After seeing a four-game winning streak come to an end in the Bay Area, the Seahawks are looking to get back on track when they host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football. But before we turn our attention to that game, it's time once again to answer questions from you, the fans. As always, thanks to everyone who asked a question this week, and apologies if I couldn't get to yours this time around.
@walkngirls asks, "Is Poona a powerhouse?"
A: I'm not sure if he yet qualifies as a powerhouse, but Poona the Powerhouse does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it? What Ford, an undrafted rookie out of Texas, has done is prove he belongs on an NFL field despite being passed over in the 2018 draft. Ford was particularly impressive last week, recording six tackles, including three for a loss, and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said that performance, and Ford's overall play this year, earned him more playing time.
"He has been really aggressive, he has shown really good instincts to get a feel for taking advantage and making plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage," Carroll said. "He's going to get some more playing time."
@mikey8452 asks, "Are we going to see D.J. Fluker and K.J. Wright back against the Chiefs?"
A: Let me get back to you on Friday on this one… Oh, you want an answer now? Well then I'm going to have to say maybe.
Fluker has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury, and Carroll said Monday that more clarity on the big right guard will come later in the week.
"We're going to know in the next few days," Carroll said. "I can't tell you right now. We're hoping he might have a chance."
Wright, who has missed the last five games with a knee injury, returned to practice last week and Carroll said there's hope he can play this week depending on how this week goes.
"K.J. is going to practice this week, and we'll see how he does," Carroll said. "The ramping up has worked out fine, he's ready to go. We're thinking if the week goes well, he's got a chance to play, which he's really excited about. We'll see what happens. But we really won't know until we go, then the next day and the next day, but we'll keep our fingers crossed for him."
Carroll added that Wright's knee responded well to last week's workload, saying, "It's all positive right now."
@Dusk118 asks, "How does the team plan to fix the penalty issues?"
A: Penalties were undoubtedly a huge issue in Sunday's loss, with the Seahawks committing a season-high 14 penalties for 148 yards, the most in franchise history. But for most of this season, that hasn't been a big issue for the Seahawks, who after being the most penalized team in the league last year, cut back on their penalty numbers this year. Even after Sunday's game, the Seahawks are still 18 penalties and 98 yards behind the most penalized team in the league, Kansas City, and committed just four penalties in two of their previous three games before the loss to the 49ers.
Carroll noted after the 2017 season came to an end that he was disappointed in how many penalties his team committed, and they made that a focus in the offseason, a focus that produced improvement prior to last week's game.
"Really, we just coach to it as much as we can and educate them as much as you can about what is OK and what isn't," Carroll said. "Try to stay abreast of the league as the league adjusts in how they're calling things and adapt to that. Make all of the regular, old style football coaching points about guys running for penalties and things at practice that are just kind of the reminder punishment things that we're always trying to toe the line. I think things changed a little bit in the second half. We had 10 penalties in the second half. I don't know how that happened but it did. We've got to make sure that we're not trying too hard and overdoing it and just believe in what we're doing and stay with it. Sometimes that can get you."
@FantasyPhill asks, "What's the future of this backfield with Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and Mike Davis?"
A: As past years have shown, running back depth can be really important when injuries come up, especially for a team so committed to running the ball. So while it may seem at times like the Seahawks backfield is a little crowded this year, the Seahawks enjoy having so many viable options in their backfield, and will want to do the same going forward.
Chris Carson is just a second-year player, and Rashaad Penny is a rookie, so both still have time remaining on their rookie contracts, meaning it would be a pretty big surprise if either went anywhere in the offseason. Mike Davis, however, will be a free agent after this season, so while the Seahawks would likely love to keep him around, his future here is less certain. C.J. Prosise, who is currently on injured reserve, has one year left on his rookie deal, so he too could be back in the mix next summer. J.D. McKissic is a restricted free agent in 2019, so the Seahawks could bring him back, but his return isn't guaranteed. Seattle also signed rookie running back Bo Scarbrough on Tuesday, so he could be another option going forward.
@UnintendedMax asks, "Who remembers the four pick-6 game? We all should, let's get four more."
A: For those who don't know what Max is referring to, the Seahawks beat the Kansas City Chiefs in blowout fashion in 1984 thanks in large part to an NFL record four interception returns for touchdowns. And no, I don't remember that game, because I was four, but it's definitely worth revisiting. That performance, which featured touchdown returns by Kenny Easley, Keith Simpson, and Dave Brown, who had two, was part of a season in which the Seahawks established team records for takeaways (63) and interceptions (38) that still stand.
@ShambolicSherpa asks, "If you could only have one breakfast cereal for the rest of your life, which would you choose?"
A: I'm too old to say Peanut Butter Crunch, right? I actually don't eat cereal very often these days, but if I have to pick a somewhat adult cereal, I'd go with either Basic 4 or Crispix.
Game action photos from the Seahawks' 26-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 of the 2018 NFL season.