Pete Carroll, Doug Baldwin, and Russell Wilson press conference notes

Pete Carroll, Doug Baldwin, and Russell Wilson talked to the media after the Seahawks big win over the Ravens on Sunday. I took notes.

Coach Carroll:

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• Really liked that we came back this week and followed up with we picked up from last week and played really good ball on both sides of the football. The back to back trips (cross country) could be a challenge and our guys didn't waiver on that. Really fired up that we handled that. The defense not giving up a touchdown again two weeks back to back is really special stuff. And nothing rushing today. The O-line protected all day long, Russell had great opportunity to stand back there and do stuff and he took advantage again, had another big game throwing the football. Getting it done with Jermaine Kearse having a bunch of catches, Tyler Lockette with a couple of touchdowns and Doug Baldwin continues to rip, really exciting to see those guys play so smooth and so well together. We have made so much improvement on the O-line, no sacks. We get to come back home. Really proud of what has happened these past few weeks.

• Been feeling the consistency across the board for about a month now. The whole team is playing at a high level. It does feel right, we know this feeling, gonna try to get just a little bit better this week.

• Thomas Rawls broke his ankle, substantial. He is out for the year. The issue is the torn ligaments. May not need an operation (surgery). Gonna really miss him. O-line improvement comes from a number of elements, them gelling, hoped it would happen sooner but it has happened. The adjustment (speeding things up) after the bye week made improvements. Russell getting the ball out quickly with much more precision helps. Tom Cable has done a fantastic job with these guys. Have been going good for the past 6-7 weeks.

• Will have to wait and see what we do at RB, have to evaluate where Marshawn Lynch is and go from there. He has a chance to get back, but doesn't know where that time table is.

• Kam Chancellor had a bruised tailbone. He is really uncomfortable today but they think he has a chance to get back by the end of the week.

• DuJuan Harris ran hard and played tough. Unfortunately he got the ball knocked out once early. Tried to stay with him, we are gonna need him. He did a fine job taking care of a football. We did a good job spacing with Rawls but then it didn't seem like it was there.

• Have done a really nice job answering the turnovers by scoring. It really helps the momentum of the game to score on the turnover.

• Russell didn't have to go through any process to trust the protection upfront.

• Russell looks like he does in practice. Thinks Darrell Bevell is doing a remarkable job planning it and sticking to it.

• Rawls is such a stud kid, he was trying to fire Pete up. It will be tough without him, is sure it is tearing him up inside.

• No time table for Rawls.

• Both Marcus Burley and DeShawn Shead turned their ankles a bit. Burley continues to kinda tweak that one. Michael Bennett jammed his toe (which he has had problems with in the past) but he went back into the game, as did Shead.

• Kelcie McCray looked fine, fit in fine for us, made some tackles. Was his first chance to come in and play for us on defense.

• Tyler Lockett has been really good. What stands out is that we are getting the chance to get the football to him. He is in the right place, he does the right thing and he makes his plays, he is money, can count on him.

Doug Baldwin:

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• Offensively we weren't as clean as we'd like to be, but we made plays when it counted. There is still stuff left to improve on.

• Philosophy is next man up but Rawls is a beloved player in the locker-room.

• Blessed with the opportunities and the targets. Receivers have always said make the best of the opportunities.

• Says Russell is playing his tail off, is playing unbelievable.

• Has been saying it for a long time, fortunately enough we are getting the opportunities now (at receiver).

• Collective effort to have the offense play like this, O-line is pass protecting, Russell is standing in the pocket and making throws and the receivers are getting open and taking advantage of their opportunities.

• Feels like the offense can sustain this level of play. There is still stuff left to fix but just gotta keep going.

• Everything Russ is doing he has done before, but right now he is doing it at a very high level. He has always been magnificent out of the pocket, but he hasn't played up to this level inside the pocket before.

• Richard Sherman said Chris Matthews apologized for pulling his hair.

• Always tough when you see a teammate get hurt, but it is always the next man up. Rawls is beloved but Fred Jackson and DuJuan Harris are more than capable of carrying the load.

• These are the plays Doug has been talking about, the offense is so efficient. Everything is going in the right direction for them to have success. It was never about the play calling, that to Doug was just stupid. It was execution, which they are doing at a high level now.

• It all goes together, 3rd down and RZ and offense efficiency. Every time they convert a 3rd down it gives you more chances to score points and keeps the opponents offense off the field.

• Bevell has always put together good game plans, it is about the players executing.

Russell Wilson:

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• To come on the road to Baltimore in a tough environment, it was a tough challenge for us. We played a great football game. Thinks we could have done some stuff better in the first half, but we were lights out in the second half. Gonna miss Rawls. Gotta give credit to the O-line, thinks they were unbelievable today.

• 3rd down is big, it keeps the drive alive, gives us a chance. We have a great defense but we have so many great players on offense that we want to make plays. O-line is giving him time to make plays and throw TDs.

• Think we are playing great football, thinks Bev and him and really in tuned. Thinks the receivers are working so hard in practice. It all starts upfront, we are running the ball well and throwing the ball well.

• Are executing better, not playing more confident per-se. Just one game, gotta move onto next week.

• Not surprised by his stats, just looking forward to next week.

• Trusts all the receivers, think Doug is playing all-pro level.

