THE MODERATOR: Questions for coach.
Q. Can you go ahead and start us off on your initial thoughts on the Patriots, facing them this weekend.
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, they're a historic winning football team because they do stuff right. They're really well-coached. They've got a really good scheme. They adapt to their opponents as well as anybody in the game.
Defensively they have been great in the turnover game, led the league in turnovers last year, turnover ratio last year. Came out and got three picks right off the bat. We know we got to take care of the football.
The other side of the ball, it's kind of a new era. You can see them, they've shifted their focus on how they ran their offense in the first game. They can do anything in the second game. I leave it wide open to Coach Belichick.
What you saw is a feature of the quarterback. Cam ran the ball 17 times in the game. We got to see what they do this time around. There's not enough games for us in their new thinking to know what to expect here. We'll have to adapt at game time.
This is a terrific program, with great approach and philosophy. You got to play really good to beat these guys. We'll go see what we can do.
Q. Corners have long been considered your specialty. The Patriots have a pretty darn good one over there in Stephon Gilmore, interception last week, two time all pro. What makes him such a special talent? How would you compare him to other corners...
PETE CARROLL: I think he's about as good as you get now. He has enough size and stature to him that he can hold up on the line of scrimmage. He's got great speed. Then his feet are as good as you could hope for.
Then the next level is instincts. He's just a really, really all around complete football player. They've committed to him being an on-the-line-of-scrimmage guy. He's terrific at it. I think he was Player of the Year last year or something, Defensive Player of the Year. Obviously he's no secret.
Q. Kind of being an older coach, how do you think you've been able to stay energetic on a day-to-day basis and keeping your mind sharp throughout the NFL grind, doing it for so long? What do you think has helped you?
PETE CARROLL: First off, I'm not taking any of those drugs that they show on TV all the time. I don't take any of those things (smiling). I'm more of a naturalist.
I have no idea. I don't know how to even answer that question. I just do the same thing I know how to do, go for it every time, every time out. I try to compete at every single turn. I don't know. I can't tell you much more.
You guys know me better than I know me in that regard. You watch, know what we do. Sorry, I don't have a good answer for you.
Q. How is Rasheem Green doing? Any new injuries out of the game from Sunday?
PETE CARROLL: No, it's going to take all week for us to figure it out with him, see how he comes back. He got some tests done today, so we will know.
Otherwise we're in pretty good shape. We're going to get Phillip Dorsett back on the field today, see how he does getting ready for the weekend. We're in pretty good shape.
Cedric is still going to be hampered a little bit. We won't know till the end of the week on Cedric.
Q. I was wondering what you think are the similarities and differences between you and Belichick when it comes to coaching style, how you view the game, that kind of thing?
PETE CARROLL: But not about our heritage and our background at all?
Q. If you'd like to go into that (laughter).
PETE CARROLL: I just like pointing out we have a little similar backgrounds that we both got a lot of Croatian blood in us (laughter). Other than that, for whatever reason, nobody ever mentions that.
I think what's similar is our defensive background. We've both been defensive guys our whole life. We look at the game from that perspective I think in general. We both had the opportunity to be involved in our offenses a lot over the years. I know he does, I know I do, try to influence what we do on offense, how we do it.
We both have really I think strong commitments to our approach and philosophy. Doesn't really matter much what happens, we're going to be pretty much the same with who we are, what we want to get done with our teams.
I know that he is, I know that I am, very fundamental coaches in this game as far as the tactical part of it, the technical part of it, the principles of playing good ball, executing, not giving your opponent much. We're both real committed in that sense. I think it's kind of a general football outlook.
The two of us, the two teams, have really played similar in a lot of areas in terms of big numbers and stuff, turnovers, winning games, divisions, stuff like that. They've been way ahead of us with a lot more wins than us, but we're out there kind of. Some similarities in the consistency.
Q. You've prepared for Cam Newton countless times throughout your career. Cam with the Patriots might be a little bit different. How do you figure out what they're going to do? Rely on what you've seen in the past?
PETE CARROLL: We do have a real good background with Cam. We don't know what they're going to do with him. It's only one game. We don't even have the benefit of the pre-season games to kind of try to figure it out.
