Critical comments from safety Earl Thomas on Seahawks’ attitude

RENTON – Last year, when the Seahawks started 6-4 then won their final six regular-season games en route to a second straight Super Bowl appearance, an attitude adjustment was credited as a big reason for their turnaround. As wide receiver Ricardo Lockette explained it at the time, the Seahawks started “playing for each other.”

To hear free safety Earl Thomas tell it, what was missing in the first half of last season might be missing again for the Seahawks. He seemed to express as much with some interesting and critical comments on Thursday.

“I just think it’s an attitude, it’s a mindset,” Thomas said. “You’ve got to give it up for the next guy. It’s not showing up all the time like that.”

Asked why that’s been the case, Thomas said: “I couldn’t tell you. People just got to get out their own way and give it up for the team.”

Asked if that message needs to be sent, Thomas said it has been.

“But you’re talking about grown men here,” he added. “They’ve got to make it up in their own mind so they can bring their best to the ballclub.”

Thomas stood by previous comments he made suggesting that everyone’s effort hasn’t always been what it should be and also put himself in that category, saying his could be better at times as well.

Thomas didn’t specify any player or players in particular, nor did he specify whether the issues he was referring to are with Seattle’s defense, offense or both. He suggested that egos have been an issue.

“I just think it’s kinda tough when you’ve had so much success like we’ve had and you’ve been known as this type of player and that type of player,” he said. “Sometimes, you’re not who you think you are in some cases. But I just think overall, we need to give it up for each other.”

Thomas’ comments come with Seattle having fallen to 4-5 with another loss in which its defense relinquished a fourth-quarter lead. The Seahawks forced three turnovers while also allowing 451 yards of offense to Arizona. That included five completions of 20 yards or more, two of which produced touchdowns.

Asked if opposing teams are figuring out how to beat Seattle’s secondary, Thomas said they’ve done a better job of doing so this season but noted that the Seahawks are still playing well overall on defense and that they’ve had a chance to win every game.

“That’s all you can ask for,” he said. “We know every year is going to get tougher. Everybody wants to beat us. We’ve just got to get that fire and that determination back, and that desire, that will to win back.”

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