The Seahawks are back to work this week after a mini bye, so to speak, and are facing another tough test in Week 14 when they travel to Santa Clara to face the 49ers. But before we turn our attention to that game, it's time once again to open up the mailbag and answer some questions from you, the fans. As always, thanks to everyone who submitted questions this week, and apologies I wasn't able to get to yours this time around. And remember, the mailbag is always open for submissions at Seahawks.com/mailbag.

@gpeizner asks, "It feels like Boye Mafe has taken a dip in production the last three weeks. Does it look like teams are respecting his game and planning for him, or has he slowed down a bit?

A: You are correct that Mafe's production has decreased of late. After recording a sack in a franchise-record seven straight games, Mafe has been shut out in that category the past three weeks. I don't think that has to do with Mafe's play falling off—he's still had plenty of effective pass-rushes that have led to pressure and has made plays in the running game—but rather it's the result of the type of attention that comes with having that kind of streak.

As Seahawks coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt have both noted in recent weeks, Mafe is getting more attention from opposing offenses of late, be it in the form of double teams or tight ends and running backs chipping him, and he's having to adjust to those changes.

"For a younger player like Mafe, you go seven, eight games in a row where you're getting one (sacks), things will start changing; they start bringing people around you to slow you down a little bit," Hurtt said last week. "That's a sign of respect. So now it's adjusting and adapting to that accordingly and understanding how you have to adjust your rush plans and rushing with your teammates when things like that happen to go on."

Hurtt finished that quote noting that the Seahawks pass rush needed to be better after they managed just two sacks in games against the Rams and 49ers, and the good news is that, against Dallas on Thursday, the Seahawks did improve in that area, sacking Dak Prescott four times after the Cowboys had gone three straight games without allowing a sack.

@WeaponNext asks, "Who is the best singer on the team?"

A: I can't say who is the best because I haven't heard every player on the team sing, or even close to every player, but what I can tell you is that outside linebacker Darrell Taylor is the most frequent singer in the locker room, singing/rapping along to just about anything playing in the room, or sometimes singing without any musical backing. Is Taylor the best singer? Hard to say, but he's pretty good, so that's something, I suppose.

@enzo_sco asks, "For Monday Night Football, do we wear green on navy, perhaps?"

A: Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on where you stand on action green, the Seahawks cannot wear their green jerseys on Monday night, or in any of their other remaining regular-season games.

Since 2018 when the NFL slightly relaxed the limitations on alternate uniforms, teams can wear alternate jerseys up to three times in a season, and that's three total even if wearing different alternates. So in the case of the Seahawks, they wore their new throwback uniforms twice, at home against Cleveland and on the road in Dallas, and their action green uniforms one time for the Thanksgiving game against San Francisco. So depending on your opinion of the Seahawks' most polarizing jerseys, congrats or condolences, you won't be seeing action green again this season.

Michael from Seattle asks, "Who has the Seahawks record for most rushing yards?"

A: Are you talking about the most rushing yards in his Seahawks career? Or in a single season? Single game?

Well regardless of which you're referring to, the answer is Shaun Alexander.

During his time in Seattle, Alexander rushed for 9,429 yards, the most in franchise history, including a record 1,880 yards in his MVP-winning 2005 season. He also once rushed for 266 yards in a game, also a Seahawks record, and Alexander also owns just about every touchdown record including career (112), season (28) and single game (5).

So yeah, Shaun Alexander had one heck of a Seahawks career, one that probably isn't as appreciated as it should be. He very deservedly was enshrined in the Seahawks Ring of Honor last year, and it could be argued he also has a pretty solid Hall of Fame case despite never advancing past the early stages of that selection process.

@GoTallyGo asks, "Can training sessions be watched by the fans? When do they train and where? Thanks."

A: As the use of "training" instead of "practice" might indicate, this question came from overseas, and from Germany to be specific. And if you'd like to plan a visit to Seattle to view a training session, be sure it's during training camp, because those are the only practices open to the public.

While the exact date is to be determined, registration for open training camp practice usually begins in June, at which point fans can sign up to attend practice… er… training.

@Will the Mariners fill positions of need by the start of spring training?

A: Well, I suppose I did ask for random questions, didn't I?

I'm going to say yes, they fill some needs, but maybe not every single one you are hoping for. For more details, please hit up the Seattle Times' Ryan Divish on Twitter/X (@RyanDivish). He is a true man of the people and loves hearing from fans.

@cocokono asks, "Is there a reason why the Seattle press can't ask tougher questions towards Pete Carroll and the coaching staff like they do in other cities?"

A: I'm going to disqualify myself from this group because, as a team reporter, it's not really my job to ask some of the so-called tough questions. But I'll also take a second to defend the people on the Seahawks beat who by and large do a really good job asking fair and necessary questions.

Is this the New York or Philadelphia media that is known for being particularly testy with the subjects they cover? No. But reporters on the Seahawks beat are still asking coaches and players about the team's struggles when they're losing games. Shane Waldron and Clint Hurtt have been asked about third down in just about every way imaginable, and Carroll has been asked plenty of questions about what isn't working in recent weeks with his team having lost three straight games. And here's the thing, being a jerk to coaches just to sound tough and/or appease fans who are frustrated might make for good soundbites, but it rarely, if ever, actually elicits better answers. Coaches and players, especially at the NFL level, are pretty good at crafting the message they want to put out, regardless of how the questions is asked, and if anything, trying to take that "tough" approach will just cause people to shut down and give less thorough answers.