Seattle head coach Pete Carroll recognized the importance of having a strong week of practice in order to have a chance against the Falcons on Sunday
On the preparations of the week:
"We just started. We're just getting our week going, but we're looking forward to a tremendous preparation knowing that we're going to need it with this football team. It looks really, really well greased up and ready to roll so we're going to have to play great football to stay with these guys. We have to have a heck of a week to do that."
On preparing Matt Hasselbeck to play the Falcons' defense after throwing four interceptions and suffering a loss against the 49ers:
"We have to stay in the game better. We got ourselves out of that game. He tried to get us back in it. They made some terrific plays during the game. We gave them more than we needed to and we just need to stay more than we did and longer than we did and give ourselves a chance. We really gave them a football game last week."
On Lawyer Milloy as a leader:
"He is that. With all of the years of experience that he brings and the toughness that he brings, he really is the guy that the guys listen to. He's been battling all year long, stayed in it throughout and just unbelievably has put together another year. This many seasons you think that he would wear down, but he just keeps playing good football and gives us the kind of leadership that our young football team needs."
**
On Lawyer Milloy being a mentor for Earl Thomas:**
"He has worked with Earl. Earl is a guy that has not played a lot of football. He just played two years of college football for Texas so he has a lot to learn. He's a kid that is a lot like Lawyer when he was younger, when they had him up in New England. He's tough-minded, wants to do a lot of stuff and we have to help him a long. He's going to be a terrific player in the league and we're bringing him up. Lawyer is doing a lot of that himself."
On the addition of Marshawn Lynch to the offense:
"Right from the start he gave us a presence. With his physical nature, he is 230 pounds, he can run through tackles and make some plays for us. The quickness that we have in the guys is much different. Justin Forsett is a much different style runner and so is Leon (Washington). It's given us a good balance in the way we like to attack the line of scrimmage. We have to get a lot better run of the football. We have not been consistent with it yet, but he helps us."
On utilizing Justin Forsett and Leon Washington against Atlanta's run defense:
"We're going to try balance it out and make sure that we have some balance on the offense. We have to try to work our running game together with what we're going to be throwing. They are very aggressive up front. They attack it. Their over front is well played and they play very good base defense. We're going to have to try to knock them off the ball some and they don't let that happen. So we've got to get the football moving on the ground."
On how the team is approaching the upcoming game while still in the playoff hunt:
"This is exactly that. This a team that is an absolute championship type football team. It's going to take a great performance from us that's like a playoff game. These are the kind of teams that you see when you get into it, so we're going to see if we can put together a good, strong football team that gives us a chance. They play so disciplined and so strict, they are so good at it that they don't give you many things. We're going to really have to match it up. It's a good chance for us to really see what we can do and see how we handle it."
On getting back to the success the Seahawks had at the beginning of the season:
"We've had a lot of stuff that's gone on. A lot of changes and stuff. We're trying to keep our guys together. We had a little continuity up front for three or four games in a row. We'll play the same offensive line. You guys have had the great benefit there in Atlanta of having consistency and carryover in the offensive line that we're trying to find that helps us out. Getting the receivers back; we haven't had the same crew in a while. This week we have a pretty good chance of being healthy and if we can make it through the week it will give us a good look at what we're potentially able to do when we go up against these guys."
On playing at Qwest Field:
"It is a very good place to play. The crowd really gets in it. It's as loud as it gets. The crowd is really responsive. They're going to be in support at the right time. They're a well educated group. Hopefully, they make where we tax the offense when they're on the field for Atlanta, where they really have to work their communications. Matt (Ryan) has already been through it all, but at least we'll make it as tough as possible and see if we can't get any advantage. It's been a very good place for us and we've had some big games here and hopefully we can't get one more."
On Thomas DeCoud's development since college:
"He's an excellent football player and a guy that has the kind of stuff that you're looking for. He plays so hard and brings it and is an effective player. I'm hoping that we can keep it under wraps. They have a bunch of guys that we respect and think are really good football player and he's one of them."