They have been notorious for changing from one week to the next in how they approach their opponents. We have to go into this game with a wide open look. Almost like a first game. We have some information. They showed they really want to run the football, ran it 42 times in the game, which is a great commitment. But we don't know. We'll see.
I do like that we have seen Cam over the years in really big games and playoffs and all of that. We've seen him in the most challenging settings so we have a familiarity in that regard.
Q. What stood out most about his play in the first game?
PETE CARROLL: The Patriots ran the ball 42 times, threw it 19 times. They've done that at times rarely, not with Tom Brady that often. There's a difference in that commitment right there. They have a quarterback that's got extraordinary talents. They utilized him. Very commanding win.
Q. How the Patriots ran Cam Newton, how similar was that to how Turner and those guys ran him in Carolina?
PETE CARROLL: It wasn't exactly the same. We've seen Cam run every play that you could run over all these years. There's a wide variety of things that he does and can do. But they did show a willingness to run him downhill, wildcat situations, which is a great way to use your running quarterback.
They got a lot of stuff. I know that they haven't shown, couldn't show it all in one game. We have to be ready for a very wide spectrum of offensive style. It's a difficult preparation in that regard. At least we know what he looks like, and we know what he is as a runner because of the years past.
Q. I talked to the NFL today about the smoke and air quality. How much is the league consulting with the team? Are you out of the loop on that and the NFL gets to decide?
PETE CARROLL: I can't tell you how much because I don't have anything to compare it to. We're in direct connection with them. They are monitoring what's going on, as we are, as well, so...
Hopefully we get a good shift in the weather here by the weekend. Looks like it could change tomorrow some and into the weekend. We're very cognizant of it and working to figure it out.
Q. You're practicing inside, I assume?
PETE CARROLL: Yes.
Q. I don't know if you got a chance to see John break down your college film from 1972. If you did, what did you think?
PETE CARROLL: I thought he was really kind for the most part (smiling). They put a couple plays that I would have edited out in there. There's only a couple after all the film that they had to dig in to get those clips. I would regret showing the rest of the world. He showed both of them.
I thought it was fun. I liked it. I thought he made a good assessment that even back then I was pretty vocal with their officials.
Q. When you've had people like Cory Booker speak to your team, Alicia Garza, with what's going on right now, have you gotten a sense that your players are receiving it well or being impacted by the messages? What has been the response?
PETE CARROLL: Really I have not heard anything but positive responses from our guys as they get the word back to our coaches and all that. I think it's because we're not trying to shove anything down their throat, any kind of approach or anything other than trying to give them the opportunity to be fully aware of what is going on in the world, try to keep them as attentive as they can be to what's current, keep the conversation alive.
That's one thing that I really feel compelled to do. This just isn't something that we dealt with a few weeks ago and we're done with it. That's not the way it's going to happen here. We have to stay on top of it.
Guys will have information for choices, how they want to pursue what happens next. Right now there's such an urgency about an election coming up, this opportunity to vote. The voting, the emphasis of that in my mind isn't just for this election. This is a chance to capture a bunch of young people who maybe would be more reluctant otherwise, maybe they will feel the responsibility and the accountability that they have to make their voices known. That will carry on well into the years coming up.
It's a really good start right now. We sent out a little challenge to coaches about getting their players registered. Hopefully just do our part.
Q. On Sunday your defense, particularly in the middle with Bobby and Marquise, Jamal, there was a certain physicality that was very evident, even more so than last year. Is it a fair assessment that you saw that on short completion, running plays?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, I really did. I thought it was really noticeable. I thought Bobby played his best game pass defense-wise than he ever played. Active on point with the breaks he was making. He impacted our play quite a bit.
You couldn't miss the play by Jamal running and hitting. I thought Q Diggs, too, had some good top-off and some nice plays, too. As well as the rest of the guys. Hill, Marquise. Having all the speed on the field, we're faster than we've been. It shows up in our pursuit.
