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Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson spoke to reporters after Seattle's 16-15 win over the Chargers on Saturday night. Here are a few quick notes I jotted down from both pressers. Originally published at Reddit.
Coach Carroll:
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What's jumping out: I'm fired up about how hard we are playing across the board. Really pleasing.
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Special teams have really been a great factor for us this preseason. All doing good stuff. Tyler Lockett getting another return is fantastic, "he's for real like we hoped".
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Didn't do as well on offense like we'd like. Running back average out of those guys was okay, but offense doesn't feel smooth.
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Russell Okung had a sore shoulder coming out of practice, still sore, precautionarily held out.
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More "core guys" than we've had in the past on ST, good athletes, really good group to play on all four ST's.
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Passing game wasn't sharp. Russell missed some tonight. Needs to be better.
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Tyler Lockett runs 4.3, has all the guts you need for returning, great vision. Shouldn't be that surprised, been doing it his whole life. Even though that (TD's) won't happen often, great threat to have.
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K.J. Wright got his shoulder banged, wanted to go back in but we held him out. Knocked pretty good.
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Mike Morgan tweaked his hammy.
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Dion Bailey had back spasms.
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They did a nice job at pecking away at the zone D. Good dinking, they are great at that.
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This looks to be a team that more than we've been we can pressure. Timing, speed, it was apparent and they have good pass protection.
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Kris Richard is being more aggressive and playing to the strengths of the players with his defensive calls.
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"It was good to see Marshawn. But that's it. Don't hold your breath seeing if he's playing next week."
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When we play with Marshawn in the O-Line looks better. It's their second week as a line playing together and Russell didn't get sacked (aka improvement). They will get better over time, they need to hurry but they will get better with time.
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No decisions to be made right now, nothing to change (about players earning spots).
Russell Wilson:
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Ultimately we have to finish drives, that's on me, missed a couple throws there. We will hit them, 2 minute situation was great. Ultimately won the game.
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We'll be just fine. Excited about it.
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O-line is doing a tremendous job. We are just a hair off. Obviously Okung wasn't in.
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Definitely think's he's ready, can't wait to play. Moving the ball, just need to finish.
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Jimmy Graham looks really good out there, spectacular player. One in the red zone was just a hair bit high, which is tough to do given his height.
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Hauschka missed the first, told him you are going to win the game for us. Then he did.
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Stay the course, no worrying. Will fix problems.
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Tried to throw the ball away with his left hand when he almost got sacked for a big loss. Sometimes can make a really big play outta that but he made a really good play.
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Always wants more reps (in regards to next preseason game). Ultimately is encouraged because of how we practice. Williams (WR), Kevin Smith (WR), Lockett (WR) making plays is great.
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Drew Nowak is doing a great job, smart smart kid, former DT. As athletic as you can get. Exciting to watch him progress. Stays extra for extra film, gets there early. Finishing the drive is on him (Russ).
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One of our strengths has always been our hurry up offense. Gotta continue to be clutch in those moments.
Steven Hauschka:
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When I'm at my best is when I am under pressure.
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Penalty didn't help at all, ran out on the field knew it was gonna be long, thought it would be 59 but Jon Ryan told me 60 and I said "oh shoot".
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Hit a 65 in training camp practice.
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Everyone excited to get the victory.
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Didn't think it was going to get there when it left my foot, felt a little wind on my face. Barely got there.
My thoughts:
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It's the preseason, guys & gals. I know you want to see high caliber O-line play, a consistent productive run game and a fluid successful passing attack with the occasional successful explosive play, but we are working stuff out. Our O-line is two weeks old, what do you really expect from it? Gotta watch the tape and individually grade how Gilliam/Britt/Nowak looked to make a fair judgement on them. To my eyes it looked like Giliiam balled out.
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I can openly admit (and no one saw it coming) I was wrong about Bailey. My god he has looked awful. Flat out lost the LG job (hence the Britt experiment) and now looked awful at LT. I don't get it...he was so solid, starter level play last year as a backup, now he comes in down 30lbs and not good.
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Tyler Lockett...damn, need I say more? The guy is 100% legit. Did we just replace Tate and Percy by getting a guy who is the perfect blend of the two (w/ a pinch of Baldwin)? The guy looks great at WR, fantastic in the return game, and this is his rookie year (if he can produce like a first round pick in his rookie year, we get 4 years of him for cheap).
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Russell has not had a good preseason to my eyes. Seems like the majority of this throws have been off. Am I worried? Not really, he hasn't done anything in the past to make me believe he won't get it sorted out by the time Week 1 comes around.
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Tharold Simon (I know, I know)...but really; Tharold Simon looked good. I feel like his upside is higher than Cary Williams. I know we brought in Cary for RCB and his contract makes him impossible to cut, but if Simon out plays him in camp and preseason game 4, I could really see Pete's competition motto coming true and Simon earning that starting job. At the very least be right on Cary's heels and if Cary doesn't look good against the Rams or Packers, could get benched for Simon.
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Overall what I am left thinking is this is still just the preseason, these are still games with minimal game planning, vanilla play calls, missing starters (can not be emphasized enough the impact Beastmode has when he's in), and a brand new O-line and a brand new receiving weapon that Russell needs to get on the same page with (Jimmy). Consider me extremely curious to see this team (with all its starters, full game plans, etc) Week 1. I wonder if having all the pieces together, a game-plan/scheme in place and all that will show huge improvement or will we will show up with a 25th ranked O-line in pass pro that can't run block like it is known to in the past, and a choppy unsynchronized passing attack with liabilities at RCB and Nickel CB.