What the Seahawks coordinators said before Sundays game with the Colts

Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and defensive coordinator Aden Durde held their weekly press conferences as the Seahawks finalized their plans for Sunday’s game with the Colts. Both Coordinators have some unique challenges when game planning for the Colts.

WHO WILL START AT QUARTERBACK

Head coach Mike Macdonald and Durde will be preparing for two quarterbacks when the Seahawks 9th 9th-ranked defense lines up against the Colts. Rookie Riley Leonard stepped in for Daniel Jones after he suffered a season-ending torn Achilles injury in the Colts’ 36-29 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Leonard tweaked his knee in the game, and the Colts signed 44-year-old Philip Rivers the Monday after the game.

(On the Colts signing Philip Rivers)

“It is what it is. You’re talking about a really good player that you have to prepare for, and I think that’s just this league. Every week is ever-changing, and people get hurt. It’s an unfortunate part of the game, and new people come in. We just have to have that mindset of we’re preparing for who we have to play.”

STOPPING THE COLTS’ GROUND GAME

One constant for the Colts this year has been there run game led by Jonathan Taylor who leads the NFL in rushing with 1,356 yard and 16 touchdowns. The Colts offense is ranked 6th overall and there rush attack is also ranked 6th .

On the Colts gaining a lot of yards on first down)

“They’ve got an extremely good running game. It’s one of the best I’ve seen. I think the O-line are cohesive and connected. They play well, they run off the ball, they’re physical, and their runner is excellent. He’ll be a great challenge.”

On how the players have embraced the challenge of playing against the run this season)

“Ultimately, the way they think about it, you have to ask them. The thing we talk about all the time is that it creates the glamorous part of the game. It’s the grind of the game that you have to play down in and down out. We’ve got some great run defenders. They embody the way you play the run, take it on their shoulders and say, ‘We have to stop it.’ These are the challenges you would get excited for. They’re really good, and we have to be really good.”

(On comparing Jonathan Taylor to Bijan Robinson) “They’re both pretty good, man. We’ve played, I think, two of the best in the NFL right now. Bijan (Robinson), all power to the guy, the guy was unbelievable. Preparing for him and watching his tape going through it, it was cool to watch and then ‘Okay, now we have to prepare for this.’ He is a smooth runner that can make all the cuts, and he can accelerate really fast. Jonathan Taylor doesn’t fall backwards much. He’s got elite acceleration and elite speed. He’s going to be a challenge for us.”

On how Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori have unlocked for the defense)

“It just means that sometimes you don’t have to change personnels when you’re getting moved around versus personnel packages. With that, you have to be technically sound, and you have to be ready to play different looks a lot of the time. It helps, but you can’t ever get past the fact that these guys have to play. The speed that they play with and the physicality that you talk about happens because they’re playing free and that can never get in the way of this. The system can’t get in the way, and they have to keep going.”

CAN THE SEAHAWKS OFFENSE ESTABLISH A RUN GAME TO COMPLEMENT PASS GAME
The challenge for Kubiak and the Seahaks offense will be to try to establish a run game against the Colts sixth ranked run defense. The Colts defense is allowing 98.6 yards per game. The Seahawks defense is ranked second overal and allowing 94.2 yards per game.

(On the run game)”

I thought as a whole I was pleased with what went on. As far as who has the best day or not, I don’t worry about that as much. It’s about getting the job done and winning. Some days K9 (Kenneth Walker III) is going to have 100 (yards), and Zach’s (Charbonnet) is going to have less, or it’s going to be flip-flopped, but it’s about winning. It’s about finding a way to move the ball, whether it’s through the air, on the ground, and it usually never goes the way you plan. So, we just keep developing all parts of our game and seeing what it takes to win that game once you get into the third and fourth quarter.”

(On what it means to start fast)

“Good coach speak, it’s having a better plan for the guys to start the game. It’s player’s executing better. It’s getting out of your own end zone, being backed up there, being better on first and second down, so you’re not in a third and long to start the game. It’s many, many things, and it’s never the same thing in the same season. I think it all starts with having a great, positive first play. We didn’t get that done to start the drive in Atlanta.”

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