The nature of these guys, they're going for it. I love it. I love the way we were able to show first time out how we want to play. There's a lot of improvement to be had, but I'm glad that the message was clear, that we're coming to knock the hell out of you when you play us. That was fun.
Q. How important is that mindset going into a game like this? It could be a street fight in the trenches. To have that presence going in, does that help you?
PETE CARROLL: Doesn't matter who we play. Really doesn't have anything to do with that in my mind. This is who these guys are. Our job is to continue to be representative of the makeup, the mentality, what do you stand for, all that.
It happens to be the Patriots this week. If they run the football a lot, we can use the work during the week in preparation. The game will be really helpful for us down the road because we're going to have to be really disciplined.
Whenever you play a running quarterback, it calls for discipline. Not just the hard, physical side of it. It's the attention to the details, particularly a guy who has the capability of running the option, you have to be really strict. This is a really good week to get this challenge underway. It's going to help us.
Q. In terms of keeping the conversation going, it seems like it's getting to be the norm, on Sunday national television is going to have two black quarterbacks that are elite, legitimate dual-threat quarterbacks. What does that say about the league itself, evolution?
PETE CARROLL: Well, doesn't it kind of piss you off it's taken so long to see it like this? These are two phenomenal competitors. We've seen these guys go head-to-head for a long time.
I do think it's just a clear statement of the stature of a young black athlete in sports, their ability to really be in great situations, impact, carry the load, responsibility, all that goes along with it. Practice.
Quarterback position is as hard a position as there is in sports. Maybe hitting a curve ball is harder independently. But this position is so demanding. These guys have to be so well schooled, versed, talented to play at this level they're playing at for so long. It's an extraordinary statement about the young guys.
Q. You and Bill are different, yet similar. How important is it to have guys like you and Bill be the catalyst to have the young black quarterbacks to change the game because you're letting them be themselves within the system?
PETE CARROLL: Hmm. Well, one of the really cool things about sports is that it doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter what your background is. At least that's my perception throughout all my years coaching has been like that.
I think that in itself is a beautiful statement of equality, and has been for a long time. We all want to do really well. We want to win. We make the choices and decisions based on what gives you the best chances. It happens to be a great opportunity for young men to show who they are, what they're all about.
I think it's a really positive thing. It's a really good image and model for other young black kids growing up. It's an important, really, realization for all people, for white people and black people, as a matter of fact. Yeah, it's good it's happening again this week.
Q. Belichick replaced you in New England in 2000. Here it is 20 years later. He's still going strong. Here you are 20 years later still going strong. Do you take pride in that kind of longevity? What's the key to it to still be thriving?
PETE CARROLL: I do take pride in it because he's hard to hold these jobs. I know, I've been fired a couple times (laughter).
Yeah, again, I just think it's a statement of our commitment to the game years ago and all the guys we worked with that taught us the principles of it. You can't sustain this long and be consistent and win a lot of games for this long unless you got your act together, your game, how you play this game, how it works and all.
Neither one of us are fly-by-night guys. There's a real fundamental connection that we were raised right by the people we grew up under. But I do think also it's a lot easier to stay with it when you win. It's hard if you get your butt kicked week in, week out. Hard to hold onto your jobs and these opportunities.
I think it's all been a part of everybody that we've worked with, the organizations, coaches all that, that have given us a chance to find success and keep coming back.
Q. I promise I will stop asking about the crowd noise eventually, but not this week.
PETE CARROLL: I think I got it this week. I can help you (laughter).
Q. Any more clarity from the league on how loud they're making it compared to how loud you could have made it? Why this apparent change? Sounds like you initially had the option and now it's in the league's hands.
PETE CARROLL: I can't tell you. Maybe I was the one that thought we had an option, we didn't. We're experimenting with the different decibel levels because we thought we had choices. I don't know where the league was on that back then other than we thought we had choices.
What it comes down to we're playing at a decibel level, a 70 level, whatever that is. When there's music playing or the PA is in operation, the level can elevate to 75 decibels, again whatever that means. I know this. What we played with in Atlanta was the same. It really wasn't a factor in the game at all.
