Mora press conference: Coach mum on Ruskell rumor
Posted By Eric Williams on November 30, 2009 at 4:30 pm
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First of all, my apologies for not posting any updates this morning. I was late getting to my flight and I didn’t have any time between plane changes to post anything, and I came right to the press conference this afternoon.
We’ll have the Monday Morning QB chat on Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.
Seahawks head coach Jim Mora was asked if he had seen any of the reports stating that team general manager Tim Ruskell had been informed by team officials that he’s been asked to step down at the end of the year, and this is what he had to say:
“I haven’t seen those reports, I’m sorry,” Mora said. “We’re pretty involved with St. Louis Rams cleanup and San Francisco prep. We live in a cave. We’re cavemen”
Asked if he feels a sense of urgency for the team to finish strong, validating that the organization, with Ruskell and himself at the forefront, is headed in the right direction, Mora had this to say.
“Every week we want to create a sense of urgency to play our best, and that’s what we’re trying to do, show improvement on a week-to-week basis with everything that we do,” Mora said. “And sometimes that improvement is hidden a little bit, and you don’t see it.
“We want to win football games. We want to show improvement. That’s what we’re here for. So we’re excited about the opportunities we have in front of us.”
Team officials would not comment publicly on the report from Pro Football Weekly.
However, it's unlikely that Ruskell would be informed that he would not be back next year, as stated in the report, and still allowed to keep scouting and helping to make decisions for this team's future.
Further, for Ruskell not to come back, Seahawks owner Paul Allen would likely be heavily involved in that decision, and he currently is under going chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that he was recently diagnosed with.
Whether the report is accurate or not, ultimately the team will have to make a decision on Ruskell once the season ends in five weeks.
As far as injuries go, as reported on Sunday, Mora reiterated that defensive tackle Cory Redding has a concussion. “We’ll just have to see how he is later in the week,” Mora said. “But we’ll be careful in that regard.”
On running back Julius Jones not playing on Sunday, Mora said he was still experiencing tenderness to the touch with the bruised lung, and the medical staff, along with Jones, didn’t feel he could sustain the blows he would take as a runner.
“I don’t know where he’ll be this week right now,” Mora said. “Hopefully he’ll be ready to play, but I can’t say with any certainty that that will be the case.”
Mora said Jones likely will again practice this week and will be monitored by the team’s training staff
Asked if Jones was still the starter once he is fully healthy, Mora said yes – with a caveat.
“If he’s fully healthy and he’s had a full week of practice and everybody feels comfortable that he can bear the brunt of the workload that he would need to handle to be effective then he would start,” Mora said. “But, that being said, Justin has earned the right to carry the ball, off of what he did at Arizona, and what he did this week. So we’re going to make sure he gets touches.”
Mora again praised kicker Olindo Mare, saying his ability to consistently kick the ball in the end zone helped in terms of field position for the defense.
“His kickoff really help us defensively,” Mora said. “They make the field long.”
Mora also talked about the Seahawks playing more man-to-man coverage this week, allowing the team to send linebackers Aaron Curry and Leroy Hill on blitzes more, and said to expect more of that in the coming weeks.
“Going into last week, we just felt like regardless of who we were playing, we needed to more, tight man-to-man coverage,” Mora said. “And we felt like we needed to bring Aaron Curry a little bit more in a rushing-type of role. We needed to bring Leroy more in a rushing-type of role.”
Mora went on to say specifically to Curry, sometimes when the team puts him on a straight-course as a rusher it helps him get involved in the game early.
As far as the Matt Hasselbeck bootleg play, Mora said in Atlanta with Michael Vick, Greg Knapp used to tag plays as 18 Force QB, meaning the quarterback has the option to pull the ball out and keep it himself if he sees that the backside contain is not staying at home on the zone stretch play. And that’s what Hasselbeck did on a 19-yard gain against the Rams.
As far as game balls, Justin Forsett of course got the offensive game ball, Jordan Babineaux got the defensive game ball, and D.D. Lewis got the special teams game ball.
Mora said that Babineaux has been making steady improvement from earlier in the year.
Duke, That could be. Who knows. But even when he gets protection, he does not look like the same Hassebeck to me. Matt has always been our warrior, but he doesn't look the same. I thought when the ribs healed he would be back strong. This is the most disappointing thing about the whole season to me.
