Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is not one to throw his players under the bus, but he is clearly not happy with Russell Wilson’s turnovers in the last two games. Carroll admitted the team will continue to struggle if it does not take care of the football.
Wilson has had seven turnovers in two straight losses, and it marks the first set of back-to-back games the quarterback has had with three or more turnovers, per Fox Sports. When asked whether he was concerned about his quarterback’s play, Carroll admitted that turnovers have been a key factor in the last two losses.
“I’m just concerned in general, we can’t play football and win games like that,” Carroll noted in his post-game press conference. “Can’t win. Philosophically, that’s so far against the grain from what we believe and how we practice and prepare for the last ten years, twenty years. It couldn’t rub against the grain any more obviously. I’m worried about the fact that it’s so loose in this game and last game. One or two, sometimes, but seven, that’s too many. We got to get our act together. We just got to get better. We can’t do that. We won’t beat anybody turning the ball over like that.”
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Carroll on Wilson’s First Interception: ‘It Was a Bad Play’
Carroll was also asked about Wilson’s first interception, which was perhaps the Seahawks quarterback’s most puzzling play against the Rams. Wilson looked to have an easy first down inside the red zone if he ran the ball but instead opted to throw across his body to the opposite side of the field.
“It was a bad play,” Carroll stated matter-of-factly. “It was a decision that rarely have we seen Russ do. He’s on the other side of the field moving that way and throwing the ball back across. He does miraculous things often, that wasn’t one of them. I’m screaming for him to run because he could have gotten ten or fifteen yards I thought and then, all of the sudden, he chucked it. I thought, ‘Oh, maybe he’s got a touchdown.’ When Russ makes a decision, like to go for it, he’s usually pretty darn good. For years, years and years and years. That one didn’t work out. That was a mistake.”
Carroll Looked Visibly Frustrated After the Seahawks’ Second Straight Loss
It is about as direct as we have seen from Carroll, who limits his public criticism of the team. Carroll is clearly frustrated by the Seahawks’ propensity for turning the ball over in recent weeks, with Wilson being tied to all seven of these mistakes.
“Pete Carroll, concerned with Russell Wilson’s turnovers? ‘I’m just concerned, in general…it couldn’t rub against the grain more obviously.’ ‘Seven (last two games), that’s too many.’ ‘We’ve got to get our act together.’ Ouch. As pointed as he’ll be about that Seahawks,” The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell noted on Twitter.
Carroll started his press conference noting that he still had faith in his team, but admitted there is a lot to clean up. Throughout his tenure in Seattle, Carroll has made winning the turnover battle a point of emphasis.
“I believe that we’re going to take care of the football,” Carroll noted. “With all of the emphasis that we have on it, to turn the ball over seven times the last two weeks. I don’t recognize that kind of execution where we are giving the ball up. I believe these guys are going to hang together, and we’re going to keep working it.”
Carroll has not lost faith in Wilson, who is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. Yet, the Seahawks coach has also made it clear that he is holding Wilson accountable just like the rest of the team to improve with such a short turnaround ahead as they take on the Cardinals on Thursday Night Football.
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Pete Carroll Sends Message to Russell Wilson