Seahawks 24, Dolphins 3
MIKE MACDONALD: Overall, just it was sloppy felt like a little bit operation-wise, which we want to definitely need to address moving forward. Tell you what, our guys played incredibly hard.
You got complementary football towards the end of game in the red zone and played really great red zone defense, and the offense getting in that backed up situation was redeeming to say the least.
Then going down and 98 yard touchdown drive pretty much sealing it was pretty awesome.
So, again, just the mentality, how hard our guys are playing, felt like we played physically. Guys were flying around on defense.
Place is electric. Our communication was on pointe given how loud it was. So I think we gave their operation some trouble. The fans did, so shoutout to the 12s on that one. Definitely boosted us on that one.
But it's a great win. It's awesome to be 3-0. Obviously we got a big one coming up, too. We'll shift our focus after we celebrate today.
Q. How much closer today are you to where you want to be?
MIKE MACDONALD: I thought we took a step forward today. You know, the run game, I think they popped a couple runs, but overall I thought we tackled very, very well. Didn't feel like the catch and run stuff -- it's such a dangerous team. You know, the usual suspects. When they get their hands on the ball you got to take great angles. You need inside out pursuit, set the edge.
I thought our front played incredibly hard getting to the ball with a sense of urgency, which was really fun to watch and be part of.
Q. You got more out your run game than you did last week. What do you feel like with was working there?
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, just stick to it. This is us. I mean, I think that's the message throughout the week. Definitely you want to improve on the run game numbers from last week, but you can't panic.
You got to stay poised. Got to stick to the process. There is always going to be things you're chasing from week to week.
So, again, I thought it was a step in the right direction run game-wise. Thought our guys tried to play physical. But thought they did a good job, especially at the end.
Q. You spoke several times in training camp about the growth Derick Hall has shown early in your time as a coach.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah.
Q. What are you seeing the last few games? Today felt like he was living in the backfield.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, Derick played a tremendous game. Really felt the whole front and how fast they were playing. But playing incredibly physical, incredibly hard, playing smart in how we're hitting the quarterback. No quarterback penalties, but hitting him legal.
You know, he's playing -- I mean, this is the type of player that you envision. He's a physical guy that can set the edge and drop when necessary. He's just playing at a high level right now, so we're excited about Derick.
Q. You mentioned the defensive front twice now already. For those guys to get the job done minus Leonard and Byron...
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, speaks to their depth, resiliency. Again, I thought the front, I thought they played a tremendous game. All those guys, coaches included, AD and CP and Hinds. I thought they did a great job getting the guys ready to play.
Q. You guys lost Leonard and Byron up front there, too. To continue to play that kind of level up front given they weren't out there, what did you see out of the guys?
MIKE MACDONALD: I mean, that's the expectation. You just go down the line. The guys are suited up, you know, that's how we expect our defense to play.
It's kind of like, okay, they're down, next guy is rolling. Let's go back to work.
Q. What do you know about the severity of Leonard's injury?
MIKE MACDONALD: I don't know the severity of it. It's like a midsection thing. I don't know if it's a rib or whatever, but I think we got a picture of it. I don't know what the results of that are. We'll see here in the next couple days.
Q. How about Byron?
MIKE MACDONALD: He got a hamstring on a double team. Again, not sure of the severity, so we'll look at it this week.
Q. How big was it to hold to a field goal after the first quarter interception?
MIKE MACDONALD: Big time. That's big time. I mean, our red zone defense I thought was poised. We communicated well. Just, I mean, red zone, that's what wins you games, is those critical situations, high leverage downs. Our guys have a great mentality.
When they get it the red zone, the reason is not good, so you have to have the mentality of we're defending a blade of grass.
Q. Talked about the 98-yard drive. For Charbonnet to get going at the end, the style of runner he is, is he a guy that can...
MIKE MACDONALD: That's him, that is Zach Charbonnet at his finest. Yeah, it's a four quarter game, so if the -- and just stick to the run game, you know, keep trying to move them, keep running the rock, speaks to his mentality, the offensive mentality to go out and close it out.
