5 Things We Learned From Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll's Wednesday Press Conference

With his team preparing to face the San Francisco 49ers this week, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll addressed the media prior to Wednesday’s practice, and covered a number of topics both related to this week’s game as well as Monday’s loss to Atlanta. In addition to a number of injury updates, here are five things we learned from Carroll’s presser: 1. When it came to releasing Dwight Freeney, the Seahawks “hated to do it.” The Seahawks waived veteran pass-rusher Dwight Freeney Tuesday, and while a number of things made them decide that move was necessary, including depth concerns at other positions—the Seahawks had 11 defensive linemen prior to the move—and salary cap considerations, it was a tough decision to make nonetheless. “We had to make a roster stuff happen,” Carroll said. “We had some injuries and some things that we had to deal with. It is a spot where we have some guys that have played that spot; we are a little bit deeper there. We hated to do it, but we had to do something and that’s where it happened.” On Freeney’s time in Seattle, Carroll said, “He did a nice job. He was productive. First two weeks, he really came out of the chutes and did a nice job… He is such a tremendous guy, but we just had to do something, and this is where it came. There is cap concerns and all kind of issues that we are dealing with right now.”2. The Seahawks didn’t want to lose rookie receiver David Moore. David Moore, a seventh-round pick who had been on the practice squad prior to a Wednesday promotion, and while the Seahawks liked what he has done in practice, another reason for that move was that another team was trying to sign the receiver. “He has done a great job and he is a very versatile athlete,” Carroll said. “Much like we saw the ability that Mike Davis had to come off the practice squad and help us, hopefully we can find a way to do that with David, and we want to keep him on our team.” 3. Carroll wishes he “would have helped us more effectively than I did” in Monday’s loss. One or two coaching decisions don’t decide a game that consists of hundreds of plays, but a couple of crucial decisions made by Carroll, including a fake field goal and a coach’s challenge that cost Seattle a timeout, didn’t work out in Monday’s loss to Atlanta, and two days later, Carroll mentioned those moments when asked what ate at him about the loss. “That I didn’t help us more,” he said. “I had a couple chances there, and I wish I would have helped us more effectively than I did. The timeout, the fake didn’t go—I love the chance, but we didn’t execute—so that weighs in on the game. I hold myself highly accountable. I take it very seriously that I help us, and I wish I would have helped us more.” 4. Byron Maxwell “had a good game” in his first game back with the Seahawks. Less than a week after signing with the Seahawks, Byron Maxwell was thrown into a bigger-than-expected role, taking over the starting spot at right cornerback after Shaquill Griffin suffered a concussion two plays into the game. And even though Maxwell hasn’t played for the Seahawks since the 2014 season, he fit in well after returning to his old team. “Byron played well and did a good job,” Carroll said. “Had a (pass interference) in there, but he did a good job. He looked like the guy that we hoped he would look like, and that is without a whole lot of preparation. He really kicked right back into the technique and the style of play and he is a strong, well-suited guy, and I’m fired up that he is with us. And I would think that he should only get better and more comfortable with what we are doing and I have no problem with him playing.”5. Russell Wilson is one of the best running quarterbacks Carroll has ever seen. While the Seahawks would like to get more out of a traditional running game, they have so far this season gotten a lot of rushing production from quarterback Russell Wilson, who leads the team with 376 yards and two touchdowns on 58 carries. And while Carroll still hopes to get more out of his running backs over the final six games, he isn’t worried about his quarterback being a big part of the running game as well as the passing game in large part because of the way Wilson takes care of himself. “He doesn’t let you hit him,” Carroll said. “He is great at it. When he had to take his shot to make the first down, you saw how flat he got and how he got it done was an incredible effort to do that. But I really trust him. He knows how to, when to, but anytime those guys are running, they are vulnerable. More susceptible in and around the pocket than he is almost running because he is in control of it. You saw him make impeccable choices to get down. He knows what he is doing.” And of course Carroll also doesn’t mind Wilson running because the quarterback is very good at it. Asked if Wilson was the best running quarterback he has seen, Carroll said, “I’d like to give him that. Bobby Douglass was pretty good. There were a few guys like Michael Vick when he was really on fire. Russ is as productive and as consistent and as on-point to utilize the opportunities as well as anybody that has ever played, and he is great at it. (Tim) Tebow might want to claim that himself, in the short stint he had. But Russ is a dynamic, extraordinary football player that maxes out those opportunities consistently, and we are lucky to have him.”

5 Things We Learned From Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll's Wednesday Press Conference

Key takeaways from Pete Carroll's Wednesday press conference.