Head Coach Mike Macdonald Previews Upcoming Matchup at Falcons

Head Coach Mike Macdonald Previews Upcoming Matchup at Falcons

All right. All right. Just a had a really good uh walk through. Looking forward to today. Pads for good amount of practice. So excited for that. And uh looking forward to getting ready each day for for Atlanta. Getting some guys back to practice from IR. How nice is it to get guys like Jiren and Julie back on the field? Well, it’s great. I know those guys have been working really hard. Uh, you know, Jay Reed is really just more of a function of just letting it heal. I know Julian’s working his tail off. So, um, believe Young’s part of that crew as well. And, uh, it’ be great to have him out there. We’ll see how it goes. I know, you know, you have a certain amount of time to to activate him. And, uh, we’ll either do it this week or we’ll do it another week. How’s it looking with Sab? Uh, same thing. He’s he’s coming along strong. like he really took a turn for the positive last week. So, that’s uh that’s a good thing, you know. So, excited about him coming along here. Is there But at this point, would you just wait till next week to get him back to practice? That’s that’s probably where we would start thinking about him practicing. Yeah, he’s got a got some um got some things he needs to hit this week rehab wise, but um optimistic that he’ll hit those things. Yeah. You said Lo had a setback couple weeks ago. Is he past that? Are you in the testing stage with him right now? Yeah, we have a plan for him this week u in terms of how we’re going to practice him every day and uh but we feel great about where he’s at. I know he’s really excited and uh then we’ll we’ll kind of go from there on how we want to, you know, go into the weekend with how he’s gonna how he’s going to go. So is is even like let’s let’s say everything went perfectly to plan. Anytime you’re coming off a stretch where you’re not, you know, plan, you got to you got to you got to have some sort of ramp back in. Um so that’s that’s how we’re that’s how we’re operating. Cam Acres wasn’t wasn’t active Sunday, but it’s kind of the plan to get him more involved in things this week. Yeah, Cam Cam’s doing a great job. Um Cam’s doing a great job. we just with uh decided to go with Miles and Miles was ready to go and had a couple good runs there at the end. And um again, you know, you guys are figuring this out. Our roster stuff that we do on a week toe basis sometimes comes down to Saturday, sometimes we make sometimes it’s a little clearer. So, we’ll do the same thing this week on on u on how we want to manage our roster and get get the guys out there. Who’s all involved in those conversations? I mean, obviously you and John, but but how many other people get involved? Yeah, I love how we do it here. There’s, you know, um, coordinators, other pe, you know, other people that have decisions to input to be made. Sam Ramsey is a big part of it. Does a great job with that. Um, yeah, we kind of just sit in a room and work it out. I mean, and Nolan Nolan Teasley does a phenomenal job of kind of thinking outside the box of what’s, you know, things we could possibly do to to uh give ourselves the best chance. So, um, yeah, it’s it’s it’s a really cool process. I I really like how we do it. A lot of a lot of talk about the culture and the connection um in the locker room and and you’ve talked about the work that has been done over the offseason. What role did John play in helping to shape the vision of of what the culture and the connection was going to be? Well, I think he played a tremendously large role in everything. I mean, I think um I think when you go through last year and there’s a lot going on. I just I it’s like, you know, it’s my son’s birthday today. This time last year, I mean, things are moving pretty a lot of crap going on, you know, and um there wasn’t there wasn’t the clarity we had. I think John had the clarity from the get-go of what, you know, he he kind of could see through the could see the forest through the trees, so to speak. And uh there’s a lot of great conversations where he’s steering us, you know, hey, you know, he’s a great way of communicating about, you know, where where we want to go and um so there’s a lot of those conversations and um yeah, I just he’s just been an integral part of what we’re doing. So he’s awesome guy to work with. We know that. But um really appreciate all of them. Yeah. going to Atlanta for for a second straight year and you’re going to get Kurt Cousins again and everything I guess seems like a lot of familiarity there or do they or they apply? Well, um yeah, you know, they’ve every look, they’re going to say the same thing about our our team. They saw us and we’ve evolved and changed some things and tweaked some things and different different guys on the roster. So, uh you know, they’re they’re playing a little bit differently on on offense. you know, you know, when we played them last year, they’re almost exclusively 11. You know, now that they played