Featuring postgame quotes from the following:

Head Coach Mike Macdonald

Opening Statement:

"Alright, it's good to see everybody. Hey, great first start. I'm just proud of the mentality and the focus that we had taking the game on. It felt like the guys played really hard, it felt like they were focused. It's the first game, so it's the first time doing all the operational stuff for real. I thought our operation was clean for the most part. I got a bunch of notes written down as the game unfolded on things that we're going to want to chase and debrief on. Overall, I'd say that it's a foundational first game. This is something we want to build on. There'll be plenty of details on tape that we're going to dive into and I can't wait to watch the tape and see how the guys did."

On instilling confidence in new defensive players:

"We played the majority of our starters on defense, so we definitely wanted to start fast and get a feel for getting the calls in, subs getting to experience situational ball for real, and the guys were locked in. I thought we did a good job of getting the calls in fast and the guys communicated well on the back end, especially when they started going fast there. I think it was a third drive or so. It was very important."

On expectations of the game:

"I always expect us to go out and play hard, play physical and be clean. If it's not the way we want to look, then we're going to want to make that right. It wasn't a perfect showing by any stretch, but it was a solid start. I think the guys know that we should be able to take a jump here moving forward. We've got a big week ahead of us practicing against Tennessee and then having another game against those guys. So we're looking forward to that."

On players that stood out:

"I thought our front played really well. The back end was clean with the first couple guys, we felt their presence back there. I felt they tackled well. With their first time tackling for real, especially with the ones and twos, it felt like the guys who got involved were taking good angles for the most part."

On QB Sam Howell's performance:

"I thought Sam played really well moving the offense. Not all the starters played. I think a couple of the interior offensive line guys that were the only ones in there. It was great to see them come back out in the second half and move all the way down the field. Obviously, we want to close that drive out, but I thought we operated well and made some great decisions. I'm sure there are some plays that you'd want back, but that's good. It's never going to be a perfect performance, but I'm definitely pleased."

On running the ball:

"We'll look at the schemes. We didn't have a lot of schemes up. We'll see how we targeted some certain things, but I felt like the guys were getting off the rock and that should help us with what's expected moving forward."

On the return of DT Byron Murphy II:

"It was great to see him make a couple plays in his first game back in action. He was all juiced and the guys were excited for him. That was cool to see."

On CB/S Coby Bryant's interception:

"That's team football, man. There was a good pocket, the guys communicated, made the right checks in the back end, ran their spots on play action and attacked the football. When it comes to us, let's go make the play and try to go score."

On the new kickoff:

"I'd say, it's hot and cold. His [WR Laviska Shenault] return was definitely a highlight. There's a couple things we have to look at on how we're blocking, especially when the ball's going across the field. I think it'll be fun film to watch. Now we saw that for real, it's the tempo of the play, we can change our targets and our counts, make sure our angles are on point, and we should make a big jump there moving forward."

On both C Nick Harris and C Olu Oluwatimi playing:

"That was just the plan going into the game, they're battling it out right now.

On C Connor Williams:

"He should be coming into town pretty soon."

On the importance of this game as head coach:

"It's very important. I thought that for the most part we were on point with our decision making and gave all the necessary information. I thought all that stuff was about as good as expected, but it's tricky. You're calling the game on defense, you're making adjustments and then you're back on offense. That's the way it goes so you have to be good, you have to be on point. We're expected to be sharp moving forward and that's my responsibility."

On Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb remaining upstairs through the season:

"Yes, he'll be up there."

On sentiment towards the team:

"I love our guys."

On hopes for the identity of the Seahawks this season:

"A style that's really tough to play. All the edges that we're chasing, our mentality. We want to be rock solid, together and connected. We want everybody to be pushing in the same direction and we're not there yet, but that's the vision and the guys know it. We're on our way. The faster we can push together, the further we'll go. That's step one."

On closing drives:

"We want to close drives out, for sure. The guys know that. We'll look back at how we blocked it and all that, but it would have been great to finish that drive out."

QB Sam Howell

On operating in a game:

"Yeah, it was good to get back out there. We've been going against ourselves for these past few weeks. It was good to get out there against a different opponent. I thought the guys played well. Obviously, the defense, I thought had a really good game. Offensively, we did some good things. We could have scored a little more points, I thought. I would have liked to finish that drive there early in the third quarter where we got stopped on the one. Overall, I thought we did some good things."

On Head Coach Mike Macdonald:

"Coach was great. You know, the first time for him [as a head coach of an NFL team]. Obviously, a first-time head coach. He was great. I thought he did a good job. He did a good job of getting us ready for the game. Obviously, it's a little different when it's the preseason, but he did a great job. He was great before the game. Great in the huddle before the game. He did a great job and guys are buying in, for sure."

On his training camp:

"I thought the first couple of days that I wasn't my best, but after the first two days or so, I feel like I've been playing some good football, especially this past week. I thought I had a good week of practice. I think I've definitely gotten better each and every day. That's what I'm going to try and continue to do."

On using his legs to make plays:

"That's definitely something that I've always kind of done my whole career. Especially on third down, I can try and make some plays with my feet. I think that's just part of my game and something that, whenever I'm out there, I'm going to try to use. Especially on third down, especially when they're playing man coverage. When they're playing man coverage on defense, there's a lot of room to run the ball for the quarterback. When you get man coverage, you kind of look. Obviously, you're trying to throw the ball first, but I know there are good opportunities to run."

On his performances in games:

"Obviously, you try to be really good every single day and try to be the same player that you are in practice. When the lights come on, I try to take it to another level, for sure. I think part of his question here was using my feet you don't get to see a whole lot of in practice because you're not live, you know? You don't really get those live plays. I feel like that's a really big part of my game and something that I bring to the table. I try to be the same player each and every day."

On TE Brady Russell's touchdown:

"Yeah, that was awesome. Definitely, when I threw it to him, I was kind of just expecting him to get the first down. It's great when you have a guy that can run after the catch and make guys miss. Brady has had a really good camp. He's doing a great job. Every time he's in there, I'm going to try to keep finding him, for sure."

On the goal line situation:

"We were running the ball really well. I was fine with the decision to run the ball there on fourth down. Just try to get it in. We definitely have to find a way to finish that, but play-call wise, no, I thought it was pretty good."

On third-down conversions:

"I thought there were some of them where we could have done a little better of a job. Obviously, have to go back and look at the film, but I thought there were some things that we might have left out there, but you're not going to be perfect. We moved the ball well and controlled the game. I don't know what exactly the time of possession was, but I know we had it for most of the game. We played some good, complementary football, for sure."

On confidence in the offensive install:

"For sure. Obviously, every single day that you can rep the system and rep the plays in the system is another day to get better. I think we've done a really good job as an offense of finding what things we need to get better at and focusing on those each and every day. I think that's definitely paid off for us. We have a good group of guys. A lot of guys that really love ball and want to get better. I'm really excited about what we have on our football team."

DT Byron Murphy II

CB/S Coby Bryant