December 5, 2024 • 27 mins
The Seahawks get set for round two vs. the Cardinals, this time on their turf. Jen Mueller and John Boyle preview Week 14 at State Farm Stadium. Today’s show: Coach Macdonald baby (01:00), Leonard Williams impact (03:24), sticking with Laumea (08:19), Seahawks special teams (16:41), Trey McBride (22:17), and two things we need to see (25:15).
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the Seahawks Insiders. Gino, look, go way
up over the top. Gott a man out there. Pitterfucker,
he's got a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Seyhawks getting you ready for Seahawks football every Sunday.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Ertz drops back, Hastime loads up, throws aj Brown the defense.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Don't you keep your feet? Him be does? Seyhawks Ball?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Presented by Delta, the official airline of the Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Now here's your host, Jen Mueller.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
We are broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio presented by Sony,
the official headphones partner of the Seattle Seahawks. Welcome to
another winning week, which I think, presumably John Boyle means
another winning Seahawks Insiders podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Aren't they all that? That is me?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
You got me there, you got me there.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
We bring our a game every week. That is, the.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Seahawks had brought their a game.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
But before we get to football conversation, there's a much
bigger piece of news inside the building this week.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
Steph had our boy last night and both are happy
and healthy. Man, it's kind of a crazy Steven to
say out loud, but yeah, we're just we're really excited,
really blessed obviously, man, what uh, what women can do
is just an unbelievable thing. So what a what a
warrior she is and she's she's awesome. So just uh
(01:21):
just now see you here later on at the hospital.
But uh, just I think it's an incredible, credible night
and just thankful for everybody at the hospital and the
doctors and nurses. I mean, those people are a plus
plus and what they do, it's pretty pretty awesome that
that's what they do every day and the stuff they
work through. So just really blessed, really excited. Uh, I
can't wait to see him again tonight and uh here
(01:43):
we go.
Speaker 6 (01:44):
Yes, congrats to Mike and Stephanie on there the boy
named Jack. Very exciting and it was nice of Jack
to come early in the week. Is not while he
was in New York right and then early in the
week so he's back at Print.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
I mean I joked with Julian Love. Yes, I was like, man,
why didn't you get it this easy?
Speaker 6 (02:02):
You were having to fly to Nashville on a Saturday
after the team already left, and oh yeah, worked out
worked out pretty well. But very exciting times. I mean,
it's a crazy year that that family has had there.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
It really is about here.
Speaker 6 (02:14):
He becomes a head coach and now first child. It's
very eventful.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
And what did he say, don't confuse hope for a
plan where he was hoping that this right?
Speaker 4 (02:23):
But you know, it's a critical stretch of games for
the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Hopefully Jack means that there's some good luck still in store.
Oh yeah, okay, not that the Seahawks need luck. You
know what they've actually needed the last few weeks just
their defense. Yeah, holy cow, we can officially say that
they have turned the corner.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Right, Yeah, I think you know, won two games, like, okay,
this is good, but can they sustain it? But they've
done it for four games now. One was lost to
the Rams, but four games of really good defense against
some good offenses, some really good offensive minds, good quarterbacks,
good running backs. This isn't a oh they beat so
and so, but this is their quarterback. But they didn't
(03:04):
have this star running back like. They've been beaten some
pretty good teams.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
And they have held guys in check that had been
getting some big yards, including James Connor. The last time
these teams played. Kind of a weird matchup considering that
Seattle just saw Arizona a couple of weeks ago, so
it's hard to tell what's the same, what's going to
be different about that, and just what kind of an
impact Leonard Williams can have a get because I really
(03:30):
feel like there is a chance for whether it's Leo
or one of our other defenders to get Player of
the Week for a third straight week.
Speaker 6 (03:38):
I mean, here's the thing. We saw what he did
to the Cardinals in the last game. They obviously remember that.
So one of two things is going to happen. If
they do things the same, I think he's gonna have
another great game, or if they try to adjust and
say we got to stop this guy. That's going to
be opportunity for other players, because, as Mike McDonald's point out, yes,
Lennon Williams been getting numbers lately, but a lot of
(03:58):
guys in that defensive front are playing really well to
make that happen. So if you shift too much attention
to how are we going to keep Leonard Williams from
wrecking the game, There's going to be opportunity for Jaron Reed,
There's going to be opportunity for Byron Murphy. There's going
to be players who can take advantage of whatever they
have to do to stop Leonard.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Williams well, and here's the thing, so he really feasted
on the interior of that Cardinals offensive line, which includes
Evan Brown, our former center last year. Right, they did
change things against Minnesota last week because for as tough
as it was to find yards on the ground against
the Seahawks, they were over one thirty I think against
(04:35):
the Viking. So something changed on that front to get
Kyler Murray a little bit more in somewhere they were
getting pushed. I'm not sure how they did it with
the same personnel in the middle of that offensive line,
but they did show that they can come out with
a different game plan.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 6 (04:49):
I mean, look what Arizona has done offensively really for
going back to before Thereby and their four game winning streak,
They've been a really good offense, really efficient. Kyler Murray's
playing well, their run game has been good. So I
mean that makes it more impressive what the Seahawks did
a couple weeks ago. But you can't just look at
we held this team to six points. We heard held
James Connor at eight yards on seven carries and assume
(05:12):
it's just going to be an easy, dominant performance.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Again, agreed, especially when you look at what that defense
for the Cardinals has done at home. I don't want
to go past the Leonard Williams conversation without saying this.
And I am like jumping up and down on the
sidelines as I watched the big man run.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
He was moving.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Do you know that he always wanted to be a
running back.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
I saw that. He told you played some rugby when
he played rugby.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
So here's the thing.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
He has always been so big that he has been
too big to play pop worn or football. So he
did not start playing football until he was fourteen years old.
And when he was fourteen, they just stuck him on
the defensive side of the ball. And he said, come on,
like you had to have played something on offense. Every
high level player I've ever known has played both ways
at some point in time. He was like, nope, I
(05:57):
was too big. They put me on the defensive side.
That's where I was. But I always wanted to be
a running back. I mean he looked really natural.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Him playing high school running BA would have been really off.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
It would have been dangerous.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, it would have.
Speaker 6 (06:08):
Been right because sure you know by NFL running back Ctentards.
He might not look fast, but on a high school
field that speed would be pretty pretty eligal.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
He hit seventeen miles an hour.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
He was cruising.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I just I can't even imagine running that fast. And
then what was he He was looking to pitch the
ball and he.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Realized I said that.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
He said in midfield he didn't think he was gonna
make it, and he was looking for someone to pitch
it to. And then he looks around and all he
sees his teammates. He's like, oh, all right, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Keep going.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I'd like to point out, you know, the thing that
Mike McDonald wanted to see more from his defense was takeaways,
and they have an interception now in six straight games.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Yeah, six and two straight.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Six and two straight games.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Okay, let's talk about this matchup and what it actually
looks like this week. When you think about Arizona, that
defense has been good at home. So the Cardinals have
lost two eight games on the road, They've actually won
three straight at home. They've held opponents in each of
those games without a touchdown. Their defense has not allowed
a touchdown at home since week four.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
What does that mean.