dang near a whole game in 13, they’ve played um a lot of 12. Um so, we got to be ready for all those personnel groups, which is a little bit different. A little bit more under center since he took over. They’re pretty heavy pistol last year. So, um some tweaks on how they’re operating since, uh since he took over for for Penn. You had a team last week in in Minnesota that blitzes the most of anybody. and then uh now Atlanta’s the second highest blitz rate, but they seem different. They play different coverage behind it. Um how do you contrast this to what you saw last week? I think I think you’d have to look it’s like a combo platter like you got to look at each team independently to understand uh how they operate. Uh maybe some tendencies where it’s coming from and when sit what situations, what personnels, that sort of thing. But you also have to have a feel for how you’ve been attacked uh in the past and and understand the tape that they’re watching as well. So I think it’s both. But um they do a good job. They do a really good job. They’re an aggressive unit. Um they play hard. Brick does a really good job affecting the quarterback. So they got a they got a good staff there and you can tell they’re really well coached. They got, you know, it’s a good blend. They got some young guys that are playing at high level which tells me they’re coaching the the crap out of those guys. John Robinson last year and he’s having a really good year this year. What what about him as the back is so challenging to defend? Well, uh I think they’ve actually activated him more in the pass game than uh we saw last year, which is an added challenge. Um sometimes it’s designed for him. Sometimes it’s just in the checkown game, screen game. So, he kind of comes alive in like every aspect of of the game, which is something we have to account for. But he’s a really talented player. I mean, he’s got great hands, contract the ball, he’s got great vision, um he’s got great acceleration. I mean, leads the league in, you know, miss tackles, which that you that probably paints a pretty good picture for you. So, um, he’s he’s he’s a really really good player. The saying that the NFL is a copycat league, how real is that? And do you find that it happens on one side of the ball more than the other? It’s a good question. Uh, there’s I mean, I’d say it’s more like path dependence on the league. Like, once you kind of declare who you are, you’re going to have wrinkles. It’s just so hard to reinvent everything every week. There’s only certain amount amount of time. You have to have like fast balls that you can that you can throw at any given point, but you’re always going to want wrinkles and it’s hard to just generate wrinkles. So, sometimes those are inspired by other plays throughout the league. And um I know I went off on Brock and Sulk on on this on uh on Monday, but there’s a good amount of copying going on. I mean, let’s let’s be honest. Yeah. On each side of the ball, I’m not sure. I don’t know. I mean, defensively, I mean, we’re constantly seeing plays that have, you know, that we’ve given up plays in the past. It’s just stuff you have to practice every week and be ready for and how teams build it. And it’s just that’s the way that’s the way it goes, which is it’s kind of nice. You kind of know what’s coming sometimes. Beating opponents will will try to get you in the same way that a pass opponent got you. Oh, yeah. Happens every week. Yep. Happens every week. Terms in terms of like game planning stuff along those lines. So like on Wednesday when the guys get here, do they have the whole game plan like early down, red zone? They have No, no, they have they have the early down. We do early downs today. Well, we do red zone every day. So there’s some semblance of that. Um we do a little bit of two today, which is a bit more like our normal two-minute operation, but it’s mostly an early down day for us. Uh big special teams day like in punt, uh kickoff coverage, some stuff where it’s a little more physical unit. Um and then we’ll kind of go as we’ll do red a little bit more red zone tomorrow. cap off red zone Friday. Tomorrow’s a big like throwdown day. I don’t know how if teams do it. Congrats to them. I just I don’t know how they get that done in one day. General thoughts. Five weeks left. Three teams in this division have nine wins already. I think it’s the earliest season. Three teams in this division had this many wins and just kind of a fight for the finish going down the stretch. We’re I mean I know I’m not trying to it’s just it’s like all right whatever you know let’s go beat Atlanta said Julian it makes sense the nature of the injury he needs to ramp up. Does Jay Reed not need one I guess in the same way given the nature of his injury. Yeah. Well yeah they’re just on different like timets because you know we got to test it out and see how everything feels and part of the reasons we’re wearing pads today so we can get that work. Back to the game planning question. What’s the process of like actually