Seattle Seahawks 19, Arizona Cardinals 9
PETE CARROLL: Some young reporters in the back I see. Good.
It's really a satisfying win in terms of playing all together, everybody doing their part. With the exception of the punt block, it was really a good ball game for us in a lot of ways. And the balance was there and kind of responding to the situations. We gave up that one, then our offense came right back, went 75 yards and scored and answered those points that went on the board for them.
Really happy with the whole group on defense. They've been fighting their tails off to get it done and to try to get to a point where they really feel like they're doing something. And the pass rush came to life today. And the guys were all over the quarterback. So really rewarding in that regard.
It's a big deal to get a win today. Everybody in the division is the same, so we're starting all over again. So you could look at it a lot of ways. I'm looking at it like we're in first place and fired up to have -- after we've been through what we've been through to be in that position, feel fortunate.
And so Geno had a really solid game today. We didn't protect as well. We held the ball a little bit. But he had a really solid day throwing the football, had some really good stuff and came through for us.
I thought Ken Walker showed you how legit he is. He's really a special runner, and he's going to have marvelous, miraculous runs. He's going to shock you with the things he does. He's so laterally gifted and breaking and bursting and all that. I thought that was great today.
The other thing that we -- I don't even know what to tell you about our PUPs, man. To be hawking the football like they are. What an exposition of their makeup, the way they play, their focus on the ball, their ability to make the plays when they're given the opportunities. Really, they're finding those opportunities, both Coby and Tyriq. And it's just exciting to watch to and see it. I don't remember feeling like this about a young corner out there that goes week after week after week coming from where he came from and all that and to be this far along and having this much fun and success and all that. It's really fun to watch.
And so -- anyway. So I'm just kind of -- I'm surprised that they've been so consistent. I wish we would get a -- if we get a few more guys involved in knocking the ball around and picking them up and all that, we'll be really rolling.
So offense did a really good job in not turning the ball over today. That was a huge accomplishment for us. We need to keep going there.
Q. You mentioned the drive after the special teams touchdown to immediately answer. On a day when things might not have been as easy for the offense to get that drive in that moment, how big was that for Geno and them?
PETE CARROLL: I think it was exactly what we needed at the time so that momentum wouldn't swing the other way. Took time off the clock, and it was a dominant drive force. Finished up with a spectacular run Ken made. So, yeah, it was really -- that's the kind of -- playing with continuity and connection to the other side of the ball was really obvious today.
Q. What did you see is the biggest factor to awaken the pass rush?
PETE CARROLL: We were ahead. We were clearly ahead in the game, and they were playing from behind. And that's -- we've been in that situation so many times in our stadium. And that's how it goes. We've seen it like that for years. The pass rush lights up with the help of the crowd. And we get off the ball so well and all of that. And it really makes for a -- the kind of heyday that those guys are looking for. So it wasn't any one guy; it was everybody. We had six sacks by six different guys.
Q. You said magical runs and Ken is going to keep producing things. Is what we saw today exactly what you guys saw when you first caught eyes on him and said we're going to take that guy?
PETE CARROLL: He was this special in college, you know. He had great numbers after contact, big plays, exciting, spectacular runs and all of that. He's hard to tackle. And, again, he's got so much power in his lateral movement. When he gets in and out of breaks on the run on ride -- that was a spectacular run. I don't know how well you guys saw it or not. But it was right in front of us and we saw the way he made guys fall off and drip off and miss him. He almost scored on the play. There's just more of it. And the touchdown run looked easy, the one that he made. Pretty exciting.
Q. Did you think you'd be getting this much this soon from your rookie class?
PETE CARROLL: No. I could never have foreseen that really, honestly. I'd like to say, oh, yeah, I knew that, but I didn't.
This is what we hope for. You hope when you draft a guy you can picture what he's going to do. And you hope he's going to fit in and be a factor for us. But I don't know, how many, like six guys or something are playing and starting and doing stuff. I don't know how many it is. But those guys, they're just coming through.
Mafe played well again on his edge. So it's better than we expected. It's what we had hoped for. So, you know, we're just getting started. This is just warming them up, you know. So hopefully these guys will continue to grow and be creative and productive and keep giving us the thrills.
Q. The plays that Woolen is making for those interceptions, it doesn't look like there's anything flukey or lucky about those.
PETE CARROLL: No, no. The one last week, he comes back on a comeback. This one was a deep ball they tried to throw over the top of him. He had a couple of those earlier in the year in preseason too that just wasn't as comfortable with. He's comfortable now. He's feeling it. And so he's capable of -- those aren't hard plays for him to make. He's just in the right place. And he's so dynamic as an athlete, he can get up and get off the ground on the high ball, and you really can't contest him. So it's pretty exciting.