There was a real different dynamic to the game. You guys that watched it and heard it on TV, you could hear a lot more. There was a lot more spoken on the field that was made available to the fans I guess. We just got to know what we're doing, what we're saying, myself included.
But it should be very consistent. There's no choices any more as far as I understand.
Q. What will you be missing compared to what you would have under normal circumstances with CenturyLink Field, night game, home opener?
PETE CARROLL: That's a really good question. Unbelievable amount. This is one of the great spectacles in sport, playing here in front of our fans. Notably the loudest venue that you can find. The excitement level and the energy and the connection with the people of this area has been unique and extraordinary, nothing but a spectacle. That's not going to happen.
But that doesn't mean that when we score or something, make a big play, sack the quarterback, people can't go out on their front steps and start screaming, yell out their windows. I'm hoping that's what happens. I'm thinking that should be part of the game, your responsibility to connect with your fellow fans out the window. I hope that happens. We need you. We'll feel you in some regard. We're sorry that we won't be able to play in front of our fans.
But we'll get back to it. In the meantime be creative, figure it out. Let's go, rock the house and the neighborhood, wherever you are, the buildings you're in, all that, make it fun.
Q. We saw David Moore and Travis Homer handle all the returns Sunday. Do you still want Tyler involved in that?
PETE CARROLL: He is involved in that. He's available in the rotation for both. He is involved and ready to go whenever we need it.
Q. You announced Friday Brian Schneider. Any more clarity on a long-term stand on that?
PETE CARROLL: No, we're staying the course we're on right now. Larry is taking care of all the business. We're very lucky to have him. He's a fantastic coach. Like I've said, he's been in charge before. He was a world class special teams player himself and carries a great message. We're lucky to have him.
Q. Understanding the score played a huge role in how you defended later in the game, how did you feel about the past defense as a whole, specifically how Quinton and Shaq played on the outside?
PETE CARROLL: I don't like giving up yards. I don't want to give them up. Sometimes you get into the mode, it's a rope-a-dope type of mode. You just got to win the game. That's really what happened in this one.
But there were some plays we could play a lot better. We missed a couple reads, undercut a couple drops, stuff like that. Made a couple errors and all.
All in all, we were in control of the game. It felt like that on the sidelines. We played it kind of like off the offense. Offense was really on fire. It was great to have them going. We just tried to burn the clock as much as we could, keep it inbounds and all that stuff.
It's not like a prevent thought because we're not laying back. We're in a mode of let's play the game out and win the football game. That's what we were there to do.
Q. You've talked in the past about the importance of having rotation and depth on your defensive line. Benson and Bruce were up above 85% on their play snaps. Is that sustainable from them?
PETE CARROLL: I don't want them to play that much really. We'd like to rotate better. We had some new guys that were there. Damontre hadn't been around a long time, we didn't rely on him much. We want our rotations better than that, more evenly matched if we can. Sometimes you can, sometimes we can't.
Bruce is double dipping because he's playing the outside backer spot. He's really uniquely qualified to do that. He's getting a lot of plays there, too.
We just got to figure it out as we go.
Q. Russ talked about diversifying the football on Sunday. Is that a product of having a few more weapons this year or Russ' command of the offense?
PETE CARROLL: I think it's good players, guys that you can really count on. The chemistry between he and the tight end is obviously. He loves Diss. Loves getting the ball to Jake, too. He has three tight ends that he was able to get the ball to in the game.
The runningback position, Chris caught six passes, pretty darn good. So if that's what you're talking about, we were able to move the ball around to everybody.
So I really think it's a product of his trust and belief in the guys, the continuity that's been developed over time with the guys around.
The ascent of that chemistry with Greg was really formed in the summertime. Those guys worked a bunch in the summer. What he was able to do with DK, which you'll see the benefits of in the games to come, was extraordinary. That all helps.
I think he's very confident right now. He's at the best he's ever been, level of his play. He felt very good about the protection up front. All of those are elements. If you give Russ a chance to sit back there, he's going to tear it up. He's just too accurate, too smart. You saw the result of it. They gave him a chance back there, he killed it. See if we can find a way against a really difficult Patriots defense.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports