Tag Archives: Pete Carroll

State of the team, Week 6: Atlanta

Theme of the week: Experience matters

Leave a comment

atlanta-logoPete Carroll spent a lot of his Monday press conference explaining Richard Sherman’s outburst during Seattle’s 26-24 win over Atlanta and breaking down the injury situation, but he offered some good analysis of his 4-1 football team as well.

Among the big points he made: Experience matters, and they missed Kam Chancellor; Kelcie McCray handled the criticism like a pro; Germain Ifedi had a rough game as he makes up for missed time; the pass protection is strong because of Russell Wilson’s development; and the running game just didn’t get the chances vs. Atlanta because the Seahawks had to rally in the fourth quarter.

Carroll said the 36-yard touchdown by Julio Jones that set Sherman off was a result of “just not being on the same page.”

“What was clear to me is that Kam is a big factor,” Carroll said. “We don’t see that stuff; I can’t remember another game when Kam was playing (where that happened). He has such a connection and skills at communicating and all that.

Continue reading Theme of the week: Experience matters →

Week 6: Atlanta, X's & O's

Can the Hawks catch the Falcons’ backs?

2 Comments

atlanta-logoOver the offseason, the Seahawks talked about tweaking their defense to account for the short passing attacks some savvy offenses have used to beat them.

Although Miami and the Jets worked the short game with some success in the first month, they didn’t do it well enough to beat the Seahawks. But now the Hawks are about to face their first big test against a quarterback and skill players who are capable of beating them the way Tom Brady, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, Andy Dalton and Cam Newton have in recent seasons.

Sure, Atlanta’s 300-yard man, Julio Jones, will have a fun matchup against Richard Sherman. But the Falcons the Hawks need to be most concerned about are running backs Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman.

Continue reading Can the Hawks catch the Falcons’ backs? →

State of the team, Week 6: Atlanta

After rough first month, O-line gets a few easier matchups

Leave a comment

atlanta-logoOne of the concerning themes of the first month for the Seahawks was the crazy caliber of defensive lines they had to face.

Poor performance by their reconfigured offensive line against the Dolphins, Rams and Jets was the only thing that stood between the Hawks and a 4-0 record.

As expected, the new unit got whipped in the first two games — except for that final winning drive against Miami.

But, the good news is the unit did a better-than-expected job vs. the Jets — allowing Russell Wilson, Jimmy Graham and company to score some points and the Hawks to enter their bye at 3-1.

Now, with the line’s tough start over, the unit has a fairly friendly three-game stretch before it gets difficult again. And the quintet should get better by the week now that Germain Ifedi is back.

Continue reading After rough first month, O-line gets a few easier matchups →

State of the team, Week 5: Bye

Hawks suddenly look like expected Super Bowl contenders

Leave a comment

“I’m really excited about what’s coming up. I think we have a hell of a football team.” – Pete Carroll, to 710 ESPN

After the first two weeks of the season – a 1-1 record and just 15 points scored — it sure looked like this was going to be a repeat of the Seahawks’ slow start in 2015.

But, overcoming injuries and tough matchups for their offensive line, the Hawks have quickly rallied to look much more like the Super Bowl contenders we all envisioned.

While some silly folks thought Russell Wilson should have sat out in New York, he instead overcame his leg injuries to play his best game of the season and lead the offense to a second straight good-looking performance – making it 64 points for Seattle over the past two games despite all kinds of injuries.

“We make a good step forward here,” Pete Carroll said this week. “We played well two weeks ago (in a 37-18 win over the 49ers), then we went on the road in a difficult setting and found our play again. So that kicks us into the bye thing, where we can really take a look at the end of the first quarter of the season and kind of see where we are. We still have a game out there that we wish we would have gotten, but we’re coming around. We’re moving forward and moving in a good direction.”

Continue reading Hawks suddenly look like expected Super Bowl contenders →

State of the team, Week 4: At N.Y. Jets

Graham has answered all of the big questions

1 Comment

new-york-logoThe Seahawks’ trade for Jimmy Graham in 2015 was met with a lot of raised eyebrows and just about everyone critiqued Graham’s every move in the offense last season.

When he suffered a torn patellar tendon against Pittsburgh in Week 11, the critics of the deal said, “I told you so.”

