Pete Carroll: "We Played A Fantastic Night Of Football"

Tim (0:00)

When you looked at this, Pete, after going over the film and a night's sleep, how do you balance the good that you saw versus the end result?

Pete Carroll (0:09)

Well, I'm going with the stuff that takes us forward rather than takes us back.

I thought we played a fantastic night of football with all of the challenges that come along with that. We didn't make all the plays, we didn't make all the right calls, this and that, but it was a great football game.

And it was a great night to win. It was just a great night for us to be on the road and take it. It was just like the Detroit game to me. As we referenced that one during this week, it was the same setting for us. And it was that opportunity, we scored last play of the game, and we needed to do that again on this night to get it. It goes back to the last couple of games, we make a kick and win on the last play of the game, and we miss a kick to win on the last play of the game, that's how tight it is, and how competitive it is. And last night was an amazing event, and it was hard and challenging and tough, and it ain't getting easier. So we see all that, so there's a lot going on here.

Bob (1:12)

Bob. Yeah, Pete, on the officiating, are there any of those balls that really stand out to you as something that you really wish hadn't happened, or was it just kind of, it sounds like you're taking just a little bit, that it was sort of the general way that the game went for both teams was kind of your issue or?

Pete Carroll (1:31)

Yeah, it was 20 penalties called in the game, and what I'm not gonna do is, I'm not gonna go belly ache about the calls and the penalties, I'm not doing that. It's just that was the night and we had to compete with the factors as it was, and they did too. And it's unfortunate that there was such a big factor in the game. It just didn't, I don't think it needed to be, but it just was. And so that's the way this game went. And there was plays that were taken away, and plays that were given, and because of the calls, and that's just what happens sometimes. It was just way too much involvement. I just wish it wasn't like that, cuz I like to just see the players play it out, and figure it out, and finish the game, and see what happens.

Tim (2:14)

Tim. Pete, I know the penalties kinda tie in with this, but how did you feel about the way your pass defense was last night against them?

Pete Carroll (2:24)

Well, we got beat on some stuff, you know? But the big plays, the big pass interferences were the big plays, really. The first touchdown pass was a great throw and catch that we should have stopped.

But you guys know what the yardage was on some of the interferences. One was a 40 yard or something, there's another huge one. They're just, those are field changing, situation changing plays. And it's like they caught the deep ball on you and they beat you deep. And so that's part of the pass defense, unfortunately. I think if we clean the game up and we don't have those calls, then it's a different night. And so, but they're really good. And CD. Lamb is a fantastic football player. It's really the first time I really saw the dynamics that he brings to the game.

Clearly, he's a huge factor in the game. And Dax hooking up with him and they went to him a ton and they were able to keep getting the ball to him and he kept coming through.

I thought he was the difference in the game.

Curtis (3:24)

Curtis.

Yeah, Pete, that was among the best. Your offense has looked all season long. What do you think kind of sparked them last night to have the success that they did until the final three drives there?

Pete Carroll (3:40)

Yeah, the week's preparation coming off of the mess the week before, where we couldn't practice and with Geno and all that stuff. It just, everybody was really focused in on it. We were right, I thought that Shane was clear about what he was trying to do to attack these guys. And the players understood it and we knew we needed to run the ball like we did to set up the stuff that we needed to throw. And it fit, and guys came through, made their plays, a tremendous execution on the throwing and catching. And I thought Geno was on the mark with some great plays on the night. I just missed Dissley one time, just didn't quite hook up with Tyler one time. The timing was almost exquisite, it was all but, and so there was some great stuff. And then at the end of the game, when we needed to get our finish, we needed to deal with the protection better. And we got rushed and we didn't handle it, I can be more specific than I was on the radio this morning. I needed to look at it again to make sure I'm clear if you had any questions about it, but we just weren't quite sharp enough to pull it off.