The Pete Carroll Show: A little rest did a lot of good for the Seahawks against Minnesota

Coach Pete Carroll joined “Brock and Salk” on Monday as the does the day after every Seahawks game, in this case a 38-7 win over Minnesota. The podcast of their conversation can be found here. A few highlights are below.

• Carroll mentioned on Friday how the Seahawks had adjusted their practice routine last week in the hopes that players would be fresher come Sunday, which they were. Carroll pointed to the team being “physically right” when asked why it played so well against Minnesota. “They had their legs and they ran hard and fast, we looked fast, we played fast and we took advantage,” he said. Carroll explained the adjustments: “We had to cut down the tempo on Wednesday and Thursday to make sure guys could practice, otherwise guys would have been sitting on the sidelines. In doing so, we called on them to really focus and stay with it and not relax with that thought, and a number of guys felt that they were really able to tune in in a little bit different fashion. As we tempoed up as the week (went on) – as opposed to tapering down – by Friday we hit it pretty hard and fast and they were really ready to go.”

• Carroll agreed with Brock Huard’s contention that Seattle’s linebackers played as well as they have all season. He said it was evident early that Minnesota wasn’t going to attempt many down-field throws, which meant Seahawks defenders could focus more on stopping the underneath routes. He said that played into Seattle’s hands. Carroll: “We had a very, very, very good game of breaking on the football and guys tackling in groups and really pounding them, which is really the way we like to play. That really put the game in the style that we wanted it to be in. Eventually, the score happened and the running game kinda goes dead and so we got ’em.”

• Carroll has attributed quarterback Russell Wilson’s recent hot streak more to the improvement of Seattle’s offensive line than to improvement in Wilson’s play, which he says has been consistently good. He did so again on Monday when asked about Wilson’s performance against Minnesota. Carroll: “I think it’s a continuation of what’s been happening. I don’t think anything has changed, I don’t think all of the sudden the light went on or anything. I think we’re just working together. Look at the difference in us protecting the quarterback. The guys are so solid up front, they’re so confident in what they’re doing, they’re making their calls, the ball is out really quick – and when we are like that, that’s what Russell can look like, and he’s been on a three- or four-game stint of showing you that.” Wilson was sacked twice on Sunday, bringing the total to eight over the last five games. He was sacked 31 times over the first seven games.

• Carroll said he didn’t realize until watching the film how much of an impact that rookie defensive lineman Frank Clark had. Clark had two sacks, three quarterback hits and batted down two passes while playing more than he has in any game this season. Jordan Hill’s absence gave Clark the opportunity to play more as an interior rusher in passing situations, and Carroll said “he’ll get a bit shot to show up in there again.” Carroll added: “Frank was really good yesterday. He was all over the place, and he can get so much better, so much cleaner, but he was really a factor yesterday.”