Speaker 6 (07:11):
John, I mean Seahawks are gonna have to be better
and more consistent on offense than they have been in
recent games. I mean, as much as we love what
we've seen on defense, the offense, as you know, they've
come up with some really clutch drives when they need them.
They've made some big plays, but they've not got the
production that they really want in a few games now
where it's you know, they're struggling either. Some games has
(07:33):
been turnovers. They turned the ball over last week on offense,
which was big for them. But you know, I think
this a lot of this goes back to what's been
a very inconsistent run game, and you're putting yourself in
tough their downs, it's hard to stay on the fields,
to stay and drives.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
We saw a few glimpses in the second half. I
feel like in the wrong game.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
We can say the court, yardage, read zone stuff for
another conversation, but overall, I think we saw progress in
the wrong game last week, and to me, that'd be
a really good way to jump start the offense this week.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Yeah, I don't know what you're going to get against
that defense in Arizona. I think what surprised me in
New York was that was a Jets defense that for
being top ten.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
We talked about this last week.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
They were getting up one thirty on the ground a
game and yet you end up playing to your average,
not to their average. At the end of that game,
we did see a change at right guard. We saw
Satoa Lemea go the entire way, and it sounds like
that's exactly what we're gonna get this week.
Speaker 5 (08:27):
As a plan right now, there's a couple couple of
mentals to start out the game made, but you know,
talking about rookie playing his first meaningful NFL action, But
you know, we felt him out there. I thought he
did a great job getting used to the game. So
excited about him. But that's the plan right now to
stick with with.
Speaker 6 (08:41):
Tow Yeah, I mean, it's not going to be perfect.
That was not just his first start. He had been
inactive every game this season, so his first regular season
action period. It's not going to be perfect. There's gonna
be mistakes, but overall, he looked really good out there.
I talked to Lake and Tomlinson, their their veteran left guard,
and he was really impressed with just how well he
handled that, everything that comes with first start on the road,
(09:04):
and you know, really cool moment for him. He had
one of the key blocks on what ended up being
the game winning touchdown round to help open a hole
for Zach Sharbernay. So yeah, really encouraging stuff. You know,
he's got to build on it and get a little better.
But you know, this line has had a hard time
finding consistency, whether it's just been the competition at that
right guard spot or injuries. But if they can find
a mix and kind of finish the season strong and
(09:25):
then maybe we see that run gave me a going.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
He was a postgame interview last week in the clubhouse.
The first time I've really talked to him since the draft.
I mean there's been some hellos, but yeah, the first
time I've really had an extended conversation since the draft.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
And he said, yeah, I was nervous. It took a
little while.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
So you hear Mike McDonald say there was some mentals
there on the first few, so mental mistakes. If you
didn't hear that all the way, and he said, yeah,
I was nervous. I did feel jitters. It took me
at least a series before I like settled.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
In and difficult to settle in.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Think about how that first quarter of the game against
the Jets played out, like there's no offen and snaps
to get into a rhythm.
Speaker 6 (10:01):
Yeah, you turn it over on two kickoffs in the
first half. It's like there weren't a lot of opportunities
for that offense. And oh, by the way, number ninety
five on that shit's defense, pretty good player, Quinn Yahiam.
So you're dealing with, you know, one of the league's
best interior linemen and as you said, a really weird,
disjointed half of football.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
It was.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
It was Leslie Fraser who was going up and down
the bench, who was reminding guys, hey, look there's still
a lot of football to play in this one, you know,
just look at the next step. He's been an interesting
one we got to hear from this week.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
That's fun, which I loved.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Yeah, I mean it was for good reason, right, he
fills in because Mike McDonald is with his wife at
the hospital having the baby, all of those things. It's
fun to hear from Leslie. He is so measured all
the time.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Yeah, he's so calm, Yeah, which is a great trait
for that role of like you're there to support a
first year head coach. And you know, I talked, We
talked to Mike McDonald about this before the season, and
I talked to Leslie Fraser this summer, and you know,
I think sometimes people think like assistant head coach is
sort of this like figurehead. Let's just like give a
guy title because he's been around a long time. Like
that's a really important role for mc McDonald, who he
(11:07):
recognized as much as I know about defense, and I
you know, obviously the Seahawks think highly of him to
make him a head coach. He's never done the job before.
And there's a lot to that job as a head
coach that you just you can't know till you've done it.
So to have a guy at Leslie Fraser who's been
around the NFL for decades, who's been a head coach,
he's been a lot of places, that's a huge resource
(11:27):
for mc McDonald. And there, you know, you watch practice,
you see them in the halls, like they're together a lot.
He's this is not a guy that's just sort of there.
It's like Mike McNall's bouncing a lot off Leslie Fraser
every day well.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
And for the background that Leslie Fraser has on defense,
he's equally involved in the offense and he has been
able to watch Mike grow so he can kind of
be the go between. And he was really open. He
said it a little bit on Monday. He said it
in the preseason. You know, seven years ago, I would
have never been able to picture Mike McDonald's standing up
in front of a team and leading them, and now
(11:59):
he is doing phenomenally well in that position.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
So it's kind of.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Cool to have that perspective where you see the growth
and you see where this can go.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
For sure.
Speaker 6 (12:08):
Yeah, it's interesting because Leslie Fraser was essentially McDonald's boss.
He was not the head coach, but he was a
secondary coach and McDonald's a young assistant working with the secondary.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
So roles changed a little bit.
Speaker 6 (12:18):
But it's really fun to see you get that perspective
from Leslie Fraser on Mike McDonald.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
We are broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio presented by Sony,
the official headphones partner of the Seattle Seahawks. The Hawks
heading on the road this week. They've been pretty good.
They've been four and one on the road this one
has a lot of implications, and we expect to see
a lot of Seahawks fans down in the desert, which
is why I will still be using some noise canceling
headphones in this NFL season. You can feel every play, hit,
(12:47):
every moment with a Sony one thousand XM five noise
canceling headphones, the official headphones of the Seattle Seahawks. With
premium noise cancelation, you were in the zone, no distractions,
just pure football. Whether you are in your living room
or on the go, you will never miss a beat
with Sony headphones. It is true the Seahawks fans are
far louder in Arizona than the Cardinals.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Yeah, I'm sorry, it's just true.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
They have great fans.