That's my sentiments on Weaver, exactly. But why hold Carlson back? Let the FB handle blocking.
And Duke, if you shy away from a player like Robinson you will never land a Moss or Percy Harvin. And it was Holmy that sent Galloway packing. Those two #1's turned out nicely (Alexander & Robinson). Koren actualy produced early as a Hawk, 1240 yards in 2002!
"Why do I have the feeling that the Pats will or would eat New Orleans up if they meet again in the Super Bowl? "
Because you're basing that thought on the Pats of a couple years ago. They don't have anywhere near the same defensive personnel they used to. You can't keep losing guys like Seymour, Samuel, etc., and also some of their best guys just got old and retired (Vrabel, Harrison). They can't hang with all that speed NO puts out there.
Glad to see the boys in blue win on Sunday against the rams but I'm still waiting for this team to give me something to get excited about ( a signature win) maybe they can win go 4-1 in the last 5 games and show us something. possibly win in Green Bay after xmas. If this were to happen then maybe I would lay off the Ruskell leave town bandwagon. Go Hawks prove it to me he is the right guy
Neither Harvin nor Moss have multiple arrests for DUI. And I do not believe having an arrest record is a prerequisite for being a playmaker.
I agree about Carlson, just telling you what they are doing.
Stevo - That was my point about stepping into the pocket and "imagined" pressure.
"Matt has always been our warrior, but he doesn't look the same. I thought when the ribs healed he would be back strong. This is the most disappointing thing about the whole season to me. "
Isn't that overstating it a bit? Has his play really been more disappointing than our O-line situation? Or the lack of pass rush by our D-line?
I've seen him make some great throws this year. I can recall several 25 yd+ touch passes that i can think of offhand to Housh and to Burleson. He's still a very accurate QB, and his athleticism is not bad either, he looked quick on that bootleg this week. I'm still in the camp that it's too early to write him off.
Just b/c someone doesn't have an arrest for a DUI, doesn't mean they aren't a moron in real life... and that's what I mean by Harvin. I'll take a guy with a DUI anyday, who made a mistake, over some jerk who hasn't been arrested but we all know those people in life who haven't been arrested but they are such arrogant jerks that you don't care for them.
I really don't feel like listing the many reasons for why I believe the Pats will beat the Saints in a rematch. I'll believe what I want to believe and have plenty of valid reasons behind the belief.
pdway, I'm not off the Hasselbeck bandwagon yet. I'm just concerned about him, and our QB situation for next year.
Matt looked great against Jacksonville, but not so good the past few weeks. Its true that it is hard to judge a QBs play when his line isn't protecting well, but our O line was as good or better this past week than it has been all year. I am realizing how much I've always expected Matt to take this team on his back when needed. I don't know whether he has the arm to do it right now.
I heard Warren Moon saying that after he broke his ribs, his throws still weren't right for a few games even after he was healed. As soon as Matt's ribs healed, he took a hit on his shoulder, and I don't see the zip on his ball he's always had. I'm just wondering.
I cant tell if Hass has lost arm strength without seeing him throw without pressure. That would tell a lot. What I've been seeing is a QB who is cringing almost every time he releases the ball, (anticipating being driven to the ground) out of self preservation.
Hass needs a reliable target to throw too. Housh/Burleson to often don't uncover. No worries, Hawks will draft Dez Bryant in 2010. I just hope Deion Sanders doesn't mess the kids head up between now and then.
"Matt looked great against Jacksonville, but not so good the past few weeks. Its true that it is hard to judge a QBs play when his line isn't protecting well, but our O line was as good or better this past week than it has been all year. I am realizing how much I've always expected Matt to take this team on his back when needed. I don't know whether he has the arm to do it right now."
Well, I guess it's fair to say that we'll watch the last 5 games of the year and see how he does - that will give us a barometer of how quickly we need to address it.
"Hass needs a reliable target to throw too. Housh/Burleson to often don't uncover."
I think that might be true - it may well be that these receivers we think are a strength are just very average. They certainly are not the gamebreakers the Saints have to run out there. And, as we know, Carlson has been kept in to block on many plays - taking away a safety valve.