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Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson spoke to reporters on Monday afternoon. I took notes.
Coach Carroll:
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Really pleased with the game and positioning ourselves in the playoffs. Good solid game again, real nice effort across the board when watching film, still things to fix.
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Think the whole group worked out fine with the running backs. Saw their styles jump out. Like the variance. Nice to see Bryce Brown run the ball, saw Christine Michael attack the line of scrimmage real quick and got what we expected from Derrick Coleman; real solid.
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Sounds like Marshawn Lynch is making good progress. Don't know when he will get back. The work is hard and challenging for him.
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Every day effort for the staff to show off plays like Ahtyba Rubin and Brandon Mebane running 30-40 yards down field chasing the ball carrier. That isn't what comes natural, that is a mentality that has to be learned, human nature takes you the easy way out; not giving an effort like that. A fun guy to watch is Frank, it didn't show up in the stats but his effort and intensity was fantastic. Was really fun to watch that.
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Made a point of it today that Fred Jackson and Rubin got their first shot of going to the playoffs in their career. Pointed out to the rookie young guys that it doesn't always happen in your first year, look at how long they have been in the NFL and this is their first time.
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C-Mike has such fast feet, can change directions. Bryce is more of a downhill guy, a slasher, is bigger.
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Christine Michael "cherishes this opportunity more than he ever has" after being traded and released this season.
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Had a big discussion about taking a knee or going for it before half time. Pete was the decision maker but some on the staff wanted to take a knee and others wanted to go for it. Enticing to go for a TD when we were so close to the end zone.
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Kam Chancellor is much better today but don't know if he will play. Day to day.
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Liked when Doug Baldwin's name is mentioned with Jerry Rice. Has really been great to watch, every bodies play is evaluated because of Russell Wilson and Doug's play and vice versa.
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Try to get the best position we can in the playoffs. Winning games will help us do that.
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Doesn't believe you should ever ask players to take a break. Can ask guys to not play for whatever reasons but we aren't going to take the foot off the pedal right now. It's like letting someone not try very hard.
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Wished he would have challenged the Doug catch-no-catch but it was just a 6 yard play. Great job, great timing, great throw. On the play Pete did challenge, Richard Sherman told him the ball got loose and the offense hurried up to the line so that is why Pete challenged.
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Russell Okung had a pretty good report on the diagnostics but has a sore calf.
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Jordan Hill and Anthony McCoy will have a chance to return this week but won't know anything until Wednesday.
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Disappointed we lost B.J. Daniels but happy for his opportunity. Understands they want him to play QB which he likes most. Interesting to see what happens. Happy for him.
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"We could" get a third QB in the system, when asked if the Hawks would make a move to get another QB with Daniels gone.
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Using the same plays but dressing them up differently by Darrell Bevell is working really well. Always want to do things the QB can execute really well this time of year. Nothing new in football to stay with what you know but try to not be predictable. It isn't just the formation, but using the same look and doing something different so they don't know what you are going to do.
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Time spent together is what creates the trust with Russell and the receivers.
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Jeremy Lane did a good job at corner. Looked quick, had solid technique and was very consistent in his coverage. Tackling could be better but he did a good job for us.
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DeShawn Shead being back healthy is such a great asset for us.
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Visited with Jeremy Lane after the game and he said he felt great, which is a good sign endurance wise. Usually with guys with ACLs they are better the next year. He's had enough time -- it is like preseason is over.
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Will let Shead and Lane battle for starting outside CB.
Russell Wilson:
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Watching the film and being in the game, Bryce and C-Mike were so physical, they attacked the holes, got yards after contact. For C-Mike it has been a journey, excited for him.
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Remembers talking to C-Mike, and told him to keep his focus and keep working how hard he was. Thought he took it to another level this offseason. To see #32 out there running the ball with explosiveness and running through the hole, was good to see.
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Have already known what C-Mike, DC, and Jackson could do. Brown was highly touted coming out of HS and college and was around him at IMG, but watching them rush for 180+ yards in a game is a tribute to the O-line and the skills the RBs have.
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Wonders what we look like with Thomas Rawls, Marshawn Lynch and Jimmy Graham. Awesome part is seeing the next guy step up, like Tyler, who in Russell's opinion could be ROTY. He is so versatile, he is a returner, he is a serious deep threat. Believes he is one of the best rookies in the game. The talent of Doug and Kearse is not a surprise at all. Been special to see the maturation process for them and the continual consistency.
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Meeting time before and after practice along with the actual practice time is what leads to the trust building between Russell and the receivers. The result is the success on the field. It has been a special thing to watch.
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Thinks ultimately the biggest goal you want to have in every sport is playing your best ball late. You want to play good all season but you want to play your best late. You always want to give yourself a chance in December. Praises Bevell and the players. Thinks Fred has been huge for us. To miss guys like Marshawn and Rawls and Graham is tough but think it shows the teams character and the quality of the guys that step up. Hopes to get Marshawn back. Trying to get better every day.
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Hopes to get Marshawn back, he is a "gamer" and does things no one else can, but doesn't think down the line.
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Think when you study the film and evaluate, especially during the bye-week, Russ notices how close the team was. Is a positive guy but is realistic even if "you guys" sometimes say you don't think I am. Knows you have to adjust and just find a way sometimes in sports, trusting the guys around you and the coaches and yourself. That hasn't ever left us. Says "just say the course." Thinks the team practices harder than anyone else, puts in the extra work early and late at night. Yesterday was one week and one win, this week is a tough challenge and the goal is to go 1-0. Never gonna change.
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Trusting the O-line is easy to do. They have fought and made so many plays for us as of late. Doesn't try to predetermine anything, takes each play at a time. Trusts his eyes but tries to not predetermine.
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"That was a good one," Russ was trying to push and not take a knee. Knew we had two timeouts. Talked to the kicker about how far can you kick it, and he said "41 yard line" and so Russ thought to himself to get it to the 41. Setup for a hail mary but they covered it so he threw it to Kearse on the sideline, Kearse got us in position and we kicked it for a field goal.
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Always want to get better. Thinks there were a couple of 3rd downs and red zone shots that he could have done better. Wishes with the deep ball shot to Lockett he could have thrown it better, but he got hit hard, but wishes he could have somehow taken steps to have more time.
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Cam Newton is playing unbelievable football, is lights out. Is really happy for him but not too happy, doesn't want him to beat us in the playoffs. Wants him to play all his good games now, get them out of the way now. They have a great team and he is a special player. Pretty cool to watch.
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"I'm excited about getting into the playoffs. But just getting into the playoffs doesn't mean anything."
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Russell definitely doesn't pay attention to the studies about sleep. In fact he goes the opposite way from what they recommend. Thinks the less sleep you get the better as long as you use those hours you are awake right. Thinks about how the military, SEALs and such sleep as little as they do and do the stuff they do. Russ sleeps 4-5 hours a day, gets 10 hours of sleep on Saturday and Sunday. His crazy philosophy, that is why he says no time to sleep.
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Go Hawks! Merry Christmas!