Speaker 6 (13:10):
I think you know a it's a fun and easy
place for Seahawks fans to travel in December.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
I'm assuming it's warm. I haven't looked.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
I'm just gonna take for granted mid toubber seventies. Oh perfect, beautiful. Yeah,
that might even be open the roof weather. That would
be so fine. Window they have there between when it's
too hot and then when you.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Start I think there's also an issue with sunlight blinding
some of the people in maybe, so, I mean it
doesn't affect me on the field, well, I mean it's
lovely if they wanted to open.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
A great place for Seahawks fan to travel, and b
I just think there's a lost SIAX fans down there.
So yeah, it gets pretty loud and a lot of
the green and blue jerseys and hopefully hopefully we get
more of that.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Hopefully we do this week.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
According to Aaron Shatz of NFL, he's done a number
of things around the NFL, but he's a shats NFL
on X. Seahawks at Cardinals is by far the most
important game of the week for the playoff picture. In
their simulations, the Seahawks win would make the Seahawks sixty
two percent likely to make the playoffs, with the Cardinals
(14:12):
at seventeen percent. If the Cardinals win, it's seventy one
percent for Arizona eleven percent for Seattle. Those numbers sound
about right, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
I mean you look at where they are in the
standings and tiebreaker stuff, where if the Seahawks win, it
doesn't only open up a two game lead, it's a
two game lead with a tiebreaker with four games to play.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
That's a I mean, look, we got you stuff.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
For about the other teams in the division, they're not
out of it either, but for the top two teams
right now, that's a huge siding factor. And if the
Cardinals beat you, you're tied up, and they're going to
have the tiebreakers with conference record and the division record.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Yes, and the Seahawks' schedule, if you look at strength
of schedule, is actually harder than the Cardinals. That's another
bid because you've still got Green Bay and Minnesota coming up.
You've got Chicago in weather like I know what the
record says for the Bears, but that is a tough
place to play the day after Christmas, and then the
Rams are a tough matchup.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
All right, Chicago especially, you're going on a short week,
and they as much as their record doesn't look good,
they've been competitively. They're pushing teams to the finish. So
I don't look at any game left on the schedule
and think, oh, that's an easy win. I guess it's
gonna be tough. And you're right that the Cardinals have
a little bit easier of a path, So why getting
this one for the Seahawks would be mighty mighty big.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
You know what's kind of interesting about this is that
we know the implications of this. This is the first
season in fourteen years players have talked about the implications
of a single game in December, right, it's a little different.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
It's a little different. It's not bad.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
It's just I don't think it's as different as people
are making it out to be, because with Pete Carroll,
it was every week's the same, treated all the same,
every week's tam and they're talking about this being like
a playoff game. But basically what they've been saying is
every week's a playoff game, because it's this isn't language,
but they're sescentially saying it's the biggest game we have
(16:02):
right now. And I can remember who the players, but
somebody said, like made that comment, like this is the
game we have this week, and so it's not as
I don't think they're sitting here looking at the playoff
odds right now, and I don't think they're looking at oh,
Arizona's got Carolina while we have to play Green Bay
Like I don't think they're looking and treating it like
we are. I do think though, just just more of
a difference of language, but it's still the ultimate goal
(16:24):
of that language is to focus on this game and
make this game the big deal. And that's what Pee
Carroll's trying to to do as well. He just worded
it a little differently.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Yeah, and if you were going to be playing playoff
type games in December, you've got to have all three
phases going. We've talked to a little offense, a little defense.
Special teams is a big conversation. Yeah, it's a big conversation.
And look, we know what, Let's focus on the positives,
all right. Jason Myers seven field goals this year, a
fifty yards or more. He has been absolute money. Michael
(16:57):
Dixon can flip the field better than anybody else. He's
dealing with backspacsens. The return game for the Seahawks on
kickoff returns has been pretty good this year, but their
top returner.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
I'm sensing a however.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Was released and you're coming off a game where I
mean it just it looked like the wheels fell off
on special teams.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
OUs rough like to turn it over twice and put
a third kickoff on the ground that they were able
to recover. Like that's just a disaster. You had a
kick block, you gave up a ninety nine yard touchdown return.
To do all that and win is pretty amazing, by
the way, but it's it was rough to see and.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yes, and to the point where I actually thought maybe
they were trying some different alignments, like maybe they had
schemed up something different that they'd seen on film and
it just like Jets went away from that. Patrick O'Connell,
who was on special teams for fourteen snaps every team
except punt team, said it was a case of people
trying to do too much for whatever reason that is.
He attributed a lot of that to trying to do
(18:00):
too much however they got there. The Seahawks have some
question marks that they're looking to answer before Sunday.
Speaker 5 (18:06):
Yeah, i'd say, like both returner spots and the punt
and the kickoff return game we're working through still, so
we don't have an answer quite yet. We have some
people that we're going to be working at those spots,
d included, So I just don't have an answer for
you exactly what we're gonna do right now.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (18:24):
So Dee Williams, he's been one of their two kick
returners all year and their punt returner as Mike McDonald,
he'll be in the mix, but it's not a lock
he's going to be back there. He did have one
of those fumbles. He has muffed a couple punts this year,
so it hasn't been as clean as you'd like from
the rookie. Who's it gonna be, We'll have to wait
and see, you know. I know Penny McIntosh has done
it in the past. We saw Zach Sharbone back there
(18:48):
in the short portion open to the media yesterday. Derek
Young's been back there for returns in the past, so
he's another option they could look at.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
But yeah, I don't know. Trey Brown has some return experience.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
I don't know if he've done it in an NFL game,
but he's definite done it in training camp, he did
it in college. So we'll have to see what they
do with that position. But yeah, I mean it's I mean,
you'd love to get some big returns and some big plays,
but more an anything, you just need to be ball
secure like you can't.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
I mean, we saw that you can't sacrifice yards, and
you can't be starting from deep in your own.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Territory, and most of all, you can't be given the
ball away.
Speaker 6 (19:18):
Yeah, like that's going back real quick to Jayson Myers
before we get off special teams. That fifty four yard
field goal, given everything going on special teams was like,
to me, the underrat to play the game.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
I mean, obviously Leo had to play the.
Speaker 6 (19:30):
Game, but I think all this when they went out
to kick that field goal, We're like, oh God, what's
gonna happen? Like, is it gonna get blocked?
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Is it?
Speaker 6 (19:36):
I was like, snap over somebody's head, They're going to
return it for a touch Like I was thinking the worst.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
So for him in bad weather, cold.
Speaker 6 (19:43):
Windy day to drill that, that was a pretty big
moment I think to maybe settle some people down on
special teams.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
And the fact that Michael Dixon was able to finish
the game holding.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
You see him getting up and down when you had
to get down to hold it.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I was watching him on the sidelines the entire time
and nothing happened, and he said that he was like
I don't know, Like I just I went to go
and like you know, grab the ball, and my back
just tightened up and he was in some obvious pain.