coming up with When does that start and when does it a game plan? Yeah. Uh for us, you know, we have a lot of people that start working on teams a week ahead. Um yeah, everyone kind of starts their timeline a little bit differently throughout the week. I’d love to start mine a little earlier, but a lot of responsibilities on Monday. Uh yeah, I mean there’s a lot of info that has to be put in. It’s like my sister once told me database good data in good data out. So, we got to we got to make sure the data is right and so we can create the right, you know, conclusions from what’s going on and um a lot of work that goes into it on the front end and really just for like a little edge for a little question you can make and we got a lot of people that do that which which I’m really appreciative for it. Think those guys do it at a high level. Some birthday has a year uh as a dad changed the way that you coach at all or or the way you approach players? Do you think you’re different? year of just having that experience. It’s interesting. I think a lot of I mean a lot of people are are parents before they’re more like coaches. I think I’m kind of like late to the parenting thing. So, uh I kind of use how I like my experience coaching to like apply to Jack rather than vice versa, which I don’t know probably just my experience. But, um yeah, it’s fun. He’s just I just I just love seeing like his just mind just you know he’s here on yesterday just walking around the weight room just like you know it’s like a whole new world for man I can’t I wish I knew what was going on in your mind bro it’s so cool Mike going back to the game plan how much does the injury report play into that when does that become a thing oh yeah I mean it’s it’s every day you know build your build your uh plan off of who’s going play. Yeah. I mean, it’s Yeah. I mean, it’s fun. I wouldn’t say it like drives every decision you make, but it definitely makes an effect on what you’re planning on doing. So, staff on your advanced game planning, is that the same you had in Baltimore? Was that staff in place when you got here? No. Yeah. It’s it’s all all our people here. I mean, we got our our pro scouts are do a tremendous job of of um being ahead of stuff and having a great understanding about how their team operates. And then um Brian Z and his team does a phenomenal job and all like the all the information stuff and give us great advance. Our advances are tremendous. And then uh you know our younger coaches are the the ones putting in all that information on the front end and um and they’re doing a ton of work to help us out. That’s um really great really great stuff in place when you got here. Well, how we did it how we did it was kind of a collaboration how we wanted it to operate. But yeah, it’s all our people. You mentioned the importance of today for your special teams in practice. Have you had to devote additional time this year to get coverage specifically with the way the rules have changed? Um, no. I mean, it’s uh it’s a significant part of what we do. I I don’t I don’t think that you could say it’s a significant change of like investment of what we’ve looked into in terms of practice time, meeting time, things like that. Yeah. the way. It’s been uh overall positive. I think uh I told the team today like we got let’s get back to how we cover kicks. So, you know, well, guys going backwards. Mike, you talked a lot about Nick on Monday, Emmani, and all the things you’re asking him to do right now. To have a rookie be able to absorb all those positions and all the asks, and you know, what is it about his makeup that kind of allows you to just keep shoveling stuff at him like that, him to be able to keep keep doing it and pushing forward with it? Well, I think it’s a combination of things. I mean, one is just his uh overall intelligence allows him to do it. I think he’s really determined to not let his teammates down, you know, so he can be on his stuff. and he’s really he’s uh he’s an ambitious guy. He’s competitive. He wants to he wants to make an impact while he’s out there and he understands that um you know that we we want to kind of let that come to life. So in order to do that you know you got to be on your stuff, be on your details and it’s a lot of time investment too that he’s willing to put in as well. So it’s combination of things. What have you made of uh how you guys have used Shahed in four games with I thought I think Shahid’s done a great job. Uh, I know we haven’t gotten the ball to him as much as we want. Uh, but it’s kind of like a run game. It’s like just keep keep doing what you’re doing. There’s a lot of detail that has been getting caught up since he’s walked in the door and so I think that’ll allow him to create some more opportunities, but um really pleased with how he’s just how he’s been since he’s got in the door. Specifically, what you thought of him in the return game? I thought he’s been solid. I mean, there’s a couple opportunities where um, you know, we’re against like a like a block away