Seahawks 31, Jaguars 7
PETE CARROLL: This was a really good game for us, one we needed badly just to get at home and have fun with the fans. It was a really well played game for us. Defense did a fantastic job all day long really across the board, and just did what we hoped they would do.
We continue it get better. We can see it, we're proving it, and we need to keep counting on it as we head into the second half here. The second half started today, by the way. That's its way we look at it.
But that was a really nice job. A lot of guys did a lot of good stuff. Coverage was solid. The rush was -- we didn't sack them much but we harassed them all day.
The other side, this game was -- the jump side is Geno. Jeez, what a game he had. Starting off 14 for 14 and a throwaway was the first incomplete.
He was so calm and so poised and just delivered the ball so well. This was really Geno at his best. That's what we can count on from him. We were able to do a lot stuff. Shane had a really nice plan for him to pop the ball around, guys caught the ball really well today. All the receivers made their catchers. Lock has the big day with the yardage and catches and all that, and DK has two scores. A lot of really good stuff there.
I was really proud of Duane Brown who was sick all week long. He made it out there. Wasn't able to practice during the week and sucked it up and played and did a nice job.
I think what was also of note was our special teams, kickoff coverage team. They were lights out. They're playing so hard and consistently and we're counting on their juice and energy and all that. We talked about it last night in the meeting, called them up and the whole thing to challenge them to have a big game again and set the tempo, and they did.
And it would be really wrong not mention the great heads-up play that Travis Homer made on the kickoff team there, kickoff return team, and then knocked one in the end zone just to have some fun and enjoy the heck out of the day.
Q. You mentioned Tyler, but for him to get going the way he did first half, just I know it can be up and down which receiver's having the day, but good to see him get going like that?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, and he made a lot of tough catches over the middle to keep the ball moving and then he made some great plays down the sidelines. I don't know, you guys saw better than I saw the touchdown -- whether it was a touchdown or not. They quickly decided it wasn't. I don't know. Maybe it wasn't. That's too bad. Would've been nice for him to get that one.
It did lead to the Geno leap, which was really poetic and all that. So just a fun day and really glad we got it going into the bye. Out guys deserve to have fun. We had a great locker room after the game and we will come back raring to go.
Q. Looked like Geno made some tough throws.
PETE CARROLL: He did, yeah, he made some tough throws, big touch on the ball, and ball is on the sideline to Lock, and he was really just so good today. I'm so thrilled for him. I was thinking about it late in this week. Had pre-season worked out right, the plan was for Geno to all three games in pre-season and to play a lot, and that was to play as much as we could just to get him as much play time because he hasn't played.
Remember he gets knocked I think it was probably at the end of the first quarter, beginning of the second quarter of the first game, so he me misses all those opportunities.
So he plays half this or some of the Rams game and then full game, full game, that would've been the same kind of play time that we thought he would need for prep to get ready for the season knowing he was going to take a back seat to Russ.
So you look at it. He did pretty well against the Rams. Did some good stuff the next week, good stuff the next week, but not enough, and this week he put it all together. I think it took him this long. He hasn't played in a long time. Unfortunately we had to lose some games in the meantime.
Q. Obviously a team result, but for him personally to get a win, how good do you feel?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, I think it's a huge accomplishment for him. We been saying we need to play in support of Geno. He's coming out, trying to figure out how get back to playing quarterback again, and we need to help him in every way.
I thought the game plan was really good today for what. You saw us in the weather last week, just really concerned about making sure we took care of the football. Our offense did not turn the ball over again. That's incredible discipline by those guys. There is nobody doing that in the league. Our guys just keep on doing it.
Geno is the center of all that.
Q. His decision making seemed to be very good today. Was that something in scheme or was that just him getting engaged?
PETE CARROLL: I really think that last week was a hard game. Just all of it was a hard game. He benefited getting through that and came in really chilled and calmed his way through all of it. If you look at the throws he made in this game there were some really good touch balls he threw. Geno is a strong-arm guy. He fires the football hard.
He picked the right opportunities to take something off the ball to make them catchable for the guys, and the guys came through in a big way.
Q. (No microphone - regarding Gary.)
PETE CARROLL: He's got a groin pull of some sort, some kind of groin strain.
Q. Did he ever come back in the game?
PETE CARROLL: No.
Q. What did you see on DK's first touchdown catch?
PETE CARROLL: I really couldn't see it. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to. It looked pretty awesome from the glance that I got. I didn't get to see it.
Q. ...dropping so many coverage seemed to work today against the rookie quarterback.
PETE CARROLL: Well, you know, we pretty much did what we been doing. Haven't changed a whole lot. We been playing this way for a long time now and mixing our stuff and doing a nice job changing our coverages, disguising them well. We disguised a lot today and in and out of stuff and pressured from those looks as well, which we like doing.
I thought we had them a little out of whack for some of the time there. I had nice finishing drive. I guess you van give him credit for that.
Q. Geno hasn't won a game as a starter since the last game of the 2014 season.
PETE CARROLL: Is that right? 2014? Where were we 2014? Holy cow. That's a long hall. That's my point. He hasn't played. Go ahead, ask the question.
Q. For him to ultimately get one under his belt after all this time...
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, absolutely. It was a great day for G. He just deserves it. He's been such a great Seahawk and all that. He played his way through this game. Nobody gave him nothing. He earned this today playing great football.
