Check out what Texans coaches and players are saying about the Seahawks before the two teams meet in Week 8 at CenturyLink Field, via houstontexans.com.
Head Coach Bill O'Brien
(On how he feels about his team coming to Seattle for this weekend's matchup...) "We feel good about where we're at right now. Just like a lot of other teams, we wish we were 6-0, but we feel like we've improved. We're coming off a win [against Cleveland], which is important, I think going into your bye to have a win. We were able to study a lot of different things, and hopefully improve our team, but at the same time, we know that this is a huge challenge; going to Seattle and playing a great football team within all three phases, the coaching staff that they have, the players, we know that it's going to be a very difficult challenge."
(On Seattle's secondary…)"They are very, very smart. Very well coached, very athletic, they have length, they do a great job of communicating. I mean where do you begin? You start with the two safeties, Earl Thomas is probably in my opinion one of the best safeties to ever play the game. He's got great range, great tackler, great ball skills. You know, he reminds you so much of the guys that had the unfortunate deal of calling plays against Ed Reed, and Troy Polamalu, who just had that type of skill set. Then you have Kam Chancellor who just, he's just got great length, athletic ability, tough, good tackler. Then you go to the outside where you've got Richard Sherman. You know, I think you just put the film on and he's a guy that's very, very difficult to get open against. He's very smart, he studies tape, he knows what's going on and you better keep him guessing because if you don't it's going to be a long day. So they've got a lot, they're very, very good in the secondary."
(On going against Russell Wilson…) "It's been a common theme for us that we have to get better with all the guys. It's been Blake Bortles, it's been Alex Smith, it's been a lot of the guys so we have to do a better job of that. You know, when you look at Russell Wilson, obviously he can throw from the pocket. When you let him escape and extend plays, it's going to be a long day. The other thing about him is, he's the highest rated fourth quarter quarterback in the league right now. I mean, he plays great in the fourth quarter which shows you what a winner he is. So we've got a big challenge ahead of us, and one of the things we have to try to do is try to limit the times that he scrambles."
Quarterback Coach Sean Ryan
(Similarities in Deshaun and Russell…)"Their mobility, their athleticism. They're two guys that obviously move around well, they both have the ability to extend plays. Why they extend plays, I think they're able to keep their eyes down the field and make throws down the field as well. They both have good arms, strong arms, can push the ball vertically down the field. I think those are probably the main things."
(On playing in Seattle with it being so loud…) "You just emphasize within the huddle. You always have to make sure its simple things, your eyes have got to be up, your lips have got to be up so those guys can hear everything that you're saying. So there's some really small things that seem matter of fact but you just kind of have to harp on him, and keep reminding him all week long. He's pretty good with it, he understands the situation, but those little things usually help."
Take a look at the Houston Texans players you can expect to see when the Seattle Seahawks take the field in Week 8 at CenturyLink Field.
