Large Image: Seahawks ‘MOB’ Mentality Has Them Believing They seem to be a Staff of Future

[ad_1] Lumen Subject (Seattle) — For Jalen Milroe, the Seattle Seahawks’ lopsided victory over the San Francisco 49ers wasn’t happenstance or blind luck.

The third-round rookie quarterback out of Alabama skilled the seedlings of what’s bloomed right into a staff constructed to win a Tremendous Bowl firstly of the offseason. And now the remainder of the nation is lastly witnessing that crystal-clear imaginative and prescient cultivated by second-year head coach Mike Macdonald.

"Our staff has an edge," Milroe instructed me within the locker room of Seattle’s thorough 41-6 manhandling of San Francisco, "And we had that edge after we first bought right here and began the season off. Coach [Mike Macdonald] stated now we have a extremely good staff, and we consider in it.

"Our acronym that now we have, MOB Ties, simply performs into our complete staff success. And I’m simply comfortable to be on this staff as a result of there’s loads of guys who need to achieve success."

MOB, in fact, is an acronym for "mission over bull---" — a no-nonsense slogan created by the staff’s management council reflective of the lunch-pail mentality instilled by Macdonald that’s echoed by the remainder of the staff. This isn't the unbridled bravado worn like sparkly armor by the Legion of Increase protection that propelled this franchise to its first Tremendous Bowl victory over a decade in the past.

Nevertheless, it’s born by means of an genuine connectivity woven into a complete staff that evokes confidence on sport days.

Defensive finish DeMarcus Lawrence wore a blingy "MOB" necklace after the sport.

"Simply letting the world understand how we’re coming," Lawrence joked from the rostrum.

Like Lawrence’s necklace, this staff does have swagger.

"It offers us a ton of confidence," edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu instructed me about his staff’s newest blowout win. "We will beat anyone and play with anyone if we put our minds to it," Seahawks edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu instructed me. We follow exhausting. Our preparation is sweet. We will compete with anyone."

And that confidence has the Seahawks believing they're a staff of future.

"Positively," star large receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba instructed me. "The best way we speak with each other and the vibe that now we have. We all know what we will do."

It clearly begins with the protection in Seattle, nicknamed "The Darkish Facet" by the most effective participant on that aspect of the ball, defensive lineman Leonard Williams. A second-team All-Professional who completed with seven sacks throughout the common season, Williams joked he had the staff’s defensive sport plan in a leather-based briefcase he rested on the rostrum throughout his media availability with reporters after the sport.

Williams completed with a fourth-down sack of Brock Purdy within the second half that squashed a possible scoring drive that would have gotten San Francisco again into the sport within the second half.

"Mike has his slogan, unfastened and targeted, that he’s been instilling on this staff because the day he bought right here," Williams stated on the podium. "I feel that is actually what has allowed this staff to play so free, play so quick. We simply consider in each other, we belief each other, and no matter the place we're at on the sector, after we take the sector, we belief in ourselves."

Leonard Williams logged a sack and 6 pressures (per Professional Soccer Focus) within the Seahawks' win over the 49ers. (Photograph by Harry How/Getty Photos)

Look no additional than the staff’s lead working again, Kenneth Walker III, for an additional instance of that confidence. Walker totaled a season-high 116 speeding yards and three touchdowns, taking on because the engine of the offense when fellow working again Zach Charbonnet sustained a knee harm, forcing him to go away the sport.

Seattle had struggled to generate a constant working sport throughout the common season. Nevertheless, since Week 12, the Seahawks have averaged 117 speeding yards per contest and totaled 12 speeding touchdowns. These numbers coincide with the staff’s eight-game successful streak.

"Initially, it means quite a bit," Walker stated on the podium about his efficiency. "We labored at all of it season. I simply bought to provide the credit score to the O-line. That they had the holes there, and all I needed to do was hit it."

The Seahawks leaned on the working sport with Sam Darnold questionable to start out as a consequence of an indirect harm. Darnold didn’t take part in his typical on-the-field exercise with out pads, elevating questions on his potential. However after the sport, Darnold stated he selected to heat up contained in the locker room, so he didn’t need to heat up twice. And that call proved to be a superb one for the USC product.

Tom Brady’s LFG Participant of the Sport: Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III 🏆 Milroe stated there was no likelihood of Darnold not suiting up.

"I had little question [he was playing,]" Milroe instructed me. "The most important factor was his consideration to element was there the entire week. His preparation was nonetheless there. Nothing modified the entire week. And so, we weren’t shocked in any respect that he went on the market and balled out."

Midseason addition Rashid Shaheed scored the one landing Seattle wanted on the opening play of the sport, zig-zagging his approach for a 95-yard landing on a kick return to provide the Seahawks a 7-0 lead, igniting an already super-charged crowd able to explode with the Saturday night time kickoff.

Cooper Kupp expects much more fireworks from Shaheed, who scored his third return for a landing in his quick time with the Seahawks.

"He’s a cheat code," Kupp stated about Shaheed on the podium. "I’m so offended at him for being so quick. It drives me loopy. Simply jealous on the finish of the day, as a result of he’s particular.

"I keep in mind the primary day he bought to the ability, I keep in mind asking him, ‘Is it cool lining up and realizing you can run previous anybody that strains up throughout from you?' And he says, ‘Yeah, it’s fairly cool.’"

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, protecting the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Comply with him on X at @eric_d_williams.

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