And they worked for a very long time and he
came back out of the locker room and I watched
him like go through one motion, and you know, kind
(20:17):
of the word was if you had to get him, Like,
if he had to he was going to be able
to do it once and.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Then he's going to be probably laying on the ground.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
It was, I mean, my gosh, Like but I don't
think people realize how big of a deal that is,
because if you put Brady Russell out there, first of all,
you had windy conditions, it is cold. It is a
big time play in a big time game. I'm not
saying Brady Russell can't do it. You don't want your
backup holder out there that whole Like the mechanics of
all that.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
It seems so routine because they practiced all the time,
but a lot can go wrong if you change one
element of it.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
See X.
Speaker 6 (20:50):
Fans who've been watching this team for a while might
remember twenty thirteen against the Titans, Steven how she gets
hurt making a tackle. It's the end of the half.
They decided to John Ryan out to kick a short
field goal. You're thinking, of course it happens, maybe they
miss it. Not a big deal. It's the end of
the half. No, Chris Maragos filling in as a holder,
can't quite recover it or can't quite handle it. He
(21:11):
gets up and runs, bumbles, goes the other way. I
don't know, ninety yards for a touchdown. So nothing against
Chris Maragos wasn't his position. But that's just a good
example of it might not seem like a big deal.
Oh he's the backup holder, but that's a more complex
play than people realize because they just make it looks soroutine.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Also, it is a much different process to kick a
field goal than to punt the ball. So for people
who said, why didn't Jason Myers just go out there
and punt, look, I watched him practice doing that a
few times on the sideline.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
No idea where that ball was going to go.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
I'm not saying like, yeah, just because you can go
through the motion does not mean that that is a given.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
So, nor has he spent a lot of time catching
snaps for well, there is that, which is a totally
different play as well.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Yes, and you actually would have to change your shit
for that.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
A kicker has different shoes and like he likes them
tighter and differently. You don't really want that bouncing off
the top of your foot. We are broadcasting from the
Seahawks Podcast Studio, presented by Sony, the official headphones partner
of the Seattle Seahawks. Let's get back to a couple
of things that we need to consider on Sunday. We're
(22:22):
thinking about special teams. You're thinking about bottling up James Connor.
Trey McBride is actually the one who racked up the
most yards against the Seahawks in that first meeting one
hundred and thirty three. And yet do you know this,
John he holds the NFL record. He has seventy three
receptions this year, zero touchdown catches, just two touchdowns, but
(22:47):
not off of passes. Oh really, He's got one that
was a fumble and one that was a designed run.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
Okay, yeah, how about that.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
When I looked at this staling, I's like, man, he's
having a great Wait a minute, the touchdown. Oh yeah,
you think like tight ends past catching tight ends being
these really good red zones.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
I know, let's not jinx it though, I know.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
I know. Well, I would say like knock on wood
or just like count on the Seahawks defense. But it's
not just slowing him down as we mentioned as a
pass catcher, he's going to affect the game.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
In a lot of ways.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
Well, I think I think it happens really in all
three phases. Both in the drop back game. He's a
really good route runner, so he can get open on
his zone in their action stuff, and he's fast enough
to run away and has a good field for the
zones down the field. And then he arguably makes his
most damage in the catch and run stuff on some
of the movements and screening in that they have for him,
so they can get him involved in really their entire drop,
(23:34):
entire passing game. So it's not just like one thing
where you have to eliminate.
Speaker 6 (23:39):
The Seahawks obviously want to do a better job against McBride.
We saw one of the plays in that game. My
Mund McDonald looked really angry. Was clearly something got messed
up in the coverage and he was wide open. Well,
this is longer plays, but you made this point, Jen,
Mike McColl's never gonna admit to this, but there's got
to be some sense of like, look if their star
running back has eight yards and we keep them out
of the end zone and Kyler Murray doesn't run all
(23:59):
over us, and their tight end gets one hundred and
thirty three yards.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
You can kind of live with.
Speaker 6 (24:02):
That, Like, again, you're not going to this game saying
let's just let the tight end get what he can get.
But sometimes a good talented offense Cardinals have a lot
of events. You can't take away every single thing. So
I will gladly trade the overall result last last game
for the one hundred and thirty three yards. But I
also don't want to see him running quite so open
so often.
Speaker 4 (24:21):
Well, I feel like you're just kind of playing with fire.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
But Mike McDonald did say earlier in the season when
we asked about explosive plays and how you chart those,
he goes, look, you can torture the numbers. It really
comes down to how did that play affect the game.
Seattle was able to keep him in check when it
mattered because he didn't score and Kyler Murray didn't find
the end zone. Let's pause right now for a quick
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Speaker 1 (25:12):
Official Airline of the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
We've covered this matchup from start to finish, and it's
kind of, you know, almost a rehash of a couple
of weeks ago. But I do have two new things
I need to see from the Seahawks. Like I won't
say new, I have two very specific things I need
to see from the Seahawks this week to get away,
all right, let's hear it. Number One, I need to
see Gino stay upright, because the Cardinals had five sacks
(25:36):
in that first mission, say turned down exactly. In fact,
the Cardinals, where was my number? I think they've racked
up twenty six sacks in the last three games, and
five of those came against Gino Smith, So keep him
upright on the defensive side of things, red zone defense.
You might remember that when the Cardinals came to town,
(25:57):
there were sixteen for sixteen in goal to go situations.
They are now zero for three in those situations the
last couple of weeks, just one for eight in the
red zone the last two weeks. So red zone defense,
step up and keep those numbers, keep that trend going
downward for the Cardinals.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
I like that, and you.
Speaker 6 (26:16):
We talked about this earlier, but I think a big
overall issue at the Seahawks offense not functioning as well
as they wants been the run game. And again we
saw some glimpses in the second half, and I just
want to see a more productive run game, you know,
get somewhere from the one hundred, one hundred and twenty
rushing yard, like designed rushing yards, not not the forty
yard or thirty yard Geno Smith scramble, which I like,
(26:38):
I'll take it, but I want some Ken Walker, Zach
Charbonnay rushing yards.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
And then I want to keep the turnovers going. Get
another interception.
Speaker 6 (26:45):
I mean, we could be greedy and say another defensive touchdown,
but let's just have two takeaways.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Don't care how I feel like you're a little greedy
on both of those. So why not just you know,
go for the home run.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Two hundred rushing yards and pick six is nice.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Wait a minute, you're averaging eighty seven rushing yards a game,
and you don't think one twenty is greedy?
