On Monday, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald reiterated the same sentiment he expressed right after the game on Sunday.
"We fell short yesterday," he said. "There's no other way to slice it. The Rams, they won the game, they won it fair and square, they played better than us and coached better than us, and that's what happens. So, it's a tough one, but all these losses, you can't let it beat you twice. You got to go back, you got to take it on the chin, you got to move forward, you got to learn from it. And that's what we've done today and that's what we intend to do. And then, starting 45 minutes ago, we moved on to Tennessee."
Along with an injury update on rookie Grey Zabel, here's a few things we learned from Monday's press conference:
What Macdonald Saw From Sam Darnold's Interceptions
On Sunday, Seattle had four turnovers, all of them being interceptions thrown by Sam Darnold. After taking time to watch the film, Macdonald said, "I think the majority of them came late in downs where we just need to get to the next play. And Sam's played in time and in rhythm a lot this year and he has made a lot of plays for us doing that. And he is also made a lot of plays off schedule. So again, you don't want to take the playmaker out of him, but you also understand when we need to be able to get the next play versus putting the ball in jeopardy down the field and we will learn from it and we'll grow from it. But that's really what we saw."
Macdonald's Thoughts On The Pass Rush
Seattle's defense knew it would have to try to get Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford off rhythm in Sunday's game, and while the Seahawks were able to pressure Stafford a handful of times, they were not able to get to the quarterback for any sacks.
"For the most part I thought our guys played extremely hard in the back end and were assignment sound, played with the right leverages and did a good job to get him off rhythm," Macdonald said.
Seattle had nine quarterback pressures, according to Next Gen Stats and three quarterback hits.
"Sometimes you look at the metrics and what we look at on defense of how much we affected the quarterback and we didn't meet our mark yesterday, so there's room to grow as well, but the guys rushed hard," Macdonald added. "I thought they rushed together. We were making team decisions, which is great. And I thought we made smart decisions when we did get to the quarterback and hitting him legally and also making him know that we were there as well. So, it's good, but it's also, 'Hey, we didn't hit our mark.' And I think when you're not affecting the quarterback consistently, that's one of the metrics that really drives winning football.
Olu Oluwatimi's First Start This Season And Christian Haynes Getting Some Playing Time
Sunday marked center Olu Oluwatimi's first start this season, filling in for a Jalen Sundell who was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury and will be out at least another three games.
"I thought Olu did a tremendous job stepping in, being ready to go, decisive with his calls. Again, things that we need to clean up as a front, as an offensive line, but it's not for a lack of effort and we'll get those things fixed. I mean, we're just continuing to grow. You see a lot of great things. So it's a positive that there's new things each week that pop up that we want to be able to attack."
Christian Haynes played in his first game of the season, taking over after Zabel left the game with an injury. Haynes has not played all season because of a pectoral injury.
"For Christian, not having really been active and seeing his first football action, I thought he did a good job," Macdonald said. "There's some things he's going to clean up and he'll do that."
Nick Emmanwori's Phenomenal Play And 'Special Talent'
Rookie Nick Emmanwori over the past few weeks has become something of an every down player. After his first game back in Week 5, Emmanwori has played an average of 91.96 percent of the defensive snaps, per Next Gen Stats.
"He's a special talent," Macdonald said. "To me, you see the inputs on a daily basis, you see his attitude about trying to nail the game plan and his attention to detail. And when that's there, in addition to the physical capability, you want to work with guys like that and he's going to help us win by being out there. That's what's driving that decision to have him out there and try to find more spots and he is doing a great job. There's things each week that you say, 'Hey look, okay, here's the next iteration of your game that you got to take it to.' And he's taking on those challenges. And again, but if he didn't have the attitude that he had and the sense of urgency about being on his details and understanding his assignments, learning really two different separate positions, we wouldn't be able to do what we're doing with Nick."
