Seahawks beat Browns: Pete Carroll, Russell Wilson press conference notes

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson spoke to reporters following Seattle's win over the Browns. I took notes.

Coach Carroll:

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• Good day for the Seahawks, good day to get the win and to get to the playoffs with a couple of games left. Another good day of football. The Browns did a nice job on offense but our defense held together. Running the ball for 180 yards today is big. Protecting the QB is really big. All the receivers came through and Russell Wilson is riding high. His play is extraordinary. Great to see the consistency in the red zone and on third down, they were weak spots earlier in the year and now they are our strengths.

• Was hoping our run game was going to look like that. Russell did a nice job with a couple of carries to add to it. All in all we were able to maintain the kind of rhythm we want by having the running game. Thought Christine Michael did a nice job, as did Bryce Brown. Pounding the football at it. It is kinda like we are starting over with the guys, will take it a day at a time, see what happens next week.

• Christine was very serious about adding to the team. He has been through a lot since he has been here before. He recognized the opportunity. Thought he did a very good job today, Bryce too. Derrick Coleman did not get a whole lot of carries once we got going, wanted to stay with the other guys as we saw it happening. Gonna play it by ear and go with what the game taught us.

• Don't use the word "committee" in regards to the running backs. Guys upfront did another fine job for us.

• Russell Okung got a calf strain, those can last a little bit but don't know much about it (severity) yet. Only guy that came up injured from the game.

• DeShawn Shead got out there a little bit, but had a change to save him. He should be fine for next week.

• Jeremy Lane got to play for the first time at outside CB. He did a great job, that is a really big positive. Kelcie McCray had another good game and that is back to back solid games from him. Marcus Burley had a pick and sack on the same day, exciting.

• Kam Chancellor wasn't close to playing, will be day to day next week.

• 10 TDs in the last four games for Doug. It is clear he and Russell are working together well. Jermaine Kearse had a huge game today and Tyler Lockette came through as well. Like that it is the same, week after week after week.

• Bryce did fine, first time he has played football in a long time. Averaged close to 5 YPC, did a good job.

• Darrell Bevell is doing a great job, has always done really well for us. The production is everybody working well together.

• No doubt that this season it has been the offense that has improved in the last quarter of the season (compared to last season when it was the defense that got hot). You can see it in the consistency and efficiency. The defense is playing terrific football for us.

• Jermaine has always been good. He has always done a good job for us. You see everybody benefits from the overall efficiency of the group.

• 4th straight year in the playoffs, 5 of 6 in his years as Head Coach here, Pete likes that a lot. It is what we are here to do, to be consistent and be on-top and see how far you can take it. Nothing he likes more.

• No one thing convinced him he could get to this point when we were 2-4. Knows that we kept believing in one another and working really hard. Marvelous chemistry takes place on teams when you can sit back and watch it happen. Kept talking that way, that it will happen. It is a terrific accomplishment. Russell is up there in all the efficiency numbers and we lead the league in rushing the ball, is that a perfect balance? "Pretty good, and not turning it over? We'll take it!"

• Jeremy Lane did a good job. Played the whole game. Had the position to make a pick but their guy got in position to defend the ball. Just to see him play consistently and get through the game and feel good and strong, means he is officially back. Great boost for us, been waiting for Jeremy Lane to get back. Major accomplishment given what happened to him.

Russell Wilson:

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• Think we are clicking on all cylinders. Ultimately the O-line is doing an tremendous job. We had two sacks today but one is on him; thought he was gone and slipped while cutting back, thought he would get a lot of yards on that one. Frustrating. O-line is doing a tremendous job, from the run game to the pas game. Guys are making plays down the field. Guys are making plays. What he has been saying, we are right there, stay the course, go 1-0 every week. Have that killer instinct and play smart football.

• Being in the playoffs is big, you want to get to December with a chance. Still have two tough games ahead of us. The Rams always play us tough. Is confident in every guy, obviously Doug is playing All-Pro football, and he can do so many different things for us. Thought the running backs did a tremendous job today. C-Mike stepped up. Fred Jackson can do so many things, and Bryce Brown had a good game too. Gotta give credit to DC too, he can play tailback and fullback.

• Fred just knows how to do so many different things and do them so well. His professionalism, it's a tribute to be around a guy like that. Has a relentless work ethic. He is great on 3rd down for us. Gotta give him all the love.

• When Fred got here one of the things Russell talked to him about was him getting into the playoffs for the first time. That is the reason he came here, to win a lot of games and get into the playoffs. We wouldn't be here without Fred. He has stepped up and made the plays. Is really happy for him.

• Russell is a firm believer in the positive mentality and critiquing evaluating and continuing to believe and trust the process. Ultimately as a team, have trust in one another. Are so in sync, so connected, so together, those things have played a major role in our success. Gotta play the game in your head by visualizing, play it 100 times over and when you play it on Sunday it is slowed down.

• "Ya, for sure" is in a zone. Being in the zone, Russ always says laser focus. Be laser focused and ignore the noise. The other guys make it easy for Russell, coming in early and staying late, working hard, their work ethic.

• Christine has always practiced hard. With him leaving and coming back you could see his gratefulness, his focus, his work ethic in practice. He brought the fire today. To get a talent like that this late in the season is a big deal.

• Kearse has great hands, anytime he throws the ball he expects Jermaine to catch it. He is an exciting player.

• Pettine didn't find Russ to say anything to him, "it is what it is. I think that honestly I am just happy that we won."

My Thoughts:

• I am really tempering my excitement for our run game because of how bad the Browns rushing defense is. I loved what I saw from C-Mike and I really liked what I saw from Brown and Coleman, but against a top 10 rushing defense do we break 100 total yards rushing? Do our running backs still get 4+ YPC? I hope so.

• I am really really encouraged by what I saw in Kelcie McCray again. Lead the team in tackles and leads our team in special teams tackles I believe. Whether it is insurance in-case Kam starts acting funky again (in regards to his contract) or just having a really solid backup SS, I really like that we traded for Kelcie and he turned out to play this way. I am also encouraged by Jeremy Lane's play and how much Pete praised him today for his play. If Pete thought he didn't do well he would have said he was "fine" but he praised him big time.

• It is a bummer that Okung went down and who knows he might miss the Rams game (and even possibly the Cards game) but the upside is after what I saw from Bailey in the Cowboys game when he got Hardy all game, I am confident that Bailey will play good at LT when he has all week to practice and knows he will start.