By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Seahawks hit practice field focused on another game.

SEAHAWKS ARE FOCUSED ON EACH PRACTICE REP

The Seahawks returned to the practice field Tuesday with the focus of another truncated practice week. Saturday Divisional Playoff game with the Niners means Tuesday on everyone else’s calendar is Wednesday football for the team. The team had an early-morning walkthrough and then a late-afternoon practice. Facing the same opponent for the third time and second time in two weeks breeds familiarity but does not rule out surprises by both teams.

” We do everything the same. Everything stays the same and I expect them to be who they are. We know what happened last game,’ said Jarran Reed when asked about facing the Niners for the third time. ” We’re expecting them to come out and try to attack us and hit us with some new stuff. We’re honing into our keys and we are just here to play good football.”

When the two teams squared off in week 18, the Seahawks defense held the Niners offense to just 53 rushing yards. As a whole, the Niners’ offense had 173 yards. Stopping the 7th-ranked Niners offense took a collective effort by the Seahawks defense which is ranked 6th overall and first in scoring defense.

“I think the emphasis we put on it during the week. Everybody being in the right spots, nobody is trying to be a superhero on defense. Everybody is playing for the man next to him. You know, staying up front, playing with our hands, trying to get off blocks, trying to make negative plays or plays for no gain, ” said Reed.

The dominant display by the Seahawks’ defense was due to the superior play of the defensive line.

PLAYING TOGETHER AS ONE

The familiarity between them and how head coach Mike Macdonald likes to attack opposing offenses is not just something that has happened in the last several games. Give credit to head coach Mike Macdoanld of having a vision of how he wanted his defense to look and having a methodical plan to make that vision come to life.

” I would say it started during OTAs, honestly. I think that was around the time we talked about running to the ball. We talked about how our identity on defense is just like a high motor type of defense, type of play style, and you could see it immediately like when a new guy come in, we would see on film how he kind of played at a different level than us, but then within a few days he fits in with the rest of the defense playing at that same level, said Williams of the team see ball get ball mantra.” I think it’s definitely unique and special here, the way we attack the ball and the way we run to the ball, and I think we adopted it pretty quickly.”

OFFENSE ALSO FOCUSED


Macdonald’s vision of stacking practices and maximizing each practice rep is not just restricted to the defensive side of the ball. Each player is aware and taken up the challenge of being their best version of themselves each and every day. In their expectations of the players, the coaches have been instructional and allowed players to learn and grow without overthinking each practice session and playing scared. Understanding the why in the instruction by the coaches has allowed players like Gray Zabel to learn and grow without the fear of making a mistake.

” It’s unbelievable to have as a rookie. I think it goes to show the preparation that coaches put you through throughout the week, to be able to go out there on Sunday and just play free and play fast and have fun,’ said Zabel . “I think as a rookie you can’t ask for anything else from your head coach, to understand if you make a mistake going a million miles per hour, he’s going to coach you off it, but he’s never going to be mad about giving 100% or trying to do your best. So having that ability to do that is awesome and makes football a lot funner.

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