HEAD COACH MIKE MUNCHAK
(on if any neighbors have complained about noise as the team plays loud music during practice)
Not yet, but we've been doing the same thing for all the games, so the players are used to it. It's something that every stadium is different but when we know we go on the road it's going to be quite a loud stadium, especially (CenturyLink Field), so it will be fun to play in.
(on if the team did anything different to 'amp it up more')
No, I think you just go out there and understand that that's part of the game when you go there, don't let it take away from your focus and your concentration on what you need to do. We've played there before, and it hasn't done that. There's no doubt, just like I said, any road game is that type of challenge, especially when a team is as good as they're playing and the fans are excited about their football team, it's definitely an advantage. It's definitely something that fires them up and gets their momentum going and we have to go up there and the best way to handle it is to make plays and stay on the field, move the ball and it will get real quiet.
(on Seattle's 10-game winning streak in home games)
It's obviously what they've accomplished, and last year, going undefeated last season there is what all teams strive to do. You wish you could win every one of your home games and for a while here we did that. Our first couple of years here, we ran the table at least once or twice, so that's a great feeling when you can win at home. Every team tries to do the old win eight at home and split on the road and you've won 12 games. They did a great job last year and are counting on that again this year. We've got to go up there and try to change that up.
(on rating the depth of Seattle's offensive line and how hard it is for a team to play with backups)
I think what's helped them is they have some solid backups, but their quarterback does a great job of getting out of the way of trouble. If you watch the Houston game when they had the guys out, (the Texans) sacked (Russell Wilson) quite often, but he got out of a lot of trouble and still made a lot of yards with his legs and put them in position to eventually win that football game, so he's special in that way. The running back (Marshawn Lynch) is a heavy, physical running back that has kind of created their identity the last couple of years, I feel, and you still have someone like that to hand the ball to so that makes up for some guys that are missing. From what I've heard, the center (Max Unger) may be back this game, and I'm sure they're getting healthier, so that's going to be a challenge.
(on preparing for the read-option)
Well, we've been preparing for it last year, the year before. We've been seeing it, and teams have been working more for it in the offseason. They're good at it, he's (Russell Wilson) good at it. We worked on it again, and we just have to do a good job and make good decisions. If guys do their jobs, we'll be able to shut it down.
(on Russell Wilson as a duel-threat quarterback)
He's as good as anyone we've faced this year. I know we'll get another one the following week that runs the ball pretty well, too. It's just different challenges every week for your team. The bottom line is tackle him when he gets to the open field. He's going to get a 10-yard, 12-yard run just like Jake (Locker) will when he runs or even Fitz (Ryan Fitzpatrick) last week. You got to tackle the guy. That's the biggest thing if it's eight yards, don't turn it into 20 or 30 and turn the field on you. That's part of the challenge. There's frustration. You've got to stay in your run lanes, do the best you can. He's a guy that should be sacked a lot more than he has been. He gets out of a lot of issues and has a great feel for when the pocket's broken down. (That's when) he becomes dangerous, especially at home on turf. It's going to be a challenge.
(on whether the team is prepared to defend against the read-option.
I think so. When you see more of it, when you see teams that carry it every week…a lot of times weren't 3-4 teams now it's like everyone is a 3-4 team or plays some sort of 3-4. Offenses are a lot more prepared for those looks and how to make adjustments. It's the same thing with the read play. We do it in practice, we've worked on it. Our defense does it against us, and they've done it in some games. I think it's something, another thing you're prepared for just like with the Jets when you prepare for the wildcat, you prepare for all those things. The defense knows we have a plan for all of that, but it's just a matter of going out and executing.
(on whether Russell Wilson's ability to run or ability to throw is more concerning)
Well, I think it's the same. He's a guy that can throw the ball down the field, and I think they lead the league in explosive plays—most of them are passes that he's thrown the ball quite well downfield. That's a huge weapon, but we'd much rather him stay in the pocket and make those throws than we would to get out of the pocket. The problem is he's doing both and doing both well. You have to take at least one of those things away from him, and right now he's having success doing both.
(on whether defenses still focus their attention on Kenny Britt or prepare for other players)
Well, I think Nate (Washington) is. I think Kendall (Wright) is, and people have a lot of trouble covering Kendall, so he's an issue. Right there (the question is) how do you deal with him. Kenny (Britt) would be because he's on the outside, but, again, if you're not making plays, then slowly but surely you're not quite as worried until someone beats you—then you start to worry. I think that's like at some point..(Justin) Hunter will be out there. To be out there and catch a couple balls, that's one thing, but if he starts catching more and more, all of a sudden you have to worry about help and recoveries and things like that. Right now, again, we're spreading it around. This is going to be another great challenge. It seems like every weekend it's a pretty darn good defense we're going against. It's going to be a great challenge, and those corners are big, 6'2, 6'3 corners, good-sized guys. (It's) similar to last week as far as their size goes, and it's going to be a great challenge for those guys to get open. We have to protect up front.
(on whether implementing more press coverage during training camp prepares the team's receivers for Seattle's corners)
It helps, but until you get into the game and go against these guys—these guys are much bigger than our corners. Just like last week on the Chiefs the corners were pretty big guys. Plus, the weather last week was a factor. When it's damp, it's wet and a little slower. It was hard to get off those big guys last week. I think it'll be different as far as their traction and their cuts will be sharper. I think their routes will be a little crisper which should help us.
(on the importance of getting off to a good start)
Yeah. The offense, for the most part, most of the year, have been doing a good job all year until last week. We obviously struggled last week for almost the full half. We can't do that here. We were lucky to only be down 13 (to the Chiefs) playing that flat early then having a turnover for seven points on top of that. We did about as bad as we could, and luckily the defense kept the score in line and gave us a chance to get back in the game like we did. Like I said, if you go on the road and don't play well early, that crowd's going to take over the game that way, and you're going to have a hard time if you're throwing behind the whole time. We need to come out and play well early or it's going to be a long day.
(on whether Kenny Britt will play more this week given his size and physicality)
There's no doubt that helps. That's why he's in the rotation. That's why he's playing, why he's been out there to hope he'll get the opportunity to do some of that along with (Justin) Hunter, Kendall (Wright), and Nate (Washington). There will be five of them, maybe six of them up. We're going to need someone to get hot and get open and make plays.
(on playing another top-ranked defense
People don't realize what we are dealing with on that side of the ball every week. Again, to me, the last two games if we win in the fourth quarter, we should've won both games. If we can go up to Seattle and be in the game in the fourth quarter, we have to find a way to win it.
(on trying to rattle Russell Wilson at home)
I guess. He's handled himself so well, and it seems like he's confident when he does. He's got success and has a great team around him, so he's handled it well. He's not making a lot of mistakes with the football, and we've got to go up there. On offense if we can stay on the field and score points, that's the best way to put pressure on him when he makes a mistake.