Speaker 6 (27:05):
Said, between one hundred and one hundred and twenty, I
put a range, and no, I don't think it's greedy. Okay,
I think it's I think this offense can be better,
and I'm just I think I'm like the parent who
expects more out of their children.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
The B minus isn't gonna cut it.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Yeah, like you can do better. That's all.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
We started with parenthood talk.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
We're going to end with parenthood talk, and we'll be
back next week for another edition of the Seahawks Insiders
podcast
You're listening to the Seahawks Insiders. Gino, look, go way
up over the top. Gott a man out there. Pitterfucker,
he's got a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Seyhawks getting you ready for Seahawks football every Sunday.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
Ertz drops back, Hastime loads up, throws aj Brown the defense.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Don't you keep your feet? Him be does? Seyhawks Ball?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Presented by Delta, the official airline of the Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Now here's your host, Jen Mueller.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
We are broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio presented by Sony,
the official headphones partner of the Seattle Seahawks. Welcome to
another winning week, which I think, presumably John Boyle means
another winning Seahawks Insiders podcast.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Aren't they all that? That is me?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
You got me there, you got me there.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
We bring our a game every week. That is, the.
Speaker 4 (00:52):
Seahawks had brought their a game.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
But before we get to football conversation, there's a much
bigger piece of news inside the building this week.
Speaker 5 (01:01):
Steph had our boy last night and both are happy
and healthy. Man, it's kind of a crazy Steven to
say out loud, but yeah, we're just we're really excited,
really blessed obviously, man, what uh, what women can do
is just an unbelievable thing. So what a what a
warrior she is and she's she's awesome. So just uh
(01:21):
just now see you here later on at the hospital.
But uh, just I think it's an incredible, credible night
and just thankful for everybody at the hospital and the
doctors and nurses. I mean, those people are a plus
plus and what they do, it's pretty pretty awesome that
that's what they do every day and the stuff they
work through. So just really blessed, really excited. Uh, I
can't wait to see him again tonight and uh here
(01:43):
we go.
Speaker 6 (01:44):
Yes, congrats to Mike and Stephanie on there the boy
named Jack. Very exciting and it was nice of Jack
to come early in the week. Is not while he
was in New York right and then early in the
week so he's back at Print.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
I mean I joked with Julian Love. Yes, I was like, man,
why didn't you get it this easy?
Speaker 6 (02:02):
You were having to fly to Nashville on a Saturday
after the team already left, and oh yeah, worked out
worked out pretty well. But very exciting times. I mean,
it's a crazy year that that family has had there.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
It really is about here.
Speaker 6 (02:14):
He becomes a head coach and now first child. It's
very eventful.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
And what did he say, don't confuse hope for a
plan where he was hoping that this right?
Speaker 4 (02:23):
But you know, it's a critical stretch of games for
the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Hopefully Jack means that there's some good luck still in store.
Oh yeah, okay, not that the Seahawks need luck. You
know what they've actually needed the last few weeks just
their defense. Yeah, holy cow, we can officially say that
they have turned the corner.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Right, Yeah, I think you know, won two games, like, okay,
this is good, but can they sustain it? But they've
done it for four games now. One was lost to
the Rams, but four games of really good defense against
some good offenses, some really good offensive minds, good quarterbacks,
good running backs. This isn't a oh they beat so
and so, but this is their quarterback. But they didn't
(03:04):
have this star running back like. They've been beaten some
pretty good teams.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
And they have held guys in check that had been
getting some big yards, including James Connor. The last time
these teams played. Kind of a weird matchup considering that
Seattle just saw Arizona a couple of weeks ago, so
it's hard to tell what's the same, what's going to
be different about that, and just what kind of an
impact Leonard Williams can have a get because I really
(03:30):
feel like there is a chance for whether it's Leo
or one of our other defenders to get Player of
the Week for a third straight week.
Speaker 6 (03:38):
I mean, here's the thing. We saw what he did
to the Cardinals in the last game. They obviously remember that.
So one of two things is going to happen. If
they do things the same, I think he's gonna have
another great game, or if they try to adjust and
say we got to stop this guy. That's going to
be opportunity for other players, because, as Mike McDonald's point out, yes,
Lennon Williams been getting numbers lately, but a lot of
(03:58):
guys in that defensive front are playing really well to
make that happen. So if you shift too much attention
to how are we going to keep Leonard Williams from
wrecking the game, There's going to be opportunity for Jaron Reed,
There's going to be opportunity for Byron Murphy. There's going
to be players who can take advantage of whatever they
have to do to stop Leonard.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Williams well, and here's the thing, so he really feasted
on the interior of that Cardinals offensive line, which includes
Evan Brown, our former center last year. Right, they did
change things against Minnesota last week because for as tough
as it was to find yards on the ground against
the Seahawks, they were over one thirty I think against
(04:35):
the Viking. So something changed on that front to get
Kyler Murray a little bit more in somewhere they were
getting pushed. I'm not sure how they did it with
the same personnel in the middle of that offensive line,
but they did show that they can come out with
a different game plan.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 6 (04:49):
I mean, look what Arizona has done offensively really for
going back to before Thereby and their four game winning streak,
They've been a really good offense, really efficient. Kyler Murray's
playing well, their run game has been good. So I
mean that makes it more impressive what the Seahawks did
a couple weeks ago. But you can't just look at
we held this team to six points. We heard held
James Connor at eight yards on seven carries and assume
(05:12):
it's just going to be an easy, dominant performance.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
Again, agreed, especially when you look at what that defense
for the Cardinals has done at home. I don't want
to go past the Leonard Williams conversation without saying this.
And I am like jumping up and down on the
sidelines as I watched the big man run.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
He was moving.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Do you know that he always wanted to be a
running back.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
I saw that. He told you played some rugby when
he played rugby.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
So here's the thing.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
He has always been so big that he has been
too big to play pop worn or football. So he
did not start playing football until he was fourteen years old.
And when he was fourteen, they just stuck him on
the defensive side of the ball. And he said, come on,
like you had to have played something on offense. Every
high level player I've ever known has played both ways
at some point in time. He was like, nope, I
(05:57):
was too big. They put me on the defensive side.
That's where I was. But I always wanted to be
a running back. I mean he looked really natural.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Him playing high school running BA would have been really off.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
It would have been dangerous.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah, it would have.
Speaker 6 (06:08):
Been right because sure you know by NFL running back Ctentards.
He might not look fast, but on a high school
field that speed would be pretty pretty eligal.
Speaker 4 (06:16):
He hit seventeen miles an hour.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
He was cruising.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I just I can't even imagine running that fast. And
then what was he He was looking to pitch the
ball and he.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Realized I said that.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
He said in midfield he didn't think he was gonna
make it, and he was looking for someone to pitch
it to. And then he looks around and all he
sees his teammates. He's like, oh, all right, that's pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
Keep going.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
I'd like to point out, you know, the thing that
Mike McDonald wanted to see more from his defense was takeaways,
and they have an interception now in six straight games.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Yeah, six and two straight.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Six and two straight games.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Okay, let's talk about this matchup and what it actually
looks like this week. When you think about Arizona, that
defense has been good at home. So the Cardinals have
lost two eight games on the road, They've actually won
three straight at home. They've held opponents in each of
those games without a touchdown. Their defense has not allowed
a touchdown at home since week four.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
What does that mean.
