HEAD COACH MIKE ZIMMER
(On the Seahawks revamped offense) "Well, it's going to be difficult. I think they do an excellent job in the run game, obviously. I think (Chris) Carson is maybe one of the best backs in the league, really, watching him run. He's physical, he's downhill, he hurdles, he does so many good things. They do a great job in their scheme and the way they block (with) the different schemes they have off of it. Russell (Wilson) keeps the ball and makes another added dimension, and then quite honestly they've got really good receivers too. (Tyler) Lockett is always really dangerous. (Doug) Baldwin, I think, runs exceptional routes (and) catches the ball great so they do a good job there. I think the two tight ends are playing well, so it's going to be a tough test for us to be able to hang in there with them."
(On if the Seahawks seem to be using Russell Wilson any differently) "They still use him and move him on passes out of the pocket with the boots and things like that. I mean, to me, it looks like – he's always been really good. He sees blitzes. I can remember a few years ago, we had a zero-blitz and he checked it and hit a touchdown. I remember the scramble he made in the playoff game where the ball went over his head. He's still an excellent scrambler, he still throws the ball very accurately – maybe his deep ball is better than I've seen it, it looks like to me. That's just off the top of my head. I know he's throwing it good now. I don't see a whole big difference, maybe just relying on the backs a little bit more."
(On the new-look Seahawks defense) "I think they're really good. Jarran Reed has really helped them a lot. I think that Frank Clark is a really good player. Obviously, Bobby Wagner is exceptional, but the corners that they have, they're big and long and they can run. I think (Tre) Flowers and (Shaquill) Griffin do a great job there, so they've changed a little bit with some of their scheme but they're pretty much the Seattle defense. I think sometimes, the youth adds to more energetic play."
(What is the crowd noise like in Seattle compared to other outdoor stadiums in the NFL?) It's loud. Right up there with most of them.
(How do you look at their home field advantage?) It is really about whoever plays the best football and they played the best football in December since [Russell] Wilson has been there.
(Russell Wilson has a lot of touchdowns but his receivers aren't getting a lot of separation, how are they making that work?) He is moving around a little bit. The guys take off. They are second in the league in red zone touchdown percentage. A lot of that has been obviously they run the ball well. He moves in the pocket and guys get open. They've had some guys where they had been pretty open, too.
(How is Russell Wilson able to make those tight window throws?) I think he just has confidence in his ability to throw it. That is part of it. You got to have confidence down there that you are going to throw it away from the defender.
(Is it important to get pressure with the front four because of his mobility?) Sometimes. I think you have to mix it up on him. They have some movement passes where they get out of the pocket. Then they have some scrambles and they have some normal play action drop backs.
(In what ways has their offensive line gotten better?) I think they're using to their advantage they are running the football a lot. They have a really good zone scheme that they do. They have a few traps, a little bit of crack toss. They're tough, physical guys that come off the ball and get some double teams and try to remove you off the football.
(What's the biggest difference between Brian Schottenheimer and Darrell Bevell, more of a run team now?) They've committed to the run game. I think at some point in the season earlier in the year they were throwing it a little bit more. Now they are more diligent about running with it and sticking with the run. They've gone for it on fourth down quite a few times. This [Chris] Carson is a good back. He maybe the best, one of the best backs in the league, the way he runs.
(On the defensive side what makes Bobby Wagner so good for them?) I think it's a combination of a lot of things. He has great speed. I think he sees things really well. He is very instinctual. You know, with that position and their defense, it gives them a lot of flexibility to run and get to the football.
(They've lost a bunch of big names in the secondary. Do they still look similar in concept?) They look similar in concept but they have made a few changes what they are doing defensively in the secondary. Their players still look the same, even though they're not the same guys. Their corners are long and can run. They're bump and run guys that are physical. Their safeties are not as big as one guy was but they look similar, yes. It looks like they have a mold that they are looking for.
(What kind of a challenge does that present?) You have to find the guy, typically you can't block them all unless you bring extra guys in there and then they bring extra guys in. You have to do a good job of what is called booking a guy. Letting him be the unblock guy furthest away from the run.
(What stands out about how Carson runs the ball?) Just about everything. His physicality number one, but I've seen him hurdle guys, I've seen him flip and land on his feet, I've seen him run over guys. He's got excellent feet and vision, but really all of it.
LB ANTHONY BARR
(On playing Monday night football) Monday night's a little different. Obviously a little more cameras, couple more lights. Go out there and put on a show, we'll try and do that.
(On the playoff push) We have a lot of work to do before we get there. We're going to focus on this week, and obviously it's going to be a playoff environment, it gets very loud there. And it's kind of a must-win for us, that's how I'm approaching it. We gotta go out there and get a win.
(On getting the pressure on the Seahawks' quarterback) We have to stop the run. I don't think they try to hide or sugar coat what they're doing. They line up in their formations and run their plays. We just gotta strap up our chin straps and get ready to play.
DE DANIELLE HUNTER
(On the challenges that Russell Wilson presents) It's definitely his ability to scramble. He can make plays with his legs, just by scrambling. Extending plays by just throwing the ball down the field, if he scrambles.
(On the Seahawks' run attack) In order to be able to pressure the quarterback, you have to stop the run first. Being not as tall as normal quarterbacks, being the height that he is, it makes it kind of hard for a person to tackle him. He's elusive, he has great vision, and it's just being able to evade tacklers. That's a problem for any defensive lineman.
