham will do for them, saw more from Tyler Lockett and got another great game from their No. 1 front seven on defense.
With Justin Britt moving from right tackle to left guard and Garry Gilliam stepping in at right tackle, the offensive line performed much better than it had in the opener vs. Denver, which got seven sacks.
Wilson was not sacked as he completed 9 of 15 passes for 78 yards. But the first offense really struggled again to run the ball and could not get into the end zone. Robert Turbin ran for a mere four yards on six carries, and Christine Michael ran for 27 on 10 attempts (and also busted a running play by going the wrong way). It wasn’t any better than the first game, when the Seahawks totaled just 89 yards on 24 attempts.
Pete Carroll said he liked the pass protection but added, “We’re not running the ball as well as we would like at this time. … That might change once No. 24 (Marshawn Lynch) gets in there.”
He said the offensive line “did not get the movement we need.” He also confirmed that free-agent guard Evan Mathis is coming to Seattle for a physical Saturday.
Continue reading Mixed results from offense, secondary as front seven dominates