Q. Speaking of Foye, he seemed to make a couple of really nice plays keeping runs contained on the edges for you guys today. Only 44 yards from their running backs on 17 carries. How big was that to get your defense moving in the right direction?
PETE CARROLL: That was the game plan this week. Those guys had to do a great job on the edge. And you saw why, the way Kyler was running around. He's a dynanmic football player. But the running backs couldn't get it done. And our guys did a great job of keeping them corralled. It was a big week of discipline, understanding what their game was like so that we would be available to make those plays. And really nice job by the defensive coaches to get that across to the guys because we played a little bit different today to take care of that. And the guys really took to the game plan.
Q. Al Woods not being there, obviously, he's a big part of what you do. The way the interior guys stepped up in his absence.
PETE CARROLL: Terrific job. Their running backs averaged 2 1/2 yards a carry. And it's all of those guys working inside and setting the thing in motion. We made a couple of adjustments this week that worked out great. And I think they're going to pay off as we move forward.
And I think Clint did a great job to take a step back and take a look at some things and fix some things up to suit our players and take advantage of what our guys can do. And it worked out. And I know those guys, they'll feel it too. They're going to -- it's going to make a difference as we move ahead.
Q. All the 4th downs -- a lot of key 4th downs, especially kind of early in the game that you guys got stops on.
PETE CARROLL: Yeah. What a huge change. They're almost like turnovers almost, all but. But to rise up and dominate on those plays. You know, we won those plays handedly. And we've seen that from this defense before. When it's on the line, they find their way. And they certainly did that today.
Q. Looking back at the match-up late last season with the Cardinals and then this game as well --
PETE CARROLL: Yeah. We beat these guys here, yeah. About time. I don't know how many games it's been, but that was really nice to get that done. Sorry. That's not what you asked.
Q. The opponent that you're playing against, how important is it against Kyler Murray to get that interior pressure with your defensive line because that seemed to be the recipe that finale last last year as well?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah. We've got to play him again, okay, so I'm not answering that question. Sorry.
Q. Back to Walker real quick. Obviously, you guys are aware of his ability. But were there any questions on whether he could carry the run game as the lead back from start to finish?
PETE CARROLL: No. Johnny thought that from the start that this guy could be the lead back, and thinking that it would be great to have two of those guys on the same team and to help share the load and all of that. Unfortunately, we weren't able to catch up with that yet. So I'm not surprised at all.
It was like you give him a chance, he's going to show you this stuff. It was just a matter -- remember, he's had a number of plays in earlier games, he was a little bit out of sorts and a little bit out of whack one way or the other and didn't find his rhythm yet. He's just getting started. He's just getting started. This is the first chance he's had -- he carried the ball 20 times today, 21, something like that. That's a beautiful number for him to get out there. I think he had over 100 yards but we called one back or something like that. But he's the real deal in our eyes. And so -- it's really all that counts right now.
Q. Is this the first time you've played the way you wanted to on both sides?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah, yeah. This is the first game. Not even the first night, you know, the Denver night. It was okay. This was much more in line. We always want to rush the passer here at Lumen, you know. We want to be able to take advantage of the crowd and the noise. It's exactly what happened. That was coming together with the crowd and our guys really being able to recognize the benefits of that. That's happened for years around here. There's been sometimes when we haven't seen it, and that's because we needed to do our part. But today it was live and in color. Beautiful.
Q. Good to get D going a little bit more?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah. And he did -- he showed up in some nice ways. That's great. You know, he was sick earlier in the week, and he didn't have a full week of preparation. We were a little bit concerned about that. But the last couple of weeks, he's really cleaned things up. He really is on his assignments and all of that. And you can see how dynamic a player he has a chance to be too. We need to just keep going with him.
Q. What did happen on the punt?
PETE CARROLL: We missed a pickup miserably, you know, and -- from what I understand. We haven't -- I haven't seen the look at it yet. I was talking to the coaches about it. We missed something.
Q. Shelby Harris, is he okay?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah. We're very fortunate. We got out of the game really clean.
Q. Austin Blyte too. Looked like he came off.
PETE CARROLL: Yes. Looks like at this point, we don't have anybody on the report.
Q. What can you say about Ryan Neals' play today?
PETE CARROLL: Yeah. I mean, the more he's out there the more he does. He'll tackle better. He got excited on a couple tackles and took a shot, a little bit more anxious than he needed to be. But he's just a good ball player for us. I love him out there and his excitement that he brings and the juice and his aggressiveness. That style really fits us. And I'm glad that he's really showing up.
Any questions from the Tucson crew? No? That's it? Colby, no? All right. See you guys.
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