• Tells the people in his small group he doesn't want to hear anything from the media.

• Think the O-line is doing a phenomenal job. What they are doing is unbelievable, especially with all the negativity they were getting early.

• Was rough seeing Rawls go out. He has worked so hard, praying for him that he gets healthy quickly. Harris and Jackson stepped in and stepped up.

• It's our mentality to have confidence in these guys, have Harris run the ball after he fumbled it.

• Doesn't know if the chemistry can get much better. Just have to keep bringing it week in and week out. Get energy from all the 12's out there.

• Have been unfortunate to lose so many great players, but next guys step up and we rally to one another.

Relevant Tweets:

• @Curtis_Crabtree Again updating previous stat... Doug Baldwin first Seattle player with 11 receiving touchdowns since Joey Galloway's 12 in 1997.

• @dannyoneil Over past four games: Russell Wilson averaging 292.8 yards passing, 75% completion percentage, 16 TDs, 0 INT. Rating: 145.9.

• @ByTimBooth Per @STATS_NFL -- since 1960 no QB has had passer rating of 138.5 or better in 4 straight games. Russell Wilson about to be 1st #Seahawks

• @Softykjr Lockett 6 recs, 104 yards, 2 TD's.

• @gbellseattle #Seahawks allow zero sacks. 8 allowed in last 6 games, after 31 in first seven. OL's improvement underlying story of season's turnaround

• @KenWeinmanSport This loss made the inevitable official. This is John Harbaugh's first season with a losing record as #Ravens head coach

• BaltimoreLuke The #Ravens' 28 rushing yards today were the second-lowest total of the John Harbaugh era

• @evansilva Seahawks rookie WR Tyler Lockett's last 4 games: 22 targets -- 20 catches, 280 yards & 4 TDs.

• @30AcreFortress Doug Baldwin has 8 TDs in his last 3 games. Only 1 player in NFL history has 9 in three games (Art "Kingpin" Powell, 1963).

• @hawkblogger Opponents are averaging 1.3 sacks per game against the Seahawks in the last 6 games. Averaged 4.4/gm in the first 7.

• @DavisHsuSeattle Russell Wilson has 50 NFL wins.

• @minakimes alright, who should SEA give a shot at RB1? I'd rank 'em - 1. Kendall Hunter 2. Derrick Coleman 3. Christine Michael 4. Bryce Brown

• @30AcreFortress Quarterbacks with 4 consecutive games with 3+ TDs and 0 INTs? Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson. Each once.

• @RLiuNFL Russell Wilson has 4 consecutive games w/ 3+ pass TDs & 0 INTs, tied for longest streak in NFL history

• @dickfain Last 4 weeks...Hawks Offense: Red Zone TD 13/15 87%, 3rd and 4th down conv. 33/53 62%, Hawks D: RZ 3/10 30%, 3rd and 4th down conv. 12/44 27%

• @DavisHsuSeattle Seahawks Defense has 6 games this season where they have held their opponent Offense without a TD.

• @DaveBoling @PeteCarroll has 99 career wins and this was one of them. Also, the Hawks are 313-312, above .500 as a franchise for first time since birth

• @fbgchase Russell Wilson has started 68 career games. Today was just the 5th where he was not sacked.

• @gbellseattle #Seahawks total yards rushing allowed last two weeks: 59 yards, on 30 total carries. Season-low 28 yards on 14 carries allowed today at BAL

• @ShvenCox @FieldGulls all offense lately, but after this week, SEA def. Points allowed = 18.07/gm. NFC best. (3rd in NFL behind CIN and DEN)

My Thoughts:

• I am heartbroken for Rawls. I think with how our passing attack is looking and a renewed effort by the O-line to open running lanes for whoever our RB1 is going forward, we will be fine offensively this season, but I am so bummed for Rawls. I wanted so badly for him to have a 1,000 yard season, potentially with 10 TDs, also with the potential for him to have had a better rookie year (in less snaps & games) than Todd Gurley.

• I hope and pray now that Marshawn is ready to go by at the very latest our first playoff game. While I am not scared of the Washington D.C. team even without Lynch, I believe to beat teams like the Cards, Panthers and whoever the Seahawks would play in the Superbowl (Bengals, Broncos, Patriots), they'd need Lynch healthy and doing his Beastmode thing. Against teams with really good pass rushing and secondaries we can't live purely off of Russ making the throws we have seen lately.

• My goodness it is wild to think about what type of season Doug is on pace for. 1,000+ yards and what? It must be something like 13-15 TD's (has 11 already with 3 games left to go and without Rawls and against weak secondaries I imagine we dial up the passing attack). Add to that; Russell only needs 237 YPG the next 3 games to break 4,000 yards passing (the first Seahawk QB ever to do so) and he only needs 226 YPG the rest of the way to beat Matt Hasslebeck's 2007 Franchise Record of 3,966 yards passing in a season by a Seahawks QB. Russell also already has 26 TD's this season, tied for his career high in a season. He is on pace for 32 passing touchdowns. Mind blowing. Tyler has 540 yards receiving with 5 receiving TD's with 3 games left, he also has a punt return TD and a kick off return TD. What an incredible rookie year. Think right out of the gate on a high volume passing team he'd be a 1,000 yard 10 TD rookie. Would be touted loudly by the national media to be one of the biggest draft steals in the past few years I bet.