Speaker 6 (07:11):
John, I mean Seahawks are gonna have to be better
and more consistent on offense than they have been in
recent games. I mean, as much as we love what
we've seen on defense, the offense, as you know, they've
come up with some really clutch drives when they need them.
They've made some big plays, but they've not got the
production that they really want in a few games now
where it's you know, they're struggling either. Some games has
(07:33):
been turnovers. They turned the ball over last week on offense,
which was big for them. But you know, I think
this a lot of this goes back to what's been
a very inconsistent run game, and you're putting yourself in
tough their downs, it's hard to stay on the fields,
to stay and drives.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
We saw a few glimpses in the second half. I
feel like in the wrong game.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
We can say the court, yardage, read zone stuff for
another conversation, but overall, I think we saw progress in
the wrong game last week, and to me, that'd be
a really good way to jump start the offense this week.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Yeah, I don't know what you're going to get against
that defense in Arizona. I think what surprised me in
New York was that was a Jets defense that for
being top ten.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
We talked about this last week.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
They were getting up one thirty on the ground a
game and yet you end up playing to your average,
not to their average. At the end of that game,
we did see a change at right guard. We saw
Satoa Lemea go the entire way, and it sounds like
that's exactly what we're gonna get this week.
Speaker 5 (08:27):
As a plan right now, there's a couple couple of
mentals to start out the game made, but you know,
talking about rookie playing his first meaningful NFL action, But
you know, we felt him out there. I thought he
did a great job getting used to the game. So
excited about him. But that's the plan right now to
stick with with.
Speaker 6 (08:41):
Tow Yeah, I mean, it's not going to be perfect.
That was not just his first start. He had been
inactive every game this season, so his first regular season
action period. It's not going to be perfect. There's gonna
be mistakes, but overall, he looked really good out there.
I talked to Lake and Tomlinson, their their veteran left guard,
and he was really impressed with just how well he
handled that, everything that comes with first start on the road,
(09:04):
and you know, really cool moment for him. He had
one of the key blocks on what ended up being
the game winning touchdown round to help open a hole
for Zach Sharbernay. So yeah, really encouraging stuff. You know,
he's got to build on it and get a little better.
But you know, this line has had a hard time
finding consistency, whether it's just been the competition at that
right guard spot or injuries. But if they can find
a mix and kind of finish the season strong and
(09:25):
then maybe we see that run gave me a going.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
He was a postgame interview last week in the clubhouse.
The first time I've really talked to him since the draft.
I mean there's been some hellos, but yeah, the first
time I've really had an extended conversation since the draft.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
And he said, yeah, I was nervous. It took a
little while.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
So you hear Mike McDonald say there was some mentals
there on the first few, so mental mistakes. If you
didn't hear that all the way, and he said, yeah,
I was nervous. I did feel jitters. It took me
at least a series before I like settled.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
In and difficult to settle in.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Think about how that first quarter of the game against
the Jets played out, like there's no offen and snaps
to get into a rhythm.
Speaker 6 (10:01):
Yeah, you turn it over on two kickoffs in the
first half. It's like there weren't a lot of opportunities
for that offense. And oh, by the way, number ninety
five on that shit's defense, pretty good player, Quinn Yahiam.
So you're dealing with, you know, one of the league's
best interior linemen and as you said, a really weird,
disjointed half of football.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
It was.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
It was Leslie Fraser who was going up and down
the bench, who was reminding guys, hey, look there's still
a lot of football to play in this one, you know,
just look at the next step. He's been an interesting
one we got to hear from this week.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
That's fun, which I loved.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Yeah, I mean it was for good reason, right, he
fills in because Mike McDonald is with his wife at
the hospital having the baby, all of those things. It's
fun to hear from Leslie. He is so measured all
the time.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
Yeah, he's so calm, Yeah, which is a great trait
for that role of like you're there to support a
first year head coach. And you know, I talked, We
talked to Mike McDonald about this before the season, and
I talked to Leslie Fraser this summer, and you know,
I think sometimes people think like assistant head coach is
sort of this like figurehead. Let's just like give a
guy title because he's been around a long time. Like
that's a really important role for mc McDonald, who he
(11:07):
recognized as much as I know about defense, and I
you know, obviously the Seahawks think highly of him to
make him a head coach. He's never done the job before.
And there's a lot to that job as a head
coach that you just you can't know till you've done it.
So to have a guy at Leslie Fraser who's been
around the NFL for decades, who's been a head coach,
he's been a lot of places, that's a huge resource
(11:27):
for mc McDonald. And there, you know, you watch practice,
you see them in the halls, like they're together a lot.
He's this is not a guy that's just sort of there.
It's like Mike McNall's bouncing a lot off Leslie Fraser
every day well.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
And for the background that Leslie Fraser has on defense,
he's equally involved in the offense and he has been
able to watch Mike grow so he can kind of
be the go between. And he was really open. He
said it a little bit on Monday. He said it
in the preseason. You know, seven years ago, I would
have never been able to picture Mike McDonald's standing up
in front of a team and leading them, and now
(11:59):
he is doing phenomenally well in that position.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
So it's kind of.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Cool to have that perspective where you see the growth
and you see where this can go.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
For sure.
Speaker 6 (12:08):
Yeah, it's interesting because Leslie Fraser was essentially McDonald's boss.
He was not the head coach, but he was a
secondary coach and McDonald's a young assistant working with the secondary.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
So roles changed a little bit.
Speaker 6 (12:18):
But it's really fun to see you get that perspective
from Leslie Fraser on Mike McDonald.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
We are broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio presented by Sony,
the official headphones partner of the Seattle Seahawks. The Hawks
heading on the road this week. They've been pretty good.
They've been four and one on the road this one
has a lot of implications, and we expect to see
a lot of Seahawks fans down in the desert, which
is why I will still be using some noise canceling
headphones in this NFL season. You can feel every play, hit,
(12:47):
every moment with a Sony one thousand XM five noise
canceling headphones, the official headphones of the Seattle Seahawks. With
premium noise cancelation, you were in the zone, no distractions,
just pure football. Whether you are in your living room
or on the go, you will never miss a beat
with Sony headphones. It is true the Seahawks fans are
far louder in Arizona than the Cardinals.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
Yeah, I'm sorry, it's just true.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
They have great fans.
Speaker 6 (13:10):
I think you know a it's a fun and easy
place for Seahawks fans to travel in December.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
I'm assuming it's warm. I haven't looked.
Speaker 6 (13:16):
I'm just gonna take for granted mid toubber seventies. Oh perfect, beautiful. Yeah,
that might even be open the roof weather. That would
be so fine. Window they have there between when it's
too hot and then when you.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Start I think there's also an issue with sunlight blinding
some of the people in maybe, so, I mean it
doesn't affect me on the field, well, I mean it's
lovely if they wanted to open.
Speaker 6 (13:37):
A great place for Seahawks fan to travel, and b
I just think there's a lost SIAX fans down there.
