Pete Carroll: "We Can Find Positives To Build On"

Pete Carroll (0:01)

Well, as often you ask, you know, what did you see in the video show?

We found some things that on a day of frustration, we could find pauses to build on and to work towards improving.

Third down was just a disaster for us in both sides of the ball. And that really was the story of the day, because we ran the ball all right on offense, and ran the ball and stopped the run on defense as well. And so when it came down to it, we had to get off the field and we didn't do it. So that's, it really, it just spells the whole issue of what happened in the second half, too, we didn't make first down, they moved the ball, we didn't make first down, then they moved the ball again. And that was, the game started to change right there. So it's really disappointing that we didn't come back in the second half and play better. I thought we were in okay shape at the end of the first half for just getting started. And I wanted to build on that in third quarter, and we weren't able to get that done. So it's a very difficult day to take for the opener and everybody's expectations, nobody's ever higher than ours, but everybody's expectations dashed a bit to get this thing started.

SPEAKER_2 (1:09)

You mentioned to run defense, that was obviously a big emphasis in the soft season. Is that despite a loss, something you can kind of take going forward and build off of what you guys are doing?

Pete Carroll (1:18)

Yeah, because we've seen some consistency in the preseason as well as carrying over here. And with big emphasis to try and shore that up. That was a real strength in the game.

Well, I don't have much for you to update. We're going to go day to day once we get back Wednesday and see where we are.

Abe came walking in today in the office and he was walking all right and all that. So we'll hold a good thought. Charles making it around, but it's going to take a little bit before we know.

SPEAKER_3 (1:52)

How much, I guess, do you pin the offensive circles in the second half on not having those guys?

Pete Carroll (1:59)

That didn't really even show up as an issue until late, when they really started to crank it after us.

Stone held up pretty well. Jake got his licks in there and they did okay. There's a couple of rushes right at the end of the game that we got rolled back a little bit.

SPEAKER_4 (2:17)

What if it's just a sore knee for Abe? It's just that simple?

Pete Carroll (2:21)

Yeah, yeah, it's a patellar area soreness.

So, but he's had all of the tests and we've seen all the stuff and there's nothing to do for it right now. It's just, he's got a sore knee.

SPEAKER_3 (2:35)

You said on the radio, you expect to wear this moon out or practice fully this week with the intent to play Sunday?

Pete Carroll (2:40)

Yes, that's the way we're approaching it. We'll see if that works out. We got to get through the days, but he's anxious to go. He practiced really hard last week.

You would have, if you watched him, you would have thought he could play. We just wanted to make sure that we got through a whole nother week of preparation to secure it. And so that's where we are.

SPEAKER_5 (2:58)

Pete, when you went back to Washington, what stood out about your third down defense?

Pete Carroll (3:03)

We needed to, as always, it works together, with the rush and the coverage. And we didn't, we weren't able to hold the coverage up with the rush that we had. And he held the football a bit and made some great throws and some really good catches. And they converted with guys hanging on them, like a really good quarterback does. We needed to make him move and we didn't make him move enough.

You can do it by covering guys, he's got to hold the football and he moves around, or you can get the quick rush on them that we didn't get either one of those successfully. So they did a really nice job against us.

There was nothing new, it was just the stuff that they do. But it was, what was old was that Matthew Stafford could still do it, and he did a great job at it.

SPEAKER_6 (3:44)

Trey Brown, what did you think of his day?

Pete Carroll (3:47)

He had a couple of plays that he'd like to get back. Missed a tackle in a critical situation. That was really not a very difficult play, just kind of get in an awkward situation.