Pete Carroll praises Darrell Bevell's play-calling: 'He’s done a great job'

SEATTLE - Every week, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll takes time out for an exclusive interview with the official home of the Seahawks, Q13 FOX.

This week, Carroll discussed the huge seasons Bobby Wagner and Jimmy Graham are having, how much fun it is to play in primetime, and how much he respects offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell's play-calling.

Coach this is your third primetime game in the last four weeks. How fun is it to have the spotlight in these big games.

It is fun, it is fun. And it doesn’t change us in any way, but I know it’s great for the fans. And it’s just fun for our guys knowing they’re projecting the game out to their fans at home at home and their family and all that. So we have a good time with it.

You got the Eagles in town tomorrow and they’re on a roll. Do you see any weaknesses with that team?

No, they don’t have any weaknesses right now. They’re playing great football. That’s what makes them hard to beat. They’ve been able to really balance out their offense and balance out their defense and their special teams are solid as a rock. So there’s just nothing there that you can get after. So you just going to have to gird up and out-play them and out-hit them and hopefully you can make some plays that will make a difference in a football game. Because they’re really something.

And Carson Wentz in just his second season. You faced Jared Goff earlier this season. Are their any similarities in their progression in their second year that you’ve seen?

Well, I think Carson came off a bigger year in his rookie season. He had a big big year and it was a little harder for Goff coming off his first year. You didn’t know what he was going to be. You could tell Carson Wentz was going to be a big timer. And Goff has done it too. He’s had a great turnaround from year one to two. These quarterbacks are the future of the year. These guys are big time, and they’re going to do great stuff.

You’ve seen some young guys really have success at the quarterback position lately. Russell did his first few years also. Is there anything to which you can contribute that success?

There’s no question, it’s they’re raised better. From the time they were in school football or maybe it’s even their Pop Warner football, everything is so much more advanced in terms of the throwing game. You know, you throw a curl route and a curl and a flat, it’s the same curl and a flat when you’re 12 years old as it is when you’re 20-something years old. These guys are just so much further along they’re just so much better trained. They are just way better prepared and that was has accelerated their success.

We’ve talked in the past about Bobby Wagner, the season that he’s having. He could potentially be a defensive league MVP. Give me a couple other guys on this defense who have really stood out to you the last couple weeks.

Well, Sheldon Richardson has been a factor. He has been a playmaker and disruptive and done a lot of really good things for us. I’m really excited that he’s been a big factor for us. And Bradley McDougald has done some really good things for us. He has played all over for us. He’s filling big shoes but he’s doing it. He’s a cover guy, he’s tough and he can tackle. He’s really smart and he can adjust beautifully and all that. Great versatility. I think both those guys are all over it.

On the offensive side of the ball, tight end Jimmy Graham has set a franchise record for most touchdowns by a tight end. Is this what you envisioned seeing from Jimmy when you signed him a few years ago?

Yeah, it is. We hoped he could be the big factor. He just had the injury the first year. Then it was hard getting him back on the field. We never really got the chemistry rolling like we do now. It’s obvious and everybody can tell. It’s great for us as we plan and in games, Jimmy’s coming through Russell’s coming through, and it makes another factor for them to defend.

After the win over the Niners last week, both Dave Wyman and Jordan Babineaux gave offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell some props for his play calling. Have you been impressed with the way he’s been able to add some extra wrinkles into the play calling.

Yeah, I’m sure our fans can see it. As we go, we just try to keep using our players to their best. Darrell has a great reservoir of stuff that he’s done and he’s a really good play caller. He finds explosive plays in every game plan. He’s done a great job.

You’re rarely an underdog going into a game. At least over the last five years. Do you kind of embrace that roll going into tomorrow night’s game?

Well honestly I don’t ever pay attention to whether we’re an underdog or not. So the fact that you’re telling me that they are, I really don’t have a reaction for you. But, I can understand anyone that is playing the Philadelphia Eagles is going to be considered an underdog at this time. They’re just on fire.

Our Twitter question this week – Coach, in general, how much self reflection goes into “Tell the Truth Mondays?”

Well, that’s what it is. I start with me. What do I have to critique about myself. How I could have done better, how I could have affected the outcome the way we wanted to. Sometimes I have to be really tough on me, you know. We’re very open to do that, and we want our players to do that. To understand that. And to offer up when they could have done better too.