So yeah, it gets pretty loud and a lot of
the green and blue jerseys and hopefully hopefully we get
more of that.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
Hopefully we do this week.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
According to Aaron Shatz of NFL, he's done a number
of things around the NFL, but he's a shats NFL
on X. Seahawks at Cardinals is by far the most
important game of the week for the playoff picture. In
their simulations, the Seahawks win would make the Seahawks sixty
two percent likely to make the playoffs, with the Cardinals
(14:12):
at seventeen percent. If the Cardinals win, it's seventy one
percent for Arizona eleven percent for Seattle. Those numbers sound
about right, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:23):
I mean you look at where they are in the
standings and tiebreaker stuff, where if the Seahawks win, it
doesn't only open up a two game lead, it's a
two game lead with a tiebreaker with four games to play.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
That's a I mean, look, we got you stuff.
Speaker 6 (14:36):
For about the other teams in the division, they're not
out of it either, but for the top two teams
right now, that's a huge siding factor. And if the
Cardinals beat you, you're tied up, and they're going to
have the tiebreakers with conference record and the division record.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Yes, and the Seahawks' schedule, if you look at strength
of schedule, is actually harder than the Cardinals. That's another
bid because you've still got Green Bay and Minnesota coming up.
You've got Chicago in weather like I know what the
record says for the Bears, but that is a tough
place to play the day after Christmas, and then the
Rams are a tough matchup.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
All right, Chicago especially, you're going on a short week,
and they as much as their record doesn't look good,
they've been competitively. They're pushing teams to the finish. So
I don't look at any game left on the schedule
and think, oh, that's an easy win. I guess it's
gonna be tough. And you're right that the Cardinals have
a little bit easier of a path, So why getting
this one for the Seahawks would be mighty mighty big.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
You know what's kind of interesting about this is that
we know the implications of this. This is the first
season in fourteen years players have talked about the implications
of a single game in December, right, it's a little different.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
It's a little different. It's not bad.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
It's just I don't think it's as different as people
are making it out to be, because with Pete Carroll,
it was every week's the same, treated all the same,
every week's tam and they're talking about this being like
a playoff game. But basically what they've been saying is
every week's a playoff game, because it's this isn't language,
but they're sescentially saying it's the biggest game we have
(16:02):
right now. And I can remember who the players, but
somebody said, like made that comment, like this is the
game we have this week, and so it's not as
I don't think they're sitting here looking at the playoff
odds right now, and I don't think they're looking at oh,
Arizona's got Carolina while we have to play Green Bay
Like I don't think they're looking and treating it like
we are. I do think though, just just more of
a difference of language, but it's still the ultimate goal
(16:24):
of that language is to focus on this game and
make this game the big deal. And that's what Pee
Carroll's trying to to do as well. He just worded
it a little differently.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Yeah, and if you were going to be playing playoff
type games in December, you've got to have all three
phases going. We've talked to a little offense, a little defense.
Special teams is a big conversation. Yeah, it's a big conversation.
And look, we know what, Let's focus on the positives,
all right. Jason Myers seven field goals this year, a
fifty yards or more. He has been absolute money. Michael
(16:57):
Dixon can flip the field better than anybody else. He's
dealing with backspacsens. The return game for the Seahawks on
kickoff returns has been pretty good this year, but their
top returner.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
I'm sensing a however.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Was released and you're coming off a game where I
mean it just it looked like the wheels fell off
on special teams.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
OUs rough like to turn it over twice and put
a third kickoff on the ground that they were able
to recover. Like that's just a disaster. You had a
kick block, you gave up a ninety nine yard touchdown return.
To do all that and win is pretty amazing, by
the way, but it's it was rough to see and.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
Yes, and to the point where I actually thought maybe
they were trying some different alignments, like maybe they had
schemed up something different that they'd seen on film and
it just like Jets went away from that. Patrick O'Connell,
who was on special teams for fourteen snaps every team
except punt team, said it was a case of people
trying to do too much for whatever reason that is.
He attributed a lot of that to trying to do
(18:00):
too much however they got there. The Seahawks have some
question marks that they're looking to answer before Sunday.
Speaker 5 (18:06):
Yeah, i'd say, like both returner spots and the punt
and the kickoff return game we're working through still, so
we don't have an answer quite yet. We have some
people that we're going to be working at those spots,
d included, So I just don't have an answer for
you exactly what we're gonna do right now.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (18:24):
So Dee Williams, he's been one of their two kick
returners all year and their punt returner as Mike McDonald,
he'll be in the mix, but it's not a lock
he's going to be back there. He did have one
of those fumbles. He has muffed a couple punts this year,
so it hasn't been as clean as you'd like from
the rookie. Who's it gonna be, We'll have to wait
and see, you know. I know Penny McIntosh has done
it in the past. We saw Zach Sharbone back there
(18:48):
in the short portion open to the media yesterday. Derek
Young's been back there for returns in the past, so
he's another option they could look at.
Speaker 1 (18:55):
But yeah, I don't know. Trey Brown has some return experience.
Speaker 6 (18:57):
I don't know if he've done it in an NFL game,
but he's definite done it in training camp, he did
it in college. So we'll have to see what they
do with that position. But yeah, I mean it's I mean,
you'd love to get some big returns and some big plays,
but more an anything, you just need to be ball
secure like you can't.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
I mean, we saw that you can't sacrifice yards, and
you can't be starting from deep in your own.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Territory, and most of all, you can't be given the
ball away.
Speaker 6 (19:18):
Yeah, like that's going back real quick to Jayson Myers
before we get off special teams. That fifty four yard
field goal, given everything going on special teams was like,
to me, the underrat to play the game.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
I mean, obviously Leo had to play the.
Speaker 6 (19:30):
Game, but I think all this when they went out
to kick that field goal, We're like, oh God, what's
gonna happen? Like, is it gonna get blocked?
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Is it?
Speaker 6 (19:36):
I was like, snap over somebody's head, They're going to
return it for a touch Like I was thinking the worst.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
So for him in bad weather, cold.
Speaker 6 (19:43):
Windy day to drill that, that was a pretty big
moment I think to maybe settle some people down on
special teams.
Speaker 3 (19:49):
And the fact that Michael Dixon was able to finish
the game holding.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
You see him getting up and down when you had
to get down to hold it.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
I was watching him on the sidelines the entire time
and nothing happened, and he said that he was like
I don't know, Like I just I went to go
and like you know, grab the ball, and my back
just tightened up and he was in some obvious pain.
And they worked for a very long time and he
came back out of the locker room and I watched
him like go through one motion, and you know, kind
(20:17):
of the word was if you had to get him, Like,
if he had to he was going to be able
to do it once and.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Then he's going to be probably laying on the ground.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
It was, I mean, my gosh, Like but I don't
think people realize how big of a deal that is,
because if you put Brady Russell out there, first of all,
you had windy conditions, it is cold. It is a
big time play in a big time game. I'm not
saying Brady Russell can't do it. You don't want your
backup holder out there that whole Like the mechanics of
all that.