from feeling that we can take it. So, it’s a team effort. You know, let’s make sure we’re hitting the right angles. Um, I think he’s been decisive in catching the ball. I know we we had the backed up catch the other day, but um, what I like about that situation, he made a he made a decision, he stuck to it. We got to live with the consequences. Um, but overall, he’s been making some really good really good decisions. Re’s been stacking several good games now it seems like. Was there like a specific moment in you or other coaches talking to him or you think just something clicked for him? I guess what what sort of led to him get from where he was early in the year to where he’s now? Yeah, I want to make sure that we’re we’re giving him the proper credit on how he’s played this year. I mean, he’s he’s he’s the person that um has done it every day and had the attitude that he’s had. And that takes for everybody, not just Reek, but like for me, for our coaches, for the rest of the guys in our team, you have to make a decision that you’re going to um have the intent that you have on a daily basis, whether it’s how you’re going to prepare, how you’re going to practice every day. And and Reek’s done that. And so, I’m really proud of him. I mean, he’s just he’s uh he’s doing a tremendous job. He’s had a great attitude. He’s been a great teammate. Like, so you do those things and you’re practicing well and you’re productive in practice and now it starts to show up in games. I mean, that’s it’s the name of the game right there. How you like that kind of the quarterback rotation that it seems like it’s been the last three, four weeks. Cornerback. I wish we could play with 12 guys and we just play all three all the time, but you just, you know, we can’t. So, the guys have been incredibly unselfish. You know, they they understand what’s going on and when they’ve gone in there, they’ve played really hard and played at a high level. So, it’s been it’s been great for the team. I think it’s actually good for I mean probably doesn’t feel that they want to play every play but they are playing really good ball and they’re putting good tape out there so that’s that’s ultimately good for them. Think last year was Jove and Kobe first starting at Atlanta. So since then just what have you liked about the growth from those two and maybe what they represent in terms of your culture like in their spots? Yeah. Well, one Kobe I mean um a guy that just he made made a ton of plays and very similar to Reek like just said, “Hey, look, I’m going to I’m going to take charge back here and I don’t care if I’m playing or not, but like I’m just going to I’m going to be a force and at some point I’m just going to kind of kick the door down when I get my opportunity.” And when preparation meets opportunity like it did, he played great. and uh we we know his ability to attack the football, but I’d say his way to his ability to communicate back there, his competitiveness really resonates throughout the rest of the team and um he’s put himself in a great position to have a a heck of a career at safety, which I’m really happy for him for that. Job’s same thing. I mean, we’ve talked about his his his his arc, but um what I love about his end mentality is he he literally competes every day and about like like a great example is the play he made on EJ’s pick last game. He a point of emphasis of his has been working his off technique in manto man and um he was put in a off man-to-man situation against one of the best receivers, you know, in the game right now and he made a phenomenal play breaking on the football and and set up that pick. So, um, that’s a great microcosm about just how he operates. Ernest Jones to be fully available this week. It’s kind of weird because Ernest is back there right now, but yes, it’s a good segue. Oh, all right. Rotation, is that predetermined or you feel that during the game? Uh, we have a we have a plan and then it deviates a little bit as the game goes on. But um it’s to the point where like Carl and and Jeff handle it and they let me know who’s going in and say, “All right, let’s rock and roll.” Anything else? Thank you. Okay. All right.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald provided updates on the preparations for their upcoming game against the Atlanta Falcons. He discussed the potential return of players from injury, including Jamal Reed and Julian Love (0:24). Macdonald highlighted the team’s roster management process, involving coordinators and staff members (2:41). He praised John Schneider’s role in shaping the team’s culture (3:24). Macdonald analyzed the Falcons’ offensive changes and defensive strategies (4:34). He also commented on the performance and potential of players like Bijan Robinson (6:13), Nick Emmanwori (13:12), and Riq Woolen (14:38). The coach emphasized the importance of daily preparation and attitude in player development, particularly highlighting the progress of Coby Bryant and Josh Jobe (16:19).

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