While Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll was frank and honest about his teams need to cut down on penalties; Positive Pete gushed about good his defense can be and the play of Will Dissly and Russell Wilson. Here are videos and quotes from the coaches’ weekly press conference.
WINNING IN PITTSBURG
DEFENSE AND ZIGGY ANSAH
On how the three linebackers looked)
“I’m really excited about it. I’m really excited about the way these guys played this week. I really feel, this is as honest as I can get with you guys, I feel like we’re just getting started. I feel like we’re just getting going on what we can do and how to count on these guys and how to utilize their strengths. There’s individual strengths that we really understand about K.J. [Wright] and Bobby [Wagner].
We’ve been together for so long. Mychal we’re learning, but it’s more about the flow between those guys and how we can play off each other and all of that. I think we’re going to get better. I think we’re going to improve and we’re going to know more and we’re going to be more accurate with our calls and the way we use guys and all that. What I also like too is that Cody Barton’s been playing good enough football that he can back those guys up too.
It isn’t like it’s dependent only on when the guys are on the field. I think we’ve got a chance to maybe be able to keep that thing rolling with some flexibility.”
(On if Tedric Thompson will practice this week)“He’s going to do some stuff. It’s going to be a challenge for him to get back this week though. We’re not sure he can make it.”
(On what he saw from Lano Hill) “He did alright. Had the one bad play and other than that. I thought he did a pretty good job.”(On Bradley McDougald showing more of a range at free safety)
“No, no. I don’t think he’s more. We had seen a lot of film. He can play a lot of football. He’s been in all kinds of situations, strong safety, free safety situations, back in the deep middle playing in halves and all that. We’ve seen that. I think he’s doing the things that we’re counting on him to do.”
On what the defensive line play in the pass rush)
“Well, the pass rush wasn’t very effective in that the numbers weren’t there on the hurries and the hits on the QB. In the first half, in particular, I thought we really, in complement with the coverage, we pushed the pocket well and got Ben [Roethlisberger] to throw the ball right around. He had 60 something yards at halftime.
That’s a big day for you against a great player. I thought we were effective in working together, but the numbers weren’t there. I thought Mason Rudolph did a great job. I thought he looked good for his first time out. He came up with some nice throws and Cam [Heyward] got after it a little bit you know and that helped us as we were kind of feeling him out.”
OFFENSIVE HOLDING PENALTIES AND WILL DISSLY
(On seven penalties on the offensive line and what he thought of the offensive penalties)
“DK [Metcalf] had two in one play. Our hands have got to get cleaner. We’ve just got to do a better job. The officials, there are a couple of things that are really easy for the officials to see and they can see when you pull on a jersey and they can see that. When that happens, that’s a penalty in all phases of our game now. When your hands and arms are extended in blocks, it’s just a red flag and here it comes.
They can see that you don’t get it removed immediately, then you get called. That’s just being sloppy with their hands and we have to do better. We’re not there yet, we’re not on it yet. Our conscience isn’t right about it and I hope this hit hard enough this week. I hope the lessons are strong enough that we can make an impression on our guys.
This isn’t something we missed. We’re just not accomplishing the objective of cleaning it up and we’ve got to get it done. Look at us on third and ten or less, we’re a good third-down team. Everything beyond that, we stink and that’s going to continue to be difficult and those happen because of sacks or because of penalties and we’re getting third and fifteens and stuff. We have to clean that up.”
(On if he’s seen the emphasis on the backside holds yet)“Not yet. Not yet, no. I’ve seen the effect of the emphasis in that there’s not as much of it. Yeah, that’s happening. That’s a really good thing because that was a really lousy part of the game where guys are reaching and grabbing guys around their hips and holding them.
Or, they’re coming up on pass protection and going like this and putting their hands outside the frame and holding on to guys. That’s not football. That’s wrestling. That’s different. That effect has already taken place. The officials, they’re really queued in now. They’re trying to get the game cleaned up and that’s why there are so many calls and why we have to be really particular. I’m not griping one bit. We’ve got to get it done. I’m griping at our guys, not at the officials. We’ve got to get it fixed.”
