Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll – Media Availability – December 21, 2021
Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll – Media Availability – December 21, 2021
(On this being a tough loss for the team and what his message to the team was)
“Yeah, we played really hard tonight. We were on it and had a chance to play with these guys throughout. There were some opportunities in there that we needed to go the other way and they didn’t for one reason or another. There’s a couple plays we could have made. We made a big mistake in the running game and gave them that big play on the scoring drive. We just made a mistake on the alignment and gave it to them. We played the running (game) great all night long. We felt like we kind of kept them under wraps, but we needed to score again and get ahead. I thought the response right before half and starting the third quarter was exactly what we needed to get rolling. Unfortunately, the next drive that they got, we didn’t get the job done. But it’s still tens, you know? It’s a really good football game on a Tuesday night.”
(On what he saw from the offense in general, the slow start for them and where did things fall short)
“Yeah, we just didn’t. We just didn’t get going. The defense stayed out, had some drives that we hung on into and got off the field and all that. The offense needed to make their conversions and get going. We were one-for-five on third downs in the first half. That’s not enough to get rolling. We never got started. It was great to see that we jumped right at the end of half and then jumped back again, had a really good physical drive, running the football and mixing and all that, everything was just right. We needed to just finish. It was a close game the whole night, we just needed one more drive and unfortunately we couldn’t generate it.”
(On what’s left for his team with their slim chances of going to the postseason)
“We’re playing for each other. We’re playing for the cause of loving this game and loving the guys that are in the locker room with us and playing for one another. The relationships that you build during the course of a season like this are unforgettable. They connect you so that you keep battling because that’s what it is. That’s what it feels like. You saw how hard we played tonight. There’s nothing but guys fighting for one another and so that’s what we’ll do wherever we’re playing, whoever we’re playing and whenever it happens. It doesn’t matter if it’s Tuesday night or Sunday or whenever. We’re going to go ahead and go. We will overcome the issues and get back to playing and focus on the things that make us have a chance, by practicing well, studying hard, caring and loving this game. We’re going to do everything we can to get every single drop out of it as we go down the stretch here.”
(On Seahawks WR DK Metcalf being irate on the sidelines at the end of the first half and how to bring him back mentally)
“He wasn’t checked out mentally as far as going out on the field and playing football. You saw something I didn’t see and I didn’t feel it. I didn’t see that. He was right with it. We needed him to go back to this and that. The plays that we were calling he was totally in. I didn’t see anything that distracted. But again, things might have been happening behind me. He was right there when we needed him to throughout and didn’t waver.”
(On if he got any explanations on Seahawks RB DeeJay Dallas fourth down play)
“No. (Inaudible). (Seahawks RB) DeeJay (Dallas) is one of the great players on our team. Team guy smart guy, great chase, great energy. He lost his composure for a flash of an instant and kicks the ball right there. So, he kind of distracted the focus from the call that that was just made. I don’t know, those guys make those calls when they make them and sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. It happened quickly and it didn’t look very good on the little replay that somebody showed me, but I don’t know. I’m not (inaudible) about that call. We need to win the game in all the other ways we could win the game.”
(On there not being a connection this year between Metcalf and Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and their plays that came up short)
“They’re trying their (expletive) off to play right. They’re working on their stuff, their routes, their concepts, the calls are there. We’re trying to get the ball. We just have to throw and catch it and make the plays and they have to get the job done and throw better. We have to make sure that we make our plays. I know these guys are working really hard to get it done. I am sick that we didn’t have a chance to play with (Seahawks WR) Tyler (Lockett) in this game, he would’ve been a factor in for sure. It’s unfortunate because this is really his kind of opportunity. So, (Seahawks WR) DK (Metcalf) had to do it, (Seahawks WR) Freddie (Swain) had to do it, (Seahawks WR Dee) Eskridge had to do it and come through. Those guys did everything they could.”
(On their first drive in the third quarter being as good as it’s been all season and why it worked)
“Well, it was just mixed in really well. DeeJay finished the drive off, (Seahawks RB Rashaad) Penny cramped up coming out of halftime and DeeJay finished off and did a nice job with that. I thought pass protection was as good as it’s been also against these guys. I thought we held up well. Our pass rush was as good as it’s been also against these guys. There’s a lot of positives in there.”
(On why their play wasn’t sustainable in terms of the offense)
“Actually, I don’t know. We tried to go right back on and do it again and we didn’t make the same first downs that did. The conversions were there in that sequence, and also, we ran the ball really well right there. When the time comes, you have to convert the third downs. We had some good controllable third down situations that we need to make.”