Houston Texans strong safety Andre Hal (29) is shown before an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, in Houston. (AP Photo/George Bridges)
Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during an NFL regular season game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017 in Houston. The Texans won, 33-17. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Houston Texans tackle Breno Giacomini (68) during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Houston Texans linebacker Prian Peters (52) watches play against the New England Patriots Jan. 14, 2017 in an NFL football conference playoff game in Foxborough, Mass. New England won 34 - 16. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Houston Texans wide receiver Bruce Ellington (12) looks up from the sideline with his helmet off during a NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, September 10, 2017 in Houston. The Jaguars won the game 29-7. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Carlos Watkins (91) warms up before the first half of an NFL preseason football game between the Carolina Panthers and the Houston Texans, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jason E. Miczek)
Houston Texans guard Xavier Su'a-Filo looks on from the sidelines against the Cincinnati Bengals during a week twelve NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014 in Houston. The Bengals won the game, 22-13. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Houston Texans tackle Chris Clark (74) watches play against the New England Patriots Jan. 14, 2017 in an NFL football conference playoff game in Foxborough, Mass. New England won 34 - 16. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Houston Texans wide receiver Chris Thompson during an NFL football game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017. (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)
Houston Texans defensive back Kevin Johnson (30) looks up from the sideline with his helmet off during a preseason NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, August 28, 2016 in Houston. The Texans won the game 34-24. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle D.J. Reader (98) looks up from the sideline with his helmet off during a NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, December 11, 2016 in Indianapolis. The Texans won the game 22-17. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
Houston Texans running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during an NFL regular season game against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017 in Houston. The Texans won, 33-17. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Houston Texans fullback Jay Prosch (45) watches from the sideline during an NFL preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on August 30, 2015. The Texans defeated the Saints 27-13. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
Houston Texans offensive lineman Jeff Allen (79) during pregame warmups before a regular season Week 1 NFL football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans on Sept. 10, 2017 in Houston. The Jaguars beat the Texans 29-7 (Matt Patterson via AP)
Houston Texans defensive end Joel Heath (93) kneels on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Houston Texans long snapper Jon Weeks looks on from the sidelines against the Cincinnati Bengals during a week twelve NFL football game on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014 in Houston. The Bengals won the game, 22-13. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Houston Texans defensive back Johnathan Joseph (24) looks up from the field with his helmet off during a preseason NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, August 14, 2016 in Santa Clara, Calif. The Texans won the game 24-13. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
Houston Texans linebacker Benardrick McKinney (55) during pregame warmups before a regular season Week 5 NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans on Sunday October 8, 2017 in Houston. The Chiefs beat the Texans 42-34 (Matt Patterson via AP)
Houston Texans running back Lamar Miller (26) looks up from the sideline with his helmet off during a NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, September 10, 2017 in Houston. The Jaguars won the game 29-7. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
Houston Texans defensive back Marcus Gilchrist (21) gets a low five during the 2017 NFL week 2 regular season football game against the against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 in Cincinnati. The Texans won the game 13-9. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Houston Texans offensive lineman Nick Martin (66) during pregame warmups before a regular season Week 1 NFL football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans on Sept. 10, 2017 in Houston. The Jaguars beat the Texans 29-7 (Matt Patterson via AP)
Houston Texans tight end Ryan Griffin celebrates his touchdown catch against the New England during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Houston Texans outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (90) is seen on the sideline during an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017, in Houston. The Texans defeated the Titans, 57-14. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Houston Texans punter Shane Lechler (9) looks on from the sidelines during a week 5 NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Oct 9, 2016, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 31-13. (Scott Boehm via AP)
Houston Texans linebacker Ufomba Kamalu (94) rushes during a regular season Week 6 NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and the Houston Texans on Sunday October 15, 2017 in Houston. The Texans beat the Browns 33-17 (Matt Patterson via AP)
Houston Texans rookie wide receiver Will Fuller V (15) looks up from the sideline with his helmet off during a NFL Monday Night football game against the Denver Broncos, Monday, October 24, 2016 in Denver. The Broncos won the game 27-9. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
Houston Texans linebacker Zach Cunningham (41) warms up prior to a NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, September 10, 2017 in Houston. The Jaguars won the game 29-7. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
Houston Texans defensive tackle Brandon Dunn (92) looks up from the sideline with his helmet off during a NFL AFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Saturday, January 9, 2016 in Houston. The Chiefs won the game 30-0. (Paul Jasienski via AP)
Houston Texans linebacker Brennan Scarlett (57) during a Week 3 NFL pre-season football game against the New Orleans Saints Saturday, Aug. 26, 2017 in New Orleans. The Saints beat the Texans 13-0. (Matt Patterson via AP)
Houston Texans defensive lineman Christian Covington (95) rests during an AFC Wild Card game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2016, in Houston, Texas. The Chiefs won the game, 30-0. (Greg Trott via AP)
Houston Texans defensive back Eddie Pleasant (35) has a hearty laugh after the 2015 week 10 regular season NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday, Nov. 16, 2015 in Cincinnati. The Texans won the game 10-6. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Wide Receiver Bruce Ellington
(On the defense…)"I've been watching film. They've got a great scheme on defense. The players work real hard, I mean he's good at what they do."
