By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Seahawks Address Turnovers, Red Zone Woes Ahead of Short Week

With Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the rearview, the Seattle Seahawks, from coaches to players, are hungry to get back on the field and return to their winning ways. Losing on a short week has one advantage: mentally, players can move on quickly. The struggle for players is moving on physically. There is no way to fool the body  into a quick recovery method. What has worked in the past for the Seahawks and most NFL teams is light workouts between the Sunday and Thursday games.

“We’ve had a workout. We were in here for one day. I’m going to watch the film, get a workout in, coaches’ game plan. We’re really getting into game plan-specific stuff today. It’s good being back here with the guys,’ said Cooper Kupp when asked about the teams practice and recuperation schedule.

” I think there’s that uneasy feeling in the facility right now coming off a loss that we think we should have won and just didn’t do well, especially offensively. There’s a frustration there, but also chomping at the opportunity to go out there and play another football game here in a few days. There’s excitement there. Looking forward to getting after things.”

 SEARCHING FOR REDZONE STOPS

After gifting the Niners 21 points from turnovers, plus poor red-zone play and other execution issues, the Seahawks have spent every available minute doubling down on their principles on both sides of the ball. The Niners scored on all three red-zone trips. While all three possessions were a result of offensive turnovers, Julian  Love and the rest of the defense have made a point to address what they feel are red-zone deficiencies.

“ As a whole, it’s a targeted focus for us. Turning some of those situations into a field goal attempt as opposed to seven (points) is huge. It’s how we have to play complementary football and we did not do that well enough on defense Sunday. It’s an area of high importance right now. We’re trying to continually work at it. I can’t tell you exactly what it looks like, but I know that it is important to us,” said Love.

Another point of emphasis for the  defense, according to Love is playing decisive football that leads to big plays  which leads to short possessions for opposing offenses.

“We have to get off the field. We could have a few third downs back. We talked about red zone. That’s a choice like, ‘No matter how they got here.’ Could be a turnover, could be a drive, whatever. Let’s make the choice to force a kick. A four-point swing could be huge for our team. When they’re pinned, keep them pinned so it gives our offense a short field. The subtle little things. Making the choice each play to lock in and get the job done, “ said Love.

OFFENSE CLOSE TO PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

To a man, and especially the offense, the offense has owned up to the high number of turnovers and a lack of execution. After just one turnover in their first two games, the Seahawks have committed eight in their last three. Quarterback Sam Darnold has thrown four interceptions in those three games, accounting for half of the team’s turnovers. Darnold, to the team’s credit, has remained steadfast with an unshaken belief that the turnover epidemic will pass.

“It’s an elite trait of his to stay steady to be able to go through the highs and lows of life, of football, and a play. His steadiness is an incredible trait. It’s a great thing for us as an offense to know that he knows we have a supreme belief in him. When he steps in the huddle, it’s a next-play mindset, next opportunity to go out there and play good ball. As the guy coming into the huddle, no matter what happened before, he brings great energy and excitement to go out there and play efficient ball on the next drive. That’s what you need,”  said  Kupp.

“ You can’t have anyone lingering. You can’t have anyone holding back because you can feel that stepping up to the line when someone’s still stuck on the play that happened before. We’re doing a good job moving forward from those things and we just have to be able to do that consistently.”

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