One of Macdonald's standout plays from Sunday's game was an Emmanwori stop on a fourth-and-one play right at the goal line that kept Rams running back Kyren Williams out of the endzone.
"The fourth and one that got out against us on defense, Nick Emmanwori where he made a tremendous tackle at the one-yard line that gave us a chance to get out of that drive. We had a play last week against Arizona that I felt like we didn't finish very well on (Trey) McBride touchdown and just shows you the resolve and the growth that Nick's showing, but that was a phenomenal play."
Check out photos of the Seahawks 53-man active roster for the 2025 season.
This is a 2025 photo of DeMarcus Lawrence of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (0)
Seahawks cornerback Derion Kendrick (1)
Seahawks cornerback Derion Kendrick (1).
This is a 2025 photo of Drew Lock of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock (2)
This is a 2025 photo of Nick Emmanwori of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3)
This is a 2025 photo of Michael Dickson of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks punter Michael Dickson (4)
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5).
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers (5)
This is a 2025 photo of Jalen Milroe of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6)
This is a 2025 photo of Uchenna Nwosu of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7)
This is a 2025 photo of Coby Bryant of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks safety Coby Bryant (8)
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9)
Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9)
This is a 2025 photo of Cooper Kupp of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp (10)
This is a 2025 photo of Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11)
This is a 2025 photo of Ernest Jones IV of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13)
This is a 2025 photo of Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14)
This is a 2025 photo of Tory Horton of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (15)
This is a 2025 photo of Elijah Arroyo of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo (18)
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Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19)
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Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21)
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22)
This is a 2025 photo of D'Anthony Bell of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks safety D'Anthony Bell (23)
This is a 2025 photo of Zach Charbonnet of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26)
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Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27)
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Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28)
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Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29)
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Seahawks running back George Holani (36)
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Seahawks fullback Brady Russell (38)
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Seahawks safety Ty Okada (39)
This is a 2025 photo of Robbie Ouzts of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks fullback Robbie Ouzts (40)
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Seahawks long snapper Chris Stoll (41)
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Seahawks linebacker Drake Thomas (42)
Seahawks linebacker Chazz Surratt (44)
Seahawks linebacker Chazz Surratt (44).
This is a 2025 photo of Tyrice Knight of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48)
This is a 2025 photo of Jared Ivey of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Jared Ivey (51)
This is a 2025 photo of Boye Mafe of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53)
This is a 2025 photo of Olu Oluwatimi of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks center Olu Oluwatimi (55)
This is a 2025 photo of Connor O'Toole of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Connor O'Toole (57)
This is a 2025 photo of Derick Hall of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks linebacker Derick Hall (58)
This is a 2025 photo of Jalen Sundell of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks center Jalen Sundell (61)
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Seahawks tackle Charles Cross (67)
This is a 2025 photo of Abraham Lucas of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tackle Abraham Lucas (72)
This is a 2025 photo of Josh Jones of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tackle Josh Jones (74)
This is a 2025 photo of Anthony Bradford of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks guard Anthony Bradford (75)
This is a 2025 photo of Grey Zabel of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76)
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Seahawks guard Bryce Cabeldue (77)
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Seahawks offensive lineman Mason Richman (78)
This is a 2025 photo of Dareke Young of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks wide receiver Dareke Young (83)
This is a 2025 photo of AJ Barner of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88)
This is a 2025 photo of Nick Kallerup of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Signed tight end Nick Kallerup (89) on May 2, 2025.
This is a 2024 photo of Jarran Reed of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seahawks active roster as of June 10, 2024 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (90)
This is a 2025 photo of Byron Murphy II of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91)
This is a 2025 photo of Mike Morris of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive end Mike Morris (94)
This is a 2025 photo of Brandon Pili of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seattle Seahawks active roster as of June 9, 2025 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks nose tackle Brandon Pili (95)
This is a 2024 photo of Leonard Williams of the Seattle Seahawks NFL football team. This image reflects the Seahawks active roster as of June 10, 2024 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99)