Q. What did you think of Darrell Taylor in his first game back?
PETE CARROLL: He was really active. Had a couple great rushes. Moved the quarterback and all that. Didn't get a sack, but I thought he had some terrific rushes today and he was a big factor.
Q. We could hear the music bumping and how excited the locker room was. After a win like this, what does it do for the morale heading into the bye week?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, we have a lot higher expectations than where we are right now. Like I think I might have said to you guys, being undefeated at bye is the way you should set your expectations.
But we been so close for so long, just one play from having it like that, you know. Then so everybody had fun. This was not the craziest locker room we've ever had, but it was really fun know, really good.
They knew that they got a little boost out of the deal by getting Monday off, too, tomorrow. So I kind of stoked the fires a little bit, so we had fun and it was good.
Q. What did you think of the way Ethan Pocic played?
PETE CARROLL: I can't tell you. I don't know. I'm really excited to watch the film and anxious to see how he did, and also watch Trey as a starter today too and see how he did.
Q. With his pick today Quandre Diggs became the first player in the NFL the last five years to have three or more interceptions.
PETE CARROLL: Really? Good for him. Good for him. He's got a whole half a season coming up, too. Yeah, he's a fantastic football player and teammate. He's just such a stud of a teammate. Some guys when they say stuff everybody listens; he's one of those guys. People respect him because of who he is and how he does what he does and how he works his business and all. For him to have success like that is great. He deserves every bit of it. He had a couple great tackles today, too.
Q. Are there guys that kind of just have a knack for that? I feel like a lot of his picks are like oh, that looks easy, but he always seems to be in the right spot for it.
PETE CARROLL: Absolutely. There are guys that have been there before, and when the opportunity arises they just cash in. There are other guys it's hard. They are not accustomed to it so they tense up or not sure how to handle it or make the decisions. I've always thought there are guys that are interceptors, guys that just do it and know how to get it done. He's truly one of those guys.
Q. What specifically worked for the secondary as you guys made the turn over the last month or so?
PETE CARROLL: Well, I would think that moving DJ back to the right side was a really good thing that happened. He plays better over there for whatever reason. That was part of it. And then I think the play on the left side has elevated. The combination of the two corners has really elevated. Quandre and Jamal have been playing and busting their -- all of this time. I don't think they've improved that much more, but I think we're fitted together better.
One of you guys brought up a while back about Ryan Neal. Ryan Neal has played a lot more and he's been a factor. I think he's been a factor for sure on third downs, and he's a playmaker and really active out there. He can match up with a lot of different guys and that helps us.
I think all of those things together is what has made us improve. I think we've zeroed in on what's best for us, too. That's the biggest thing we've done.
Q. How much has the communication improved since you moved the cornerbacks here?
PETE CARROLL: I don't think that was the issue. I just think we need to play together and get out there and all that. You know, somebody brought up that we had problems with the communication, but not hearing that anymore. I don't feel like that's ever been an issue.
So I don't know that we're that much better at it. I think in general the guys are feeling one another and playing off one another better than we have. That's all part of chemistry that coming together when you play well. We're getting there. Jordyn Brooks continues to play really well, and he's a big factor for us in a lot of different things he does.
Bobby knocked out 14 tackles again today. Another huge day. Those guys are fitting together well, and that's part of the improvement. Jordyn is a really good, really good player. He's way more comfortable now. He's got all these games under his belt. Much more comfortable and doing things well, more consistently.
Q. So the familiarity has improved?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, yeah. We're just better at everything and clearer, and the communications are probably more precise and accurate and on pointe. So it just helps everybody, the fluidity of it.
Q. Homer's return, how much is he coached to do that or how much is that him doing that on his own, Travis homer returning the kickoff?
PETE CARROLL: Well, you know, it popped up on our Saturday walk through. See, Brian Cushing scored against the Rainbows in Hawaii few years back in our SC days, and in practice yesterday we kicked one, Homer picked it up, and I was telling some guys, This happened before. Brian Cushing did this years ago. Just having fun with it. Sure enough, there it goes. Bang. So you never know.
Q. Do you have anything on the severity of DJ's groin strain?
PETE CARROLL: No.
Q. Any other injuries?
PETE CARROLL: No.
Q. How disappointing were guys on defense to have them score late when you're close to a shut-out?
PETE CARROLL: Oh, yeah, yeah, we were just a couple snaps away from being out of there. Would've been really fun to get the shut-out. They're hard to get.
Q. Was today reassuring that you can get back?
PETE CARROLL: Absolutely. I been seeing it and feeling it for a month now. Just haven't been able to cash in and get it done. We have so many good numbers that are supporting good play. Our penalties were down, we are taking care of the football, staying in the plus on the turnover stuff. Our kicking game is really solid.
All of that. So it's hard to get all those -- check out the DVOA numbers. They're way higher than you would think for the record we have, and that's because we're doing a lot of things well. It just hasn't, for whatever reason, translated into getting these wins in the close ball games.
And honestly, I don't want to dwell on this one, but we've missed Russ, too, in this three week span. He's a pretty good player.
Q. What is the plan for Russ?
PETE CARROLL: I don't know any updates now. His finger looks way better. It's really healed tremendously. He's getting closer. See what happens.
Q. Does he stay with the team more than a normal bye or...
PETE CARROLL: No, he's kind of got a vagabond following. Got all his people going with him. Vagabond? That's not the right word.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports