Tag Archives: Pete Carroll

Lofa’s return trumps other coaching news

February 9, 2015 cc Leave a comment

A big day for Kris Richard and the Carroll family was trumped by news that Lofa Tatupu is coming back.

For those who just became Seahawks fans in the last four years, Tatupu was the Bobby Wagner of Seattle’s first Super Bowl team. Tatupu played for Pete Carroll at USC and again in 2010, when Carroll came to Seattle.

Tatupu, a second-round draft pick in 2005, was part of a defensive overhaul that year that helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl (where they lost in controversial fashion).

Tatupu went to the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons as the middle linebacker on Mike Holmgren’s Seahawks, but the undersized player quickly wore down with a multitude of injuries.

Continue reading Lofa’s return trumps other coaching news →

State of the team, Super Bowl XLIX

‘This is a championship organization’

February 6, 2015 cc Leave a comment

After three straight seasons of double-digit wins, with one Super Bowl trophy already on the mantle, Pete Carroll had us believing. He had us talking destiny and dynasty.

And then one ill-fated play call put an end to it all — for a moment.

But, as Carroll tweeted Thursday, “One moment does not define you; the journey does. We will outlast this.”

He’s right, of course. The Seahawks are built to last. They have more Super Bowls in them.

“This is a championship organization,” Carroll told Matt Lauer of “Today.” “It’s an extraordinary time for us. We’re right in the middle of all the good, positive things that we can do. So this is what we have to deal with, and of course it’s going to make us stronger.

“Think how strong we’ll be coming out of this. Think how powerful our togetherness will be, our mindset will be as we know that we’ve shouldered this and we move forward and get back to what we want to do. … It’s a great challenge, but nothing could make us stronger.”

Continue reading ‘This is a championship organization’ →

Contracts, Injury report, Super Bowl XLIX

More on injuries, coaches and contracts

February 5, 2015 cc Leave a comment

You have to wonder how the Super Bowl might have turned out if the Legion of Boom had been healthy.

The news that Kam Chancellor played with a torn MCL is stunning — and just another nod to the toughness and dedication of the Pro Bowl strong safety.

And don’t forget: All-Pros Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman came into the game with injuries, too — Thomas with a shoulder issue and Sherman with a bad elbow. On top of that, Jeremy Lane suffered a badly broken wrist on his interception in the first quarter.

It is safe to say those injuries played a huge role in the outcome — particularly with Tharold Simon giving up two touchdown passes, including the go-ahead score late in the game.

Continue reading More on injuries, coaches and contracts →

State of the team, Super Bowl XLIX

Baldwin, other immature Hawks need to grow up

February 5, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Doug Baldwin turddown — Doug “Dookie” Baldwin pretends to poop out a football after scoring.

If the Seahawks have any hope of rebounding from that devastating Super Bowl loss, Pete Carroll is going to have to adjust the attitudes of some of his immature players.

He should start with Dookie Baldwin. Is anyone else fed up with his act yet? First he lashed out in Richard Sherman fashion after the NFC title game, and then he performed a classless “turddown” celebration after scoring in the Super Bowl.

He was fined $11,025 for the latter move — pretending to poop out the football in the end zone after his 3-yard touchdown gave Seattle a 24-14 lead in the third quarter. It was his only catch of the game as he found himself stranded on Revis Island, and yet he still felt like it was worth giving the Patriots a free 15 yards to start their next drive.

Continue reading Baldwin, other immature Hawks need to grow up →

Super Bowl XLIX, X's & O's

Last look at the final play & the reactions to it

February 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Super Bowl Carroll dumbfounded as Lynch walks past — Pete Carroll stands dumbfounded as Marshawn Lynch walks by after the interception.

Lynch with the wry smile — What was Lynch thinking as he walked to the sideline? Perhaps: “My price to stay just went up, boss.”

It has been three days, and the
Seahawks’ final
offensive play of the Super Bowl continues to reverberate throughout the football world —
certainly nowhere more than in
Seattle.

In that time, Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson have defended the play and the man who called it, Darrell Bevell. Patriots coach Bill Belichick has spoken out against the critics, lavishing praise on Carroll and his Seahawks.

EA Sports even created an alternate ending in which the Seahawks run the play nearly all of us think they should have run — with Marshawn Lynch scoring the winning touchdown.

