A week ago, the Seahawks could console themselves coming off a loss by knowing that, despite that result, they still controlled their own destiny in the NFC West. This week, that isn't true for the Seahawks, who one way or another will need a little help to win the division, even if they win their next two games. Knowing that doesn't really change the approach this week, however, with the Seahawks focused on trying to beat the Bears, then worry about everything else.
"It doesn't change it," Seahawks coach Macdonald said. "It really doesn't change your mentality, your approach. It won't change with our guys. Not worried about that one bit.
"Short week and I guess the best gift you can get after a tough loss like that is an opportunity to move forward on a short week and get going. We altered the short week schedule a little bit. Felt like our guys needed like a full recovery day so we'll get after it, get a game plan together today and then kind of double down on our work tomorrow and travel Wednesday, so that's the plan."
Here are six things we learned from Macdonald's Monday press conference:
1. Seahawks have done a lot of things well, but are "just not as consistent as we want to be right now."
Two things that were evident in Sunday's loss were that the Seahawks are good enough to go toe-to-toe with the NFL's elite, but also that they aren't consistently doing all the little things they need to do to close out some of those games. Despite an early 10-point deficit against a team that came into the game with a 12-2 record, the Seahawks battled back and took a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, but couldn't quite make the plays they needed to hold onto that lead, or to take it back.
"Our guys know what it looks like, and we've done those things at times throughout the year, we're just not as consistent as we want right now," Macdonald said. "But when we talk about December football, it's complementary. You know, we use terms like '12 as one,' but that's really what it looks like and that's why we have those terms. That's why we've talked about those things throughout the entire year and that's what we're chasing, that vision of how we want to play, but it's a rugged, it's a physicality, it's a togetherness, great situational football that you can take advantage of those windows to win games like that, but that's what it looks like."
Asked what he learned reviewing the film of the game this morning, Macdonald said, "We had our opportunities. We had our opportunities to win the game. You've got to give the Vikings a lot of credit with their track record in tight games like that, being able to play well when it matters most and we fell short, so we've got to move on. We've got to go. The destiny's out of our hands right now, and that stings, but we got a lot to play for still, and like we were talking about this morning with our staff, we're just going to keep hammering away until this thing cracks, and I think it's right there. So we want to be ready when that happens and hopefully we get an opportunity to get into the dance and go do some damage."
2. Geno Smith "played a strong game" despite the interceptions.
On Sunday, Mike Macdonald praised Geno Smith as "probably our top competitor,” and noted that if not for the play of the Pro-Bowl quarterback, the Seahawks probably wouldn't be in playoff contention at this stage of the season. A day later after reviewing the film, Macdonald's opinion of his quarterback's play hadn't changed. Yes, Smith did throw a pair of interceptions, but he also completed 72.1 percent of his pass attempts for 314 yards and three touchdowns, and he was 15 for 15 for 219 yards on those three touchdown drives.
"I thought he played good enough to win the game," Macdonald said. "He did some really great things. You know, if we get a stop when we're up four at the end of the fourth quarter, we're having a different conversation right now. Everybody wants to talk about the interceptions and rightfully so, and those are things that we're working through, but I mean, one of the reasons that we're here with life, like I said last night, is I really felt that Geno has helped put us in this position. So, I thought he played a strong game."
3. Jarran Reed's productive day was a nice reward for a season full of strong play.
Before Leonard Williams broke out with back-to-back multiple-sack games, Macdonald had praised the veteran defensive lineman for his play, even if the numbers weren't always there to back that up. The same has been true this season for fellow interior lineman Jarran Reed, whose importance to the defense can't be measured in stats. On Sunday, however, the stats were also pretty impressive for Reed, who had a sack, two quarterback hits, two passes defensed and a forced fumble.
"I think it's similar to Leo's curve for the middle of the season," Macdonald said. "We just knew he was playing really good football and it was great to see Leo kind of break away, break up the stat category and I put Jarran in the same sentence of guys playing really good football. He's playing really hard. How they're working together in some of the pass rush stuff is pretty cool to see and it's exciting to see him get some production."
4. Run or pass, the Seahawks have "to do a better job moving the ball forward."
The Seahawks have been relatively pass-heavy on offense in a lot of games this season, and Sunday was no exception, with Geno Smith throwing 43 passes while running backs Kenneth Walker III, Kenny McIntosh and Zach Charbonnet combined for 12 rush attempts. Macdonald explained that some of that had to do with how the Vikings were defending them, and at times the Seahawks were in passing situations, including and end-of-half drive and a couple of drives while trailing late in the fourth quarter, but regardless of the balance, Macdonald just wants to see his offense be more efficient on early downs to avoid the third-and-long situations that contributed to a 2 for 10 day on third down.
"We just have to keep chasing, keep moving the ball forward," Macdonald said when asked about the pass/run imbalance. "How far that manifests itself based off the game plan, we can do a better job of that and so that's stuff that we're thinking about doing, so some of the things that Minnesota was doing got us out of some runs earlier in the game and we made them pay and some of the early down pass stuff, so you just start looking at straight numbers of just more going on than just called runs and called passes, but overall we've got to do a better job of moving the ball forward."
5. On the road for the holidays.
Thursday games are a challenge for NFL teams regardless of the time of year, and that's even more true for road teams, but this week is even more unusual for the Seahawks because they happen to be playing the day after Christmas, meaning a flight to Chicago on Christmas Day.
The limited time in the week means the Seahawks can't give players very much time off—they'll practice on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but one adjustment that was made was pushing back Wednesday's work, including the flight to Chicago, to allow players, coaches and staff to have some time at home on Christmas morning.
"At the end of the day, football doesn't rank first on the hierarchy of needs here, so it's really important for our players and our coaches to be able to be home with their families," Macdonald said. "So we'll start later on Wednesday, come in around 11:00. It's not ideal, but it should be enough time for them to spend time with their families and they can get out of here (Christmas Eve) night."
6. Nothing definitive yet on Kenneth Walker III's ankle injury.
Kenneth Walker III returned to action on Sunday following a two-game absence due to a calf injury, but he was unable to finish the game due to an ankle injury suffered in the fourth quarter. As of midday Monday, Macdonald said they were still awaiting test results to know more about the injury.
"No updates right now on him, but getting a test done," Macdonald said." We'll have a good idea on what it looks like over the next day or two."
If Walker can't go, the hope will be to have Zach Charbonnet at full strength after he was somewhat limited on Sunday due to an oblique injury.
"Seemed like he was limited during the game, but signs are positive with Zach right now," Macdonald said.
