The Seahawks finished their week of practice in the rain, a welcome change in weather in a region battling wildfires and smoke. The shift in weather is good news for the Seahawks' home opener against the New England Patriots, in terms of air quality, and that's not only good news, which brings us to five things we learned from Seahawks coach Pete Carroll's Friday press conference.
1. Another week with no positive COVID-19 tests is "a major accomplishment."
The Seahawks made it through training camp without a single player testing positive for COVID-19, aside from a false positive for receiver John Ursua, was quickly returned to practice after multiple negative tests. And while that alone was a big accomplishment, another big test for the team, and for teams all around the league, was going on the road and keeping such a big travel party safe. There's still plenty of work to be done, but Carroll is very encouraged that his team once again returned nothing but negative tests in the week following its first road trip.
"It's a really big deal," Carroll said. "It's a really big deal in that this is kind of like stage two of the process of figuring it out. We figured out camp, our guys did a marvelous job—all the people that contributed to the process in the procedure to get that done in camp was fantastic. Then we went on the road for the first time, there's a ton of stuff that you got to go through to orchestrate that thing, and we orchestrated it to where we made it all the way to, here on Friday, with all negative tests again. So that's a major accomplishment."
League wide, testing numbers have been encouraging, and Carroll admits he's a little surprised how well it has gone so far, but he also knows there's a long way to go still.
"We haven't made through, everybody's got to get to the first couple weeks on the road and at home to figure out their process and how it works and fits and all that," he said. "But yeah, I think I'm surprised in general that there's so few positive tests happening around the league with all the people that are testing. It does show you, though, that the focus of testing every day has really brought our attention to the details that it takes to pull this off, and I think that's a big part of it."
2. Injury updates.
The Seahawks have two players listed as doubtful for Sunday's game, tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, who missed the opener with a pectoral injury, and defensive end Rasheem Green, who has a neck stinger. Neither practiced on Friday.
Receiver Phillip Dorsett II, who missed last weekend's game with a foot injury, is questionable and did not practice Friday, and Carroll indicated that a decision on his availability will come on game day.
3. Long-term injury situations.
In addition to the players currently on the 53-man roster, Carroll also gave updates on some players who are on the physically unable to perform list and non-football injury list.
Carroll said Rashhad Penny is "doing a really good job" and looks to be ahead of schedule of a prognosis of midseason return. The third-year running back is currently on the PUP list, meaning he is eligible to return after six weeks.
Second-round pick Darrell Taylor, who is dealing with a leg injury from his final year at Tennessee, has resumed running, but has been dealing with what Carroll called "a tough return."
"He's working really hard, and he cares so much, he wants to he wants to get it done, so we'll just have to stick with him," Carroll said. "He was running on the ground pretty hard this week and so we'll see how that how he handles all of that, I can't tell you though."
4. The Patriots are unique in the way they adjust from week to week.
While every team prepares for a specific opponent and adjusts their game plans accordingly, no teams make as significant of changes to what they do from week to week as New England does, something that is a reflection of Bill Belichick's experience and talents as a coach, as well as his coaching staff.
"It's his background, he's got great background," Carroll said. "He's fitting game plans to match the opponent and match with his own team in a matter of putting them in the position to win games," Carroll said. "More so than anybody that will face, he's apt to focus on different aspects of their defense from one week to the next and stuff in in their offensive approach. He'll tell you a lot about what he thinks about you by the game plan that will that will unfold. We won't know 'til it's over, but he's got his way and they have a marvelous spectrum of stuff that they can coach that most teams don't have. He's got a great staff those guys have been together for such a long time that they can really utilize a lot of stuff that they've done over the years past."
5. The rotations at a few spots very well could continue.
In last week's opener, the Seahawks used multiple players at three different position that, more often than not, are played by one player throughout a game. Weakside linebacker K.J. Wright, right cornerback Quinton Dunbar and left guard Mike Iupati all earned the starts and saw most of the playing time, but all were spelled at times by Jordyn Brooks, Tre Flowers and Jordan Simmons, respectively. Carroll said similar rotations could continue over the early part of the season.
"I think it only helps to have more guys available," he said. "So sure, if everybody stays healthy, then I don't know why we wouldn't. Unless it just starts to show differently and in the competitive opportunities guy show that they deserve to play more, then they're going to play more. And if we can roll guys through, it just makes us that much stronger by taking the burden off of a guy. So we'll see how it goes. This is just the first week, and we'll learn a lot in the next two or three weeks."
The Seahawks currently lead the all-time regular season record, going 9-8 in 17 matchups. They'll look to make it double digit victories on Sunday Night Football this Sunday, September 20 at CenturyLink Field. Game Center
Morris Bradshaw, bottom, New England Patriots receiver, makes the catch from quarterback Steve Grogan on the three yard line and fumbles the ball out of bounds while being landed on by Kenny Easley (45), Seattle Seahawks, to set up a later touchdown at the end of the first half during their game in Seattle, Dec. 19, 1982. (AP Photo/Gary Stewart)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Steve Largent (80) grabs the ball above the head of New England Patriot defender Rick Sanford (25) to complete a 20-yard touchdown pass from Seattle quarterback Jim Zorn in the second quarter at Seattle, Sept. 21, 1980. (AP Photo)
New England Patriot quarterback Steve Grogan, (14), releases a pass Seattle Seahawk Bill Gregory, (77), during the first half of their game on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 21, 1980 in the Kingdome in Seattle. Grogan completed 15 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns during the game as the Patriots beat the Seahawks 37-31. (AP Photo)
New England Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan holds on to the ball as he is sacked by Seattle Seahawks Jeff Bryant during first quarter action at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., Sept. 16, 1984. (AP Photo/Mike Kullen)
Tony Collins (33) running back for the New England Patriots, is tripped up during first half action against the Seattle Seahawks in the Kingdome in Seattle, Dec. 19, 1982. Moving towards Collins is Seahawks safety Kenny Easley. (AP Photo/David Ekren)
New England Patriots Craig James, right, heads upfield with Seattle Seahawks Fredd Young (50), along for the ride, during 1st quarter action at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., Sept. 21, 1986. (AP Photo)
New England Patriots Tony Collins (33) struggles for that extra yard despite the efforts of Seattle Seahawks Kenny Easley (45) and Keith Butler (53) during first quarter action at Sullivan Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., Sept. 21, 1986. (AP Photo/Mike Kullen)
New England Patriots' Irving Fryar (80) takes the ball from Steve Grogan and moves around Seattle Seahawks' end to score in the second quarter of the game in Seattle, Nov. 17, 1985. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)
Seattle Seahawks linebackers Bruce Schultz (58) and Tony Woods (57) and nose tackle Joe Nash (72) team up to stop New England Patriots fullback Bob Perryman (34) during an NFL game in Foxboro, Mass., Dec. 4, 1988. The Patriots defeated the Seahawks 13-7. (AP Photo/Damian Strohmeyer)
New England Patriots fullback Sam Gash (33) is seen in action during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks Sept 19, 1993, at Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (Allen Kee via AP)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Brian Blades (89) is tackled as he runs upfield with the ball during an NFL game against the New England Patriots Sept. 19, 1993, in Foxborough, Mass. (Allen Kee via AP)
New England Patriots wide receiver David Patten (86) side steps Seattle Seahawks corner back Ken Lucas (21) as Patten heads for the end zone during second quarter action of their NFL game Sunday afternoon Oct. 17, 2004 in Foxboro Mass. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselback, right, throws a pass under pressure from New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (75) during the game in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. The Patriots won their 20th straight game with a 30-20 victory. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
Seattle Seahawks' Julian Peterson, right, brings down New England Patriots' Kevin Faulk on a reception by Faulk in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
New England Patriots running back Sammy Morris goes over the top of Seattle Seahawks' defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (99) to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2008, at Qwest Field in Seattle. The Patriots beat the Seahawks 24-21. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks defensive back Michael Boulware (28) separates New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady from his helmut during the game in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. The Patriots won their 20th straight game with a 30-20 victory. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselback, right, throws a pass under pressure from New England Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork (75) during the game in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. The Patriots won their 20th straight game with a 30-20 victory. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
New England Patriots tight end Daniel Graham (82) looks to get around Seattle Seahawks defender Marcus Trufant during the game in Foxboro, Mass., on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004. The Patriots won their 20th straight game with a 30-20 victory. (AP Photo/ Robert E. Klein)
Seattle's Doug Baldwin falls into the end zone with his second touchdown of the game.
Seattle's Russell Wilson and New England's Rob Gronkowksi share a laugh at the pregame coin-toss.
Kam Chancellor leads the Seahawks in a victory yell after the victory at New England.
Chris Matthews leaps high and catches the Seahawks second touchdown of the game but the first in his N.F.L. career to tie the game at 14-14 just before halftime.
Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor lead the Legion of Boom in their traditional pregame huddle right before taking the field for warmups.
Seahawks fans including the loyal "Big Lo" (holding Sea-Fence) sign, send the team off near SeaTac Airport.
Kevin Pierre-Louis and Tyvis Powell sport Celtics basketball jerseys for the trip to Boston. Pierre-Louis has repped a basketball team from the opposing city for each road trip.
Jermaine Kearse nearly comes up with this catch on a deep route which was broken up at the last minute.
Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin hauls in his third TD catch of the night, which would provide the eventual game-winner.
Receiver Tyler Lockett cuts towards the middle of the field after a reception in the second quarter.
Head referee Bill Vinovich flips the coin for Super Bowl XLIX as captains and honorary captains for both teams convened at midfield.
Seahawks running back Christine Michael hurdles New England's Malcolm Butler in the first half.
