Pete Carroll Preview: Seahawks looking to send fans out ‘on a good note’ vs Lions

At 5-10, the Seahawks’ playoff hopes are officially shot as they finish up the 2021 season with just two more games, the first of which is the team’s final home game of the year against the Detroit Lions.

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As he does every Friday, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll sat down with play-by-play man Steve Raible during The Pete Carroll Preview on 97.3 KIRO FM’s Seattle’s Morning News to discuss the upcoming matchup.

First, Raible asked Carroll about the team’s preparation, which is more notable at this point this year than in most years due to the Seahawks not fighting for a playoff spot.

“I was really, really pleased with the work that we put up and the attention to the detail,” Carroll said. “Whether you’re playing in the championship or in ‘a got to have it’ game, I would always be worried about their focus being wavered in some direction for whatever reason. So this one, I was just concerned and challenged them and watched them go out there and just practice like crazy and compete against one another … (They showed) the kind of mentality and attitude that you want to see, really. So that was fun.”

Someone who Carroll said had a particularly good week of practice is running back Rashaad Penny, who’s rushed for over 130 yards and at least one touchdown in two of the Seahawks’ last three games. Carroll gave credit to a veteran player for Penny’s recent surge.

That player? Running back Adrian Peterson, who the Seahawks placed on injured reserve this week, ending his season. He appeared in just one game for Seattle.

“It he was a real treasure that he got to come to us. We got to meet him and learn about him as a competitor and all of that, and then really just witnessed the effect he had on people,” Carroll said. “And he’ll have a lasting effect on one player in particular, as I’ve said, Rashaad Penny. There’s no question that he did.”

Carroll said that this week in particular, Penny “looked like a different guy” during practice.

“Something clicked and he was flying. And he wanted to show that he was going to get out of his stance and take the football and hit the line of scrimmage full speed and fly around,” Carroll said. “(Players) don’t get a million reps (in practice), but when they get them he made every one of them count. And that I think that was all because of Adrian Peterson showing him what a man does with how he handles this position, this challenge and this job and so he was invaluable to us. I wish he was here longer. He was a blast.”

Penny figures to have a rather large role for the Seahawks yet again against the Lions, who rank 27th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed. Despite the Lions’ 2-12-1 record, Carroll sees a competitive football team. The Lions have won two of their last four after starting the year 0-10-1 and one of those victories was a 30-12 beatdown of the Arizona Cardinals, who likely will be a playoff team.

“They beat them down pretty good down there,” Carroll said of the Lions’ win over Arizona. “The whole game, stayed ahead and owned the football game against an excellent football team. They’ve won two out of the last four and they’ve turned the corner. This is a legitimate competitive club. And they know it and they feel it, you can see it.”

Carroll said he’s happy for Lions head coach Dan Campbell as he’s “getting some rewards and payback” after a tough start to the year. Carroll also said it’s clear the team is modeled and connected to the head coach.

“Tough, physical, get after it, not gonna back down from nothing,” Carroll said of the Lions. “It’s gonna be a real good good ballgame for us.”

The Seahawks are looking to finish up the disappointing 2021 campaign on a high note, and this week is especially important in that regard because it’s the final home game of the season. Carroll had a message to the fans.

“I’m just disappointed that we didn’t show the fans that we love so much that we needed to do what we do … It just wasn’t good enough,” he said. “We didn’t do well enough. That’s it. There’s no message beyond that. But we have a chance to send us out on a good note and let’s do that. We owe that to everybody and to ourselves, but we owe it to the fans that support us. I’d like to (send) them out on a good note, get out of here and get back to the next season. Let’s get things going. This thing didn’t work out the way we wanted to.”

Listen to the full Pete Carroll Preview at this link or in the player below.

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