The Seattle Seahawks ( 5-2) will play a second consecutive home game when they battle the Washington Redskins (3-4) Sunday afternoon ( 1:05 p.m.) at CenturyLink. Sunday will mark the only time the Seahawks will have back to back home games this season. While the Redskins are on a two-game losing streak the team is lead by gunslinging Pro Bowl quarterback Kirk Cousins. In eight games Cousins has passed for 1900 yards, 13 touchdowns, four interceptions and has a passer rating of 94.9.
Pete Carroll and his team will be looking to quickly start a running game that has sputtered all season but should improve with the midseason acquisition of Left Tackle Duane Brown from the Houston Texans. All-Pro Safety Earl Thomas has been ruled out of Sunday’s game due to a hamstring issue. Here is what the coaches had to say going into Sunday’s game.
Washington Redskins Head Coach Jay Gruden
On what he thinks of the Seahawks so far this season from what he’s watched)
“Well, you see a well-coached football team and they’re really finding their way on offense. Without a doubt, Russell Wilson is playing at a very high level, and then defensively, they still have an excellent pass-rush and Richard Sherman and excellent linebacker play and safety play. They have an all-around sound football team; they can get after you on defense and hurt you on offense with the speed of their receivers and the athleticism of their quarterback, and tight end obviously, too.”
(On how Redskins QB Kirk Cousins is having another good season and where he is in his development as a passer)
“Yeah, I think he’s just come a long way. I think his confidence in this system is really starting to show, his ability to get us out of bad plays, and make plays on-the-fly. His scramble plays, he’s had some good rushing games for us, and he’s gotten us out of some binds on third-down with small schedule plays, I think that’s where his game has improved the most. Overall, I just think his general knowledge of the game, his anticipation, is very, very good, and it’s going to continue to get better. Now, we have a line that’s a little bit not used to playing with him, that’s the biggest challenge right now is getting the protection and getting everybody on the same page, but as far as leadership goes and him communicating with everybody, he’s playing pretty well for us.”
Seahawks Pete Carroll
“Can’t stop thinking about coming home again. Coming home. It’s great to be here. Yeah, I’m really excited and so are the players. Looking forward to it. Looking forward to a really good match up too. We have worked really hard on these guys. They have got terrific schemes like I mentioned earlier in the week. Really attacks you and we really have to be right because they are a real smart group in their play. Scheme wise we are taxed and hopefully we can play really good football.”
On how hard is it to plan for a team with so many injuries)
“Somewhat. We kind of have to plan for everything. We have to plan for everything that they have done because they can do it. The players not being there doesn’t mean they can’t do stuff so we have to plan for everything and we will just see if they have made some choices to turn their emphasis in some direction, we will have to figure that out.”
(On Kam Chancellor and Bobby Wagner and Sheldon Richardson’s statuses)
“Kam is fine. Bobby, we are just going to make sure tomorrow. See how he feels and all the way up until game day. Because he just practiced Friday. Sheldon we have to wait until game day to make sure he is OK.”
(On what is the concern that Earl Thomas might not be available Thursday in Arizona)
“I’m not even thinking. I don’t know. I don’t know that. I hope not. I don’t know though. First time someone made me think about that.”
On how confident are you in Bradley McDougald replacing Thomas)
“Like I have said, really there is no reason to think other than what we have projected going in. He is ready to play. He knows everything. He communicates beautifully with our guys. Has been on the field a lot so it really doesn’t feel like newness. You are going to miss Earl just because Earl is Earl but Bradley will do a really good job.”
