The Seahawks began practicing for Mondays Prime Time showdown with the San Francisco 49ers Thursday afternoon with the enormity of the occasion very clear to Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll
TOP PASS DEFENSE
The Seahawks are a perfect 4-0 on the road this year and if that trend is continue the team will need to find a way to run the ball against a tough 49ers defense that is ranked #1 overall and #1 in stopping the pass The minor blemish in the San Francisco defense is their # 14 ranking in stopping the run. If the Seahawks strategy is to run the ball they will need do to neutralize a defensive line that is #1 in league according to Carroll.
RUN GAME TO COMPLEMENT PASS GAME
With Russell Wilson continuing his MVP playing campaign and sure to have some success against the 49ers in their air the Seahawks will need Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny to have their best games of the year to slow down the 49ers pass rush. Wilson’s numbers have simply been off the charts. Wilson has thrown for 2, 505 yards , 22 touchdowns and one interception with a quarterback rating of 118.2. Wilson passer rating and touchdowns thrown lead the league. Carson has rushed for 764 yards which places him sixth in the league and his 175 rushing attempts is second to Minnesota running back Dalvin Cook who has 177 attempts for 894 yards.
CARROL QUOTES
On how good the 49ers defensive group is) “It’s a really good group. I think they’re the top group in the whole league. Their style of play, their coaching, Nick Bosa adding to it, those guys, have been a big addition. Dee Ford has really fit in well on the third down situations. They’re flying. They’re about as good as you can hope to be now. They’re getting it done.”
(On Quandre Diggs and where he will fit in)
“I can’t tell you much yet. We’re counting on him practicing all week this week. We just have done a walk through, so this is first official walk through where he could do everything. We’ll see how it goes. I can’t tell you yet. I’m hopeful that he can contribute and help us this week. He has had the benefit of a couple weeks of studying and he’s been out there for the walk throughs and all that kind of stuff. He hasn’t had a full speed step yet on the field. So today’s his first chance.”
(On the impact Richard Sherman had on Shaquill as a rookie) “I would think he did. I showed him film of him and taught him from the history and what it was like to be a young starter in the league. I would hope he was a positive impact. Just competing.”
(On the hope and expectation of Josh Gordon today)
“It’s similar to Q in that we’ve just go to get him out there. He went through the walk through and that’s all I know. I don’t have any other information than that. He’s a smart football guy. He’s going to get it. It’s not going to take him very long. Just need to see him practice. I can’t tell you anything right now on the guys. I just know what they have looked like. We’re going to make this transition and see what happens. My expectations are not so high that we’re going to be disappointed if they can’t contribute and all that. I’m hopeful that they can be a part of it. I think those two guys are kind of in similar modes. Q has a couple week on him of preparation and all that. Josh has been scrambling to catch up and doing overtime, competing to get that done. I’m anxious. I can’t wait to get out and see what the guys look like.”
(On how much pride he takes in the consistency the Seahawks have had in being around the top of the division each year for the past however many years)
“I do take pride in that. That’s what were trying to be, uncommonly consistent. That is important. There’s been quite a few coaches going through. It’s hard. We’re still here. I’m glad we’re still here. Happy for that.”
(On if the mindset is more of a way of being than doing) “Yeah. That’s a way to describe it. It’s really understanding the value in controlling the things you can control and maintaining focus on those. It’s when you let other things enter in. Distractions can come in any form. It doesn’t matter what it is. If it takes some of your focus away, then it’s beating you in that regard. In the moment, right there, right now, trying to win those every day. Just battling day after day after day is what gives you the routine and the consistency of the regimen takes to do this.”
(On where Jimmy Garoppolo is with his mindset)
“He’s still young at the position to me. He’s still growing. He’s got so many things that he’ll learn in the next four or five years. I know I’ve said this for a long time about Russell [Wilson] way back when, he’s going to get better. He’s still learning and he’s still learning. Six years, seven years, eight years, he’s still learning. This position encompasses so much and it’s so difficult for these guys to put so much in.
There’s so much demand on them that there’s so much to take in and to gain control of and understand. Whereas Garoppolo, he’s going to be better. He’s just going to keep getting better. He’s already completing 71% of his passes. How much better can you get? I don’t know, but he will as guys do. That’s my opinion. Other guys may think differently.”
(On how Ziggy Ansah is doing)
“He’s still battling. He’s still battling physically to get back to right. He still hasn’t gained all his weight yet back. He’s still in the 250s. He is on a regimen to continue to get stronger and to keep working to get back to full go. The offseason took a big toll on him not being able to use his shoulder and not be able to run and do stuff that he needed to do.
He’s still developing. It’s still a developmental campaign to get him back to full go. He plays really hard. He’s smart and he does things right. I think that the production should show. It should show up. We’ll stay after it.”
(On how the weight loss has impacted Ziggy)
“Just overall strength. The musculature that it takes. He’s in the 250s right now, I think 258 or something like that. I think 270 is a good weight for him.”
OFFICIAL INJURY REPORT
