Updated Sep 26, 2011 - 12:08 pm
Carroll happy with play of safeties Thomas, Chancellor
The Seahawks' starting safeties are both in their second NFL season. Kam Chancellor is 23 years old. Earl Thomas is 13 months younger.
So much for growing pains, at least on Sunday when Thomas and Chancellor turned in some of the more notable plays in the Seahawks' 13-10 win over the Cardinals.
 Earl Thomas' interception in the first quarter was negated by a penalty, but Kam Chancellor's block on the return was a motivator for the Seahawks, coach Pete Carroll said. (AP) |
"That was really something," Pete Carroll said Monday during his weekly appearance on "Brock and Salk".
The interception was negated by an illegal contact penalty, but what happened during Thomas' return had a profound impact on the game, Carroll said.
Chancellor threw a crushing block on Todd Heap, momentarily knocking the Cardinals' tight end out of the game. The hit drew an unnecessary roughness penalty, which was declined, and a few shoves from some ticked off Cardinals.
"The next couple plays, you watched our guys respond," Carroll said. "They elevated. Maybe they felt the response from Arizona. We matched it and went over."
Carroll called it a "phenomenal hit" and said "there's no way" it should have been a penalty.
On a third-and-9 play in the second quarter, Thomas shot through the line on a blitz and jumped to knock down Kevin Kolb's pass, forcing a field goal attempt that was no good.
The speed Thomas showed is one reason he's beginning to draw comparisons to Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu, a player Carroll coached at USC.
"I think they're very, very similar," Carroll said. "They're both about the same size, they're both the same speed -- they both ran in the 4.3s for pro scouts -- and they show it on the field. That's what separates Troy from so many other guys; you see him just flash with his speed. Well, you see Earl doing that too."
With the Seahawks clinging to a 13-10 lead late in the fourth quarter, Chancellor's interception killed Arizona's drive and helped the Seahawks secure the win.
"Kam and Earl will take over this group in time, in the years to come," Carroll said. ... They're emerging now."
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Hawkman wrote...right on the moneySeptember 26, 2011 11:10 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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HockeyMom wrote...Absolutely!September 26, 2011 11:26 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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The_foundation wrote...Good safetiesSeptember 26, 2011 12:06 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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xXXEarlT=EddRdXXx wrote...Defense is good. Offense improving.September 26, 2011 12:34 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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str8jaz wrote...Great individual dee performancesSeptember 26, 2011 12:35 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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artimus wrote...Chancellor and ThomasSeptember 26, 2011 9:28 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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clevesside wrote...Defense so far...September 27, 2011 7:48 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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Johnnymac50 wrote...SafetiesSeptember 27, 2011 1:31 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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Brock Huard has co-hosted the show since 2009. After earning Gatorade Player of the Year honors at Puyallup High School, Brock went on to a record-setting career at Washington and then spent six years in the NFL, including four with the Seahawks. Brock has also spent five years with ESPN working as a college football analyst in the booth and the studio. Brock makes his home on the Eastside with his wife Molly and their three young children.
Danny O'Neil is the son of a logger, a graduate of the University of Washington and has been a working journalist in Seattle since 1999, first at newspapers and since 2012 at 710 ESPN Seattle. He is married to Sharon Pian Chan, associate opinions editor at The Seattle Times. They live on Capitol Hill with their wrinkled, smelly dog.