They said it again as the offense took off without Graham, setting team records behind Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin.

So, as Graham came back from the injury this year, the big questions were: (1) Would he be able to return to his old self, (2) would he and Wilson find the rhythm they had just discovered when he was hurt and (3) how would his return affect Baldwin?

The wins over the Niners and Jets provided answers to all of those queries.

Continue reading Graham has answered all of the big questions →

CHAWK LINES, Week 4: At N.Y. Jets
1 Comment

chawk-lines-hawks-at-jets

Russell Wilson says he will play vs. the Jets.

Germain Ifedi, who could return this week, said he was happy his high ankle sprain did not keep him out longer.

Nick Vannett also is back from his own high ankle sprain, which kept him out six weeks.

Luke Willson says his turn as H-back means defenses can’t key on the Seattle two-TE offense.

Tom Cable and Bradley Sowell talked about the improvement of the offensive line.

The Seattle O-line faces yet another tough D-line, with Leonard Williams and company.

Continue reading →

State of the team, Week 3: San Francisco

Was that just a false start to season? Wilson’s health will tell

Leave a comment

san-francisco-logoPete Carroll viewed this week as a season reboot and — after his Seahawks blasted the 49ers 37-18 — he reiterated that thought: “It really feels to me like we’ve started.”

It’s easy to feel that way when you more than double your season scoring output, double your season touchdowns in just one quarter and tally a 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers while continuing to play the same shutdown defense.

It’s easy to feel like you’ve started when your offensive line finally didn’t have to face a stellar defensive front and had a fighting chance. Although the offensive line committed three holding penalties, it played easily its best game of the three so far. The players apparently focused on fixing individual flaws on every play, a strategy that helped Seattle rack up 418 yards and convert 64 percent of its third downs.

But was it just a false start? Will the Hawks have to wait until Week 6 for their season to really start?

Continue reading Was that just a false start to season? Wilson’s health will tell →

CHAWK LINES, Week 3: San Francisco
Leave a comment

CHAWK LINES -- 49ers at Seahawks

“We needed this badly,” Pete Carroll said after his team beat the 49ers by double digits for the fifth straight time, 37-18.

Russell Wilson has a sprained knee, which could keep him out this week vs. the Jets. And Thomas Rawls is out for several weeks with an injured fibula.

Russell Wilson’s knee injury cast a cloud over the Seahawks’ romp of the 49ers.

Wilson “lucked out” that the injury wasn’t worse than the apparent sprained MCL.

Wilson and Jimmy Graham showed the chemistry they have worked hard to create.

Christine Michael continues to be “a really good story.”

The offensive linemen each picked one thing to focus on improving this week.

The Seahawks have the league’s No. 1 total defense and third-down defense and the No. 2 scoring defense, but they lamented the two late TDs they allowed the 49ers.

Week 3: San Francisco
Leave a comment

CHAWK LINES -- 49ers at Seahawks

Russell Wilson said “last week was a battle” and his ankle is feeling better.

Thomas Rawls is doubtful with a shin injury, and Tyler Lockett is listed as questionable.

Rawls has been too overzealous and needs to slow down a bit once he is back out there, coaches say.

Lockett said, “As long as I’m alive, I’ll keep on fighting.”

Jimmy Graham will “continue to grow with us,” Darrell Bevell said.

Continue reading →

State of the team, Week 3: San Francisco

Carroll: Season restarts this week

Leave a comment

san-francisco-logoA year ago, the Seahawks got off to a 0-2 start and soon found themselves at 2-4, two games behind Arizona in the NFC West.

They never made up that ground, failing to win the division for the first time since 2012, and ended up going on the road for both playoff games. It ended with a lackluster loss to Carolina in the divisional round.

Pete Carroll would like to avoid all of that this year by getting off to a better start. What’s that, you say? Too late? They are a mere 1-1, coming off a dud 9-3 loss to the division rival Rams?

In his Friday interview with Dori Monson, Carroll pointed out that all four NFC West teams are locked at 1-1 (it’s the only division where every team is tied) and this week is basically a restart for the teams in the division.

“When we started the season, we were all evened up; everybody’s all evened up right now,” he said. “It’s what are you going to do about it now that counts.

Continue reading Carroll: Season restarts this week →