Pete Carroll sounded baffled after his 236th game as the NFL head coach.
Legitimately confused. At a loss for answers. As if he were a dazed cartoon character hit with a sledgehammer.
The constantly improving Giants defense played their best game of the season against NFL MVP candidate Russell Wilson and held Carroll’s high scoring offensive until the fourth quarter without a touchdown.
The result? A 17-12 win over the Seattle Seahawks to stay first at NFC East.
“It’s just an unusual feeling that we’re not putting any points on the board,” said Carroll. “I have to watch the movie to find out what the hell happened and why it was. It’s just not like that. Neither of us saw us play like that. So it was very difficult. “
Here’s what he’ll find out on the review: Giants’ defensive coordinator Patrick Graham provides quarterbacks and top offensive coaches throughout the season.
“We always joke about how Pat is like a computer,” said defense attorney Leonard Williams. “I swear he can remember a piece he played six years ago and know exactly where it was in that game. He says, “Play 56 against the buccaneers in year 7” and I say, “What?” How does this guy remember that stuff? ‘He’s just a genius when it comes to making plans and understanding who he’s got and who to go against. “
Wilson walked only 150 yards with an interception and a lost fumble, running for his life on the five sacks and other loads. The game ended appropriately. Wilson spun around the border and threw a prayer as he shot BJ Hill in the mouth and looked up to see James Bradberry knock down an incompleteness.
“I’m not going to lie: the team had a different boast and a different juice today,” said Jabrill Peppers. “Because we knew we could shock a lot of people if we played our brand of football – tough, die-hard, physical football.”
Williams shocked a lot of people.
After years of relying on pressure, rainfall, and rush to prove he was a pass rusher, Williams has become a game wrecker. He stamped his Pro Bowl résumé with a career high of 2.5 sacks on Sunday and increased his season total to a career best of 8.5 with four games remaining.
Suddenly, General Manager Dave Gettleman’s decision to put Williams on a $ 16 million one-year contract – an outrageous number given his previous production – doesn’t seem so stupid anymore.
“The program was fun, the people around me help me play great, the system helps me play great,” said Williams. “There are a lot of things that help players reach their potential and I think it all just comes together.”
The most impressive part is that the defense dominates with a low-injury linebacker corps that now relies on four newbies – Cam Brown, Carter Coughlin, Tae Crowder, and Niko Lalos.
“It’s the standard,” said Peppers. “We don’t care who is out there. If you don’t want to be up to standard, the guys won’t be out there. “
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