Speaker 6 (20:45):
It seems so routine because they practiced all the time,
but a lot can go wrong if you change one
element of it.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
See X.
Speaker 6 (20:50):
Fans who've been watching this team for a while might
remember twenty thirteen against the Titans, Steven how she gets
hurt making a tackle. It's the end of the half.
They decided to John Ryan out to kick a short
field goal. You're thinking, of course it happens, maybe they
miss it. Not a big deal. It's the end of
the half. No, Chris Maragos filling in as a holder,
can't quite recover it or can't quite handle it. He
(21:11):
gets up and runs, bumbles, goes the other way. I
don't know, ninety yards for a touchdown. So nothing against
Chris Maragos wasn't his position. But that's just a good
example of it might not seem like a big deal.
Oh he's the backup holder, but that's a more complex
play than people realize because they just make it looks soroutine.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Also, it is a much different process to kick a
field goal than to punt the ball. So for people
who said, why didn't Jason Myers just go out there
and punt, look, I watched him practice doing that a
few times on the sideline.
Speaker 4 (21:45):
No idea where that ball was going to go.
Speaker 3 (21:47):
I'm not saying like, yeah, just because you can go
through the motion does not mean that that is a given.
Speaker 6 (21:52):
So, nor has he spent a lot of time catching
snaps for well, there is that, which is a totally
different play as well.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
Yes, and you actually would have to change your shit
for that.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
A kicker has different shoes and like he likes them
tighter and differently. You don't really want that bouncing off
the top of your foot. We are broadcasting from the
Seahawks Podcast Studio, presented by Sony, the official headphones partner
of the Seattle Seahawks. Let's get back to a couple
of things that we need to consider on Sunday. We're
(22:22):
thinking about special teams. You're thinking about bottling up James Connor.
Trey McBride is actually the one who racked up the
most yards against the Seahawks in that first meeting one
hundred and thirty three. And yet do you know this,
John he holds the NFL record. He has seventy three
receptions this year, zero touchdown catches, just two touchdowns, but
(22:47):
not off of passes. Oh really, He's got one that
was a fumble and one that was a designed run.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
Okay, yeah, how about that.
Speaker 6 (22:53):
When I looked at this staling, I's like, man, he's
having a great Wait a minute, the touchdown. Oh yeah,
you think like tight ends past catching tight ends being
these really good red zones.
Speaker 1 (23:01):
I know, let's not jinx it though, I know.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
I know. Well, I would say like knock on wood
or just like count on the Seahawks defense. But it's
not just slowing him down as we mentioned as a
pass catcher, he's going to affect the game.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
In a lot of ways.
Speaker 5 (23:14):
Well, I think I think it happens really in all
three phases. Both in the drop back game. He's a
really good route runner, so he can get open on
his zone in their action stuff, and he's fast enough
to run away and has a good field for the
zones down the field. And then he arguably makes his
most damage in the catch and run stuff on some
of the movements and screening in that they have for him,
so they can get him involved in really their entire drop,
(23:34):
entire passing game. So it's not just like one thing
where you have to eliminate.
Speaker 6 (23:39):
The Seahawks obviously want to do a better job against McBride.
We saw one of the plays in that game. My
Mund McDonald looked really angry. Was clearly something got messed
up in the coverage and he was wide open. Well,
this is longer plays, but you made this point, Jen,
Mike McColl's never gonna admit to this, but there's got
to be some sense of like, look if their star
running back has eight yards and we keep them out
of the end zone and Kyler Murray doesn't run all
(23:59):
over us, and their tight end gets one hundred and
thirty three yards.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
You can kind of live with.
Speaker 6 (24:02):
That, Like, again, you're not going to this game saying
let's just let the tight end get what he can get.
But sometimes a good talented offense Cardinals have a lot
of events. You can't take away every single thing. So
I will gladly trade the overall result last last game
for the one hundred and thirty three yards. But I
also don't want to see him running quite so open
so often.
Speaker 4 (24:21):
Well, I feel like you're just kind of playing with fire.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
But Mike McDonald did say earlier in the season when
we asked about explosive plays and how you chart those,
he goes, look, you can torture the numbers. It really
comes down to how did that play affect the game.
Seattle was able to keep him in check when it
mattered because he didn't score and Kyler Murray didn't find
the end zone. Let's pause right now for a quick
word from our presenting sponsor.
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Speaker 1 (25:12):
Official Airline of the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
We've covered this matchup from start to finish, and it's
kind of, you know, almost a rehash of a couple
of weeks ago. But I do have two new things
I need to see from the Seahawks. Like I won't
say new, I have two very specific things I need
to see from the Seahawks this week to get away,
all right, let's hear it. Number One, I need to
see Gino stay upright, because the Cardinals had five sacks
(25:36):
in that first mission, say turned down exactly. In fact,
the Cardinals, where was my number? I think they've racked
up twenty six sacks in the last three games, and
five of those came against Gino Smith, So keep him
upright on the defensive side of things, red zone defense.
You might remember that when the Cardinals came to town,
(25:57):
there were sixteen for sixteen in goal to go situations.
They are now zero for three in those situations the
last couple of weeks, just one for eight in the
red zone the last two weeks. So red zone defense,
step up and keep those numbers, keep that trend going
downward for the Cardinals.
Speaker 1 (26:13):
I like that, and you.
Speaker 6 (26:16):
We talked about this earlier, but I think a big
overall issue at the Seahawks offense not functioning as well
as they wants been the run game. And again we
saw some glimpses in the second half, and I just
want to see a more productive run game, you know,
get somewhere from the one hundred, one hundred and twenty
rushing yard, like designed rushing yards, not not the forty
yard or thirty yard Geno Smith scramble, which I like,
(26:38):
I'll take it, but I want some Ken Walker, Zach
Charbonnay rushing yards.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
And then I want to keep the turnovers going. Get
another interception.
Speaker 6 (26:45):
I mean, we could be greedy and say another defensive touchdown,
but let's just have two takeaways.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Don't care how I feel like you're a little greedy
on both of those. So why not just you know,
go for the home run.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Two hundred rushing yards and pick six is nice.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Wait a minute, you're averaging eighty seven rushing yards a game,
and you don't think one twenty is greedy?
Speaker 6 (27:05):
Said, between one hundred and one hundred and twenty, I
put a range, and no, I don't think it's greedy. Okay,
I think it's I think this offense can be better,
and I'm just I think I'm like the parent who
expects more out of their children.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
The B minus isn't gonna cut it.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Yeah, like you can do better. That's all.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
We started with parenthood talk.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
We're going to end with parenthood talk, and we'll be
back next week for another edition of the Seahawks Insiders
podcast
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