(On the noise at CenturyLink…)"It's not overrated at all. I told the players it's going to get pretty loud in there but you know, we've got a great scheme, we've got a great quarterback. He's going to do the job getting us the play and we're going to play football."
Wide Receiver Will Fuller V
(On the game…) "It's going to be a good matchup. I've been watching these guys since I was in high school. A guy like Richard Sherman, or Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor. Like I said, it's going to be a fun game to play against people who I've watched for a long time."
(On what makes the defense so good…) "They've been producing for a long time. They've been some of the best cornerbacks and safeties in the game since I've been watching them so, they're still producing and doing a great job out there."
Quarterback Deshaun Watson
(On the secondary and Richard Sherman…) "Veteran guys. I know Griffin is a rookie but he's around a lot of veteran guys that are gonna teach him, make sure he's prepared. It's going to be a fun task because these are guys that I've looked up to, who I've watched over the previous years and actually got to know so it's going to be fun going against those guys and competing with them."
(On Russell Wilson…) "Yeah, he's a Super Bowl winner. He's a guy that does a lot of things I can do. Run the ball, make the right throws, make good decisions, very composed, and a guy that leads his team."
(On taking the challenge of shutting the crowd out…) "Of course. That's every offense's goal, is to go on a roll and try and shut the crowd out and quiet them. But it's going to be a tough task, and we understand that. We respect the Seattle environment and their defense. We've just got to go up there and focus on our job and try to do that."
(On what is most impressive about Russell…) "His leadership obviously, but probably his decision making. The way he operates, and takes control of that offense. I mean you've seen it as a rookie whenever he was there. Where he came in, he knew where everyone was at. He's demanding greatness out of every player and that causes the whole offense to execute at a high level and be successful. Just looking at that and going back to his older days and even now, it's even better. It's special."
Offensive Lineman Breno Giacomini
(On playing at Seattle…)"What I call a previous employment. You know, it's cool to go back and go out there and play. I've done it before so it's nothing new so it'll be exciting and once the game gets going all that, even now all that's kind of behind you. You've just got to prepare and keep getting better."
(On the defense…)"They're a good defense. They've got a lot of speed, a lot of speed. They've been playing together for a long time, a lot of continuity there. It's never about them, its how well can we prepare. How well can we get tips on their alignments and their blitzes and how can we see them through the same set of eyes and be on the same page. It's never about the other guys, it's always about the guys in this locker room."
Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Texans as the two teams ready to face off during Week 14 at NRG Stadium.
Seattle Seahawks runningback Shaun Alexander (37) looks for running room during the first half as Houston Texans' Marcus Coleman (42) and DaShon Polk (51) move in to make the tackle and Seahawks' Peter Warrick blocks Texans' Demarcus Faggins at right Sunday, Oct. 16, 2005, at Qwest Field in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks' running back Maurice Morris, center, runs past Houston Texans defenders Marcus Coleman, left, and Dunta Robinson during the fourth quarter Sunday, Oct. 16, 2005, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 42-10. (AP Photo/Jim Bryant)
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Jamie Sharper, right, tackles Houston Texans running back Domanick Davis during the first quarter Sunday, Oct. 16, 2005, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jim Bryant)
Seattle Seahawks' running back Shaun Alexander, right, breaks a tackle attempt by Houston Texans strong safety C.C. Brown while Alexander runs his fourth touchdown of the game during the fourth quarter Sunday, Oct. 16, 2005, in Seattle. Alexander ran for 141 yards and scored four touchdowns in the Seahawks 42-10 victory over the Texans. (AP Photo/Jim Bryant)
