Seahawks’ Darrell Bevell knows criticism ‘comes with the territory’

RENTON – A few things are certain in the otherwise unpredictable world of the NFL.

Players will be injured. The Redskins will be dysfunctional. And every team’s offensive coordinator will be the most second-guessed – and in some cases unpopular – person in town.

Darrell Bevell knows how it works. That’s why he’s not surprised by all the public criticism of the job he does as Seattle’s play-caller, even when the criticism comes from – of all places – the mother of the team’s Pro Bowl running back.

“It comes with the territory,” Bevell said Wednesday. “I played quarterback, and you know that guy’s going to get more credit than he deserves, and more people are going to be on him when you don’t win. It’s the same as what I’m doing. I’m totally confident in what I’m doing. I’m totally confident that I’m getting our team in the best position to win, and I’m glad she’s passionate about us.”

“She”, of course, is Marshawn Lynch’s mom. Delisa Lynch ripped Bevell earlier this week in a strongly-worded Facebook post (which has since been deleted). She called Bevell the “worst play caller ever,” said he should have already been fired and suggested that the only reason he called her son’s number on Seattle’s failed fourth-down against St. Louis was to atone for not doing so at the end of the Super Bowl, when he famously called a passing play that didn’t exactly work out.

Coach Pete Carroll shrugged the comments off when he was asked about them earlier Wednesday. Bevell did the same.

“I’m glad we have passionate fans. The 12s are very passionate and that’s what we want. We want those people that are passionate about our team and supporting us,” Bevell said, adding that he and Lynch have yet to speak about the comments.

Delisa Lynch’s commentary made national headlines, with the Associated Press writing a story on it and ESPN linking to one on the front page of its website. Hers was the most publicized criticism of Bevell, but it wasn’t the first and it won’t be the last. He knows that as well as anyone.

“I always joke with some of the players every now and then that everybody has ‘Madden’ nowadays,” Bevell said, referring to the hugely-popular NFL video game. “Everybody gets to play, and they’re offensive coordinators on their game. Everybody’s picking plays. It’s been that for years and years. The armchair quarterbacks, they’re going to be able to poke holes in whatever you’re doing.

“I can promise them that we’re spending a lot of time on what we’re doing. There’s rhyme and reason for everything, and there’s not a play that I throw out there that I don’t believe is going to be successful and that’s not putting the Seahawks in the best position to win.”