Pete Carroll: Why does it matter if Seahawks are a ‘pass-first’ offense?

The Seahawks offense is rolling like never before, and it’s starting with the passing game. Just don’t mention that fact to head coach Pete Carroll.

710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock Huard touched on one of Carroll’s pet peeves during his show Monday morning, asking him about whether the Seahawks are becoming a “pass-first” team.

“What do you guys care about that stuff?” Carroll responded. “Why is that such a big deal? I don’t even know why you care. Don’t you just want to win?”

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KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson asked Huard why the question hits such a nerve with the defensive-minded coach. Dori noted when they were a “run-first” team, Carroll would happily own that ideology.

Huard says it’s because focusing on the run hits to the very core of everything Carroll believes in as a coach.

“You don’t pair great defense with great pass-first offenses. You don’t,” Huard said. “Great defenses are always paired with dominant run games. That’s the recipe. He calls it completing the circle: Great special teams, elite defense, run the ball and then when you’ve got to throw on third down or you throw in the red zone to throw touchdown passes, gravy. That’s wonderful.”

Whether Carroll is willing to admit it or not, Huard said 12s aren’t used to seeing a top-5 offense or a QB who’s in the midst of a stretch nearly unmatched in NFL history.

Huard said the Seahawks’ passing game feels like the time when Ken Griffey Jr. hit home runs in eight straight games.

“You just sat there holding your breath, just waiting to see what’s gonna come up next,” he said. “Or Reign Man (Shawn Kemp) and (Gary Payton) when they were in their prime and you were just waiting for that next alley-oop. Right now, you’re just waiting for (the Seahawks) to get the ball back and you can’t wait to see Russell drop back, and then once he plants and throws, where’s this ball going? Who is this going to? How open are they going to be? What’s the next touchdown coming? Sixteen touchdowns in four games, I don’t even know these guys.”