Q. With Jerome being out you got to watch Tyrice a lot, Drake Thomas also.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah.
Q. How do you feel about the way those two played?
MIKE MACDONALD: I thought they did a nice job. It was great to see Drake get some action, field goal attempt. He made some plays. I felt those guys.
T Knight, just a poised dude. He's a rookie but you don't feel like that when you look in his eye. It's not too big for him. Thought he took a step from the New England game. He'll keep getting better. He's doing a tremendous job.
Q. Looked like Coby Bryant played, too.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, look, man, if you're doing a great job in practice and kicking butt, then we're going to find a way to get you on the field. Just speaks to Coby and his work ethic and keep working at it, hammering at it one play at a time, let the production speak for itself, and we'll figure out a way to get you out there.
Q. At right guard you didn't rotate at all.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, just felt like throughout the week AB really earned all those opportunities. It's kind of week to week thing right now. We'll see. We'll look at the tape. There was a holding penalty that AB had.
I don't want to speak to how well he played because I don't know for sure right now.
Q. Mike, this is more of a general question. Defensive coach, teams are going more of a light box to defend the pass, which is leaving opportunities open for the run game. Outside of a couple plays against New England you guys been pretty good at designed runs with light boxes on defense. How do you balance --
MIKE MACDONALD: You're saying on defense we're good?
Q. Yeah.
MIKE MACDONALD: Okay.
Q. How do you balance the lighter boxes with still defending the run?
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, I mean, that's the game, right? It's just how many opportunities you want to give them on the perimeter. If you stick a guy in the post, there is less people on the edge, that's where the ball is probably going.
If you got two guys back there, got to be better in the middle. If you can defend the run and is split safety, that's some high-powered stuff. It's not easy to do.
There is a lot of stress on the interior defense and on your edge with your edge mechanics. Guys have to play multiple gaps. So it's heavy lifting, so it's not easy. You got to know who we're using in the run fits and when you can use them.
So it's -- if you can do it, just gives you such an advantage. Now, there are times where you want to play single high and we kind of call it accordingly there. But love the question. More football questions.
Q. Big picture you guys are 3-0. Rest of the division is only 1-2. It's early, but having this start has to feel good, right?
MIKE MACDONALD: I'm glad we won today. Yeah, we got a long way to go. This is a long season. We got a big game coming up.
But we're not talking about like division -- our first goal is to win each game and the next goal is to get in the dance and then the next goal is win the division.
We're a long way from there. We can help our chances again next week if we go to Detroit and get a win.
Q. What did you think of Geno's day today?
MIKE MACDONALD: I thought he played pretty dang well. You know, again, he's poised. There are some things that weren't going our way offensively. He just brings everybody along with him. I think like the drive at the end kind of speaks to our mentality offensively.
Wasn't our greatest day, but operating for the most part I thought we did a great job. Getting in and out of the tempo stuff, and, yeah, I thought he played really well.
Q. Long catch for DK. As an offense, to have a weapon like that, even a day when things aren't going great, to have him go like that, what does that mean?
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, sounding like a broken record with DK. At any point in time he can put points on the board wherever you're at. We love him. He's working his butt off.
I'm just glad that 14 is on our side. He's a problem. He's a massive problem for defenses.
Q. On that first interception from Geno were you surprised that Ryan dialed up an empty play there?
MIKE MACDONALD: No. We had gotten the ball out, you know with enough space where we can pretty much run -- there are some things you don't want to run in those situations, but just tough play, tough outcome, you know. Process-wise I think we're all right.
Q. Looked like you were trying to challenge a play around the DPI on Julian. Can you talk about what you saw there?
MIKE MACDONALD: Help me out there.
Q. Julian Love...
MIKE MACDONALD: The one on 'Spoon at the end of the quarter?
Q. Yeah.
MIKE MACDONALD: Yeah, we thought that maybe the clock ran out at the end of the quarter and that's what we were going to challenge, so like the play would've been dead.
But our guys were on it. Initially we thought we had a chance. Went back and looked at it, so we didn't challenge it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports