Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald's mindset each week is simple, "I expect us to win every game we play. That's what we expect."
And despite the Week 18 matchup against the 49ers being a game with the NFC West division title and a first-round bye and homefield advantage during the playoffs at stake, Macdonald and the rest of the team's mindset does not change. While those two things are at stake, it is worth remembering that Seattle will still be in the playoffs no matter what happens, after clinching a spot following their Week 16 win.
"We got here by our mentality on how we approach every day," Macdonald said. "And that's what we're going to do this week, and that's what we're going to do next week, whether we're playing or not. And then that's just how we're going to roll. It just cleans it up. It's just worry about the stuff we can control, which right now it's, 'Hey, we get an opportunity to move around outside and get our timing down and clean up some early down stuff, work on third down, red zone.' I mean, those are the things our guys are thinking about right now. And there's some things that we feel like we need to be able to do to play really good ball and give ourselves a chance to win. And we'll check that at the end of practice and see the progress. And that's what we do on Thursday. So that's honestly really what we're focused on."
That approach is what Macdonald has been emphasizing to the players all season and in the final week of the regular season, the players are expecting this week to be no bigger than any game they've played so far this season.
"I think it's hard to do if that's not how you've taken the approach throughout the year," receiver Cooper Kupp said, "But something that's talked about, something we talk about week in and week out here, about our process, about how we're going to handle our day to day and winning the day, what's important right now, handle that…I think because we've taken that approach every single week since back in April, it makes it easy to just say this is just another game. We get an opportunity to go out there and play against a real good football team. And it's about us being able to execute our stuff."
Jarran Reed, who has played in his fair share of games against the 49ers, said this game is a rivalry for him personally, but "Typically we try not to make any game bigger than the other. We try to be 1-0 every week, but we know it's at stake and we know who we're playing, right? So, we're not shying away from that. We know what we got to go out there and do Saturday night."
Reed added, "One day at a time. Focus on one day at a time. Be where our feet {are} at. Today is what? Wednesday and that's all we can do is get better today."
And while they're trying to treat every week the same, the players know there's a lot on the line in this game.
"It's a big moment," Reed said. "We're not going to shy away from that… Everything's on the line right now and we know that. But like I just said before, we're not making it bigger than any other game that we have because overall we're just going to be right here. We want to be 1-0 and be where our feet [are] at."
Tight end AJ Barner said, "At the end of the day you've got to fall back on your habits and your techniques and all the things in between, but it's a big game for a reason."
When the Seahawks played the 49ers at the beginning of the season, it was essentially the offense's first game together with new players and a new offensive coordinator. Since that point, Seattle's offense has had some really great games and games that haven't started how the Seahawks have wanted. But all in all, Seattle's offense is different, in a good way, than the one it was in Week 1.
Kupp said, "I mean, you watch the film, I think there's another level of comfortability and understanding of what we're trying to get done, who we are as an offensive unit, and how we want to operate. And I do think it comes back to ultimately just that understanding and mastery of the offense and guys not second guessing anything but just being able to send it. And I think that's the main thing I've seen just as year's gone on. And it's a testament to what we've talked about. The best teams get better as the year goes on, as the games are played, you learn from your mistakes and guys just get better and better and better and you're a better team, hopefully Week 18 than you were in Week 1. And I think as we watch the film, we feel that."
He added, "Sam's comfortability and trust of all the guys. Being able to sit in the pocket and make some really tough throws. He's done a great job of that as the year's gone on. And I think as you look at just across the board, everyone's game, I think those are just a few areas. There's improvement in that anticipation and that understanding."
