Check out what Titans coaches and players are saying about the Seahawks before the two teams meet in Week 3 at Tennessee's Nissan Stadium, via TitansOnline.com.
Head Coach Mike Mularkey
(On what he's seen out of the Seahawks in general through film...)"Very well coached team, disciplined and experienced team. Guys that have been together for a while. I know there is a couple new faces, but for the most part it's the same team in all three phases. I have some experience again earlier from my other meetings with them, but a team that plays extremely hard, physical, fast…good football team."
(On overlapping in Minnesota as a player with Pete Carroll as an assistant coach for a couple years...)"Yeah, lot of energy just like Pete is today. Same, very good, very good coach. You are talking a long time ago, like 1985, Bud Grant's second go around with the Vikings was when Pete came in, if I'm right saying that. But it's been good. I've known Pete and been friends for a long time. But a lot of energy and players really respect the way he coached them, even back then."
QB Marcus Mariota
(On the matchup with Seattle...) "It's going to be a great challenge. They're a group that's been playing together for a quite some time and we're really going to have to be prepared. We're looking forward to it and can't wait to go out there and play."
(On the challenge of facing a team for the first time, as he'll do against Seattle on Sunday…)"Obviously, it's new. It's a team we haven't played before. This team is similar to a couple teams we've played before, but at the same time it's not the same personnel, so it's going to be different and we'll have to be ready for that."
(On how much he has to be aware of Seattle's linebackers…)"They're very athletic. That group is very impressive, even on tape they've made a bunch of plays whether it's run fits or down the field covering tight ends or even some slot receivers. We've got to find ways to make it hard for them. We can't just line up and let them see what we're doing because I think those guys are smart enough to get keys and can play fast and aggressive that way. As the game plan gets in, we'll see what the coaches have for us, but those two (Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright) are very impressive, for sure."
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TE Jonnu Smith
(On this weekend's matchup with the Seahawks…) "We're coming in here and playing a tough football team, and I feel like we're even tougher, so it's going to be a grind-out football game."
WR Taywan Taylor
(On the challenge of going against Seattle's secondary…) "We definitely know who's on that defensive side of the ball over there. It's definitely a great ball club. We know they're going to come in with their best foot forward, so we're trying to come in, work hard, study the game plan this week — it's a good game plan in for them — and we're going to try to come down and compete, because we know those guys will too."
DT Jurell Casey
(On this weekend's game against the Seahawks…)"The biggest thing for us is making sure we control the line of scrimmage, stop the run and not necessarily put the game in his (Russell Wilson's) hands, but we've got to make sure, when you stop the run and keep him in the pocket as much as possible, don't let him escape — that's when he makes his big plays — and as long as we do that we're going to come out of this game pretty successful. We're all ready to get after these guys."
The Seahawks and Titans face off on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Titans.
C Ben Jones
(On Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright…) "They've got two of the best linebackers in the League, I played against K.J. Wright in college, but Wagner he's a big guy who can cover, he's an every-down linebacker, that's what you want as a linebacker, somebody you don't have to switch him out for coverage and he can play on first down too. So they've got a great core there and they've got a lot of good guys on that side of the ball."
(On playing against Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor…)"I remember playing him my second year in the League and we counted him as like, 'Hey, treat him like a safety, but when you pull around there you better treat him as a linebacker because he'll hit you like one.' He's a physical backer and you know where he is and you've got to come downhill and treat him just like a linebacker when you're hitting him."
LB Avery Williamson
(On facing Seattle's offense…)"It's really important to get them out of their comfort zone with the temperature and with us playing physical. We've got to make sure that we get after him (Russell Wilson) early and get him rattled, get him off his game, and let him know we're not just here to let them come and take over our house."
(On defending Russell Wilson…)"He's definitely good. He's been doing it for a long time. He knows how to get away from defenders and his receivers know how to scramble drill when he gets out the pocket. They know that he's going to get them the ball, so they're looking for it so we've got to make sure we're plastering in our coverage and that we're just doing our job. He might hold the play for 10 or 12 seconds, you never know. You've just got to stay on your man."
LB Brian Orakpo
(On going against the Seahawks this week…) "It's a proven team with a proven quarterback and they've got a laced defense. It's going to be close, we expect a fight regardless of how many changes they might have on their offensive line and we can't get caught up in all that. We have to respect our opponent and I definitely am one of those guys that respect the hell out of Seattle."
(On Russell Wilson's ability to pressure a defense with his scrambling…)"From what I've seen on film so far, the guy makes plays on his feet and he keeps the drives alive, plays alive. That's the frustrating part. You see guys up front just trying to get him down, trying to get him down, but he's very elusive and he's been doing that throughout his career and that's what makes him special. … We've got to make sure we can rattle this guy and keep him in the pocket."
S Kevin Byard
(On what he's seen from Seattle's defense…)"I have great respect for the Seahawks defense. I've actually been watching their defense since I was in college, just on film. Those guys do a great job. They've been together for so long, those guys kind of mastered that style of defense. It's definitely going to be a defensive game. It's going to be a great game to play. We're going to have to match their defense."
WR Rishard Matthews
(On going against a defense like Seattle's…) "They definitely have gained a lot of reputation in the League, obviously. They're a great defense, great organization. It's going to be a tough task for us, but we've got to go out there and execute."
(On what the Seahawks defense does to make them so effective…)"They just take pride in playing the game. You play with a lot of guys that play with a big passion, you're going to get an aggressive, competitive game. All those guys from the top of the depth chart to the bottom, they all have a lot of passion for this game, and they're going to show it."
Take a look at the Tennessee Titans players you can expect to see when the Seattle Seahawks take the field in Week 3 at Nissan Stadium.