And “NFL Insiders” showed the last play from the sidelines, listening in on the coaches and players and catching a shot of Lynch walking off the field after the interception with a wry smile on his face.

Continue reading Last look at the final play & the reactions to it →

History, Super Bowl XL, Super Bowl XLIX

XL and XLIX losses share much in common

February 3, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Lockette tripped — The non-call on Malcolm Butler’s trip of Ricardo Lockette in the fourth quarter cost the Seahawks at least 20 yards. (Click to enlarge)

The Seahawks are 1-2 in Super Bowls now, and both losses were steeped in controversy afterward — XL because of a handful of questionable officials’ calls, XLIX because of one questionable coaches’ call.

But they shared a lot more than that in common.

According to ESPN stats, those two teams were the only ones in the 49-year history of the Super Bowl to come out ahead in turnovers and yards and come out behind on the scoreboard — a stunning stat that tells you the Seahawks certainly were not worse than the teams they lost to in those Super Bowls.

Mike Holmgren’s Seahawks outgained Bill Cowher’s Pittsburgh Steelers 396 yards to 339 and won the turnover battle 2-1. Pete Carroll’s Seahawks outgained Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots 396 to 377 and won the turnover battle 2-1.

Continue reading XL and XLIX losses share much in common →

State of the team, Super Bowl XLIX, X's & O's

Seahawks never did find an offensive identity

February 2, 2015 cc 1 Comment

The Seahawks struggled to find an offensive identity all season. Obviously that had not changed by the last play of the Super Bowl.

For a bunch that continually says they are a power running team and Marshawn Lynch is their bell cow, the Hawks have a funny way of showing it sometimes. Sunday was one of those times.

Why in the world would the Seahawks consider giving Lynch a big contract extension if they refuse to use him in the most important moment of the season?

The inexplicable decision to eschew Lynch in favor of a pass from the 1-yard line, trailing 28-24 with 26 seconds left, was the most head-scratching move in a season that already had caused most fans to claw their noggins raw.

Continue reading Seahawks never did find an offensive identity →

Contracts, Super Bowl XLIX

Will Lynch come back for more (money and titles)?

February 1, 2015 cc Leave a comment

It looks like it’s all up to Marshawn Lynch now: He can retire and walk into the sunset after the Super Bowl or come back for more — more money, more titles.

At midseason, there were many rumblings that the Seahawks and Lynch were ready to move on from one another. Coach Pete Carroll admitted Lynch was still upset over his contract and said, “We are working through it.”

Well, if a report by NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport is to be believed, the Hawks have worked through it and are now interested in giving Lynch a contract extension.

Continue reading Will Lynch come back for more (money and titles)? →

Contracts, State of the team

Carroll won’t say ‘D word’ but he plans to create one

January 30, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Pete Carroll does not talk about the “D word” — as he called it at one point last offseason. But “dynasty” certainly is on his mind — even if it is buried way in the back, behind Cover-3 schemes and ways to dominate turnover margin.

What do you think his motto, Win Forever, means? Principle No. 1 of that mantra: To do things better than they have ever been done before.

The Seahawks are still working toward that goal — obviously much closer to achieving it on defense than on offense — and beating the Patriots on Sunday would be a huge step in that direction, making the Hawks the ninth repeat champ.

No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls, but the Hawks are in good position to make a run at it. Carroll knows it.

Continue reading Carroll won’t say ‘D word’ but he plans to create one →

CHAWK LINES, Super Bowl XLIX

January 30, 2015 cc 1 Comment

The Legion of Boom is definitely not healthy for this Super Bowl: Kam Chancellor, who has dealt with injuries to his ankles, hip and groin this season, banged his knee at the end of practice and left with it wrapped. He’s listed as probable, along with Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas.

After his monster game against Carolina three weeks ago, Chancellor didn’t get to see former Seattle enforcer Kenny Easley. But maybe he will this time: Easley will be an honorary captain for the Hawks at the Super Bowl coin toss.

Sherman is expecting his first baby any day. What if his girlfriend goes into labor during the Super Bowl? As you would expect, Pete Carroll said he would support Sherman regardless of his decision to play or not. And, Carroll ended with, “I can’t wait to meet little Petey.”

Continue reading →