(On the third-down holding penalty against CB Bless Austin)
“I didn’t see it. I think he had three penalties thrown his way and I was told that that two of them weren’t penalties, but I don’t know that. I can’t tell you. I know he is really physical. He knocked a guy down on the last one and (that) was a huge play, like third-and-12, or something like that. We were off the field and they get a first down right there. That’s a very, very timely play for us. And, I know he’s physical, but I didn’t see the actual contact there. So, I have to wait to see the film.”
(On if the game being moved from Sunday to Tuesday impacted the Seahawks)
“I don’t think that had anything to do with anything. It just made it seem like forever to get to this game. It seemed like it was two weeks ago when we played and all that. But, the event here, the stadium was good. You know, our guys were lit up and fired up about this opportunity. They (the Rams) were too. Now, it’s going to be taxing the next week and we got to do a nice job of getting back and recovering. It’s a short week coming up.”
(On if the postponement and inactive players put the Seahawks at a disadvantage)
“Well, I don’t think it put us in a disadvantage. I think the delay helped them (the Rams). They were able to get some guys back that wouldn’t have played on Sunday, I think. But other than that, it didn’t hamper us, other than not having Tyler. Tyler’s one of the best players we’ve ever seen and he wasn’t there tonight. He didn’t quite make it back. He was battling all the way this morning. He would’ve flown up here in the morning if he could have passed his (COVID-19) test – he couldn’t get it done. But we were competing at (inaudible).”
(On his reaction to all of the penalties assessed against the Seahawks)
“We’ve been remarkably good penalty-wise during the course of this season, better than maybe we’ve ever been with fewer penalties per game and all that kind of stuff. But it seemed like young guys, new guys, that’s what it kind of felt like. Making the wrong choice at the wrong time. It just kind of felt like a little bit of inexperience in that running into the kicker, maybe on a third-and-12 you don’t have to use your hands as much. You make a good decision there, I don’t even know if that’s a penalty. Those are things that really we should be able to get through and it should not even be a factor. And those three plays, they (the Rams) didn’t do anything, they didn’t do a thing. We did all that to ourselves. So, it felt like that it felt like the guys that came up in those situations were new guys. And unfortunately, it wasn’t the most experienced guys that we’ve had around and so maybe that’s just part of the newness.”
(On why the Seahawks were so successful in the pass rush against the Rams)
“Well, I think that (Seahawks LB) Carlos (Dunlap II) took advantage of his opportunity against the guy who came in for (Rams OL Rob) Havenstein (Rams OL Alaric Jackson). I know he had three sacks, I think one of them was on the right side. I think two on the left. They had to play a back-up there. Carlos has been around a long time. He had one of his best games, rushing. So, I thought he took advantage of his opportunities really well. This was a game about opportunities. You know, some of them we captured and some of them we didn’t and it’s really frustrating to have to live with that.”
(Thoughts on the play of Seahawks OLB Jordan Brooks)
“Yeah, he was really active. He was really active. I loved the play on the screen of course. That was a game (where) we’re under three yards a carry in that game in the first half, playing exactly like we’ve been playing for months. Really kicking butt in the running game. And then that darn play gets out – the 40-yard play. We just lined up on and missed an alignment. But he was all part of that. I thought he was a big factor, he and (Seahawks LB) Bobby (Wagner), they continue to make the plays. Now we get really good line of scrimmage play from (Seahawks DT) Al (Woods) and from (Seahawks DT) Poona (Ford). And without (Seahawks NT Bryan) Mone tonight, our guys were playing like we’ve been playing. So, there’s some real consistency there. We’ve got some real strengths there as we’re going through this season that keeps showing up.”
(On how the players who are on the Reserve/COVID-19 list are feeling health wise)
“I’d like to send a message out there. Our guys aren’t sick. A couple of guys felt a little something, but they’re not sick-sick and they’re not feeling really bad. And it’s really frustrating for them because they don’t feel bad. And the new thing we’re dealing with, Omicron, is absolutely on fire, (it’s) virulent, but it’s not a big factor in how it’s affecting us at this point. We’re going to learn a lot more, that’s on no information and this is with no research, no nothing, but the early indication is that guys feel a little something and then that’s it. And so, we have to do a good job of getting back from it. These guys (the Rams) did a nice job getting back. They got some guys back in three or four days. We got to make sure we get that done. I don’t think we’re done with this thing. I think we’re still dealing with it.”