And does Schottenheimer think he needs to tell Chris Carson what down it is?
While the Seahawks’ game Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs has potentially significant postseason implications for Seattle, it will also have some special sentimental meaning for offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
Schottenheimer’s father, Marty, coached the Chiefs from 1989-98 and Brian went to high school in the area and then later coached with his dad with Kansas City for one season, in 1998.
“Kansas City holds a dear place in our family’s heart,’’ Schottenheimer said.
Adding to it this weekend is that Marty Schottenheimer will be in town for the first time this season to visit his son for Christmas and attend the game (Brian Schottenheimer and his wife, Gemmi, have a son and a daughter).
Most Read Sports Stories
Marty Schottenheimer is suffering from Alzheimer’s but was recently able to make a congratulatory video message when current Kansas City coach Andy Reid tied him for seventh all-time in NFL history for wins with 205.
“He’s doing OK,’’ Brian Schottenheimer said. “It’s a tough disease but we are excited to see him.’’
Here’s more of what Schottenheimer said when he held his weekly meeting with the media on Thursday.
MAYBE HE NEEDS TO REMIND CHRIS CARSON WHAT DOWN IT IS
Schottenheimer said he didn’t know that Carson had said he actually didn’t know what down it was when Carson scored on a fourth-down run last Sunday in an overtime loss to the 49ers.
“Is that right?’’ Schottenheimer said. “Yeah, that probably means I need to do a better job of communicating.’’
The run itself typified the style of physical play Carson has excelled at all season on his way to threatening to become the first Seattle tailback since Marshawn Lynch in 2014 to rush for 1,000 yards — Carson has 913 yards with two games left.
Schottenheimer was asked if he had any worry that Carson could can maintain a bruising style for a long period of time and came up with an interesting comparison.
“You know, I was with Frank Gore for the last two years in Indianapolis, one of the best of all-time (Gore is still in the NFL with Miami at age 35 having played 14 seasons),’’ Schottenheimer said. “It takes a toll, but Frank Gore — I was always like ‘when do you feel good?’ He was always like ‘aw, yeah, usually by Friday or Saturday’ so it does (take a toll), but some guys just have the ability to answer the call. Chris is just one of those guys. He just loves the game. He’s got obviously tremendous talent, but they have a certain style and you’re never going to ask him to change that style. That’s why Frank Gore is going to the Hall of Fame. That’s why he’s going to be one of the top three rushers to ever play the game, because of that mentality and that attitude. I think Chris has that same makeup.”
WILL THIS BE THE WEEK DAVID MOORE GETS MORE TARGETS?
Second-year receiver David Moore has by any measure made a big contribution this season with five touchdown catches — second on the team — and 23 receptions for 422 yards, an average of 18.3 that leads all receivers with more than eight receptions.
But Moore has been quiet of late with just one catch for nine yards in the last three games — that coming against the 49ers — and just eight targets overall in that span.
Moore had five of those targets two weeks ago against the Vikings when he also was just a hair away from possibly getting two touchdowns.
And Schottenheimer said he thinks it’s only a matter of time until Moore breaks out again.
“You never know where the ball is going to go,’’ Schottenheimer said. “Some of it is based on coverage. Last week, he had a big third-down conversion. I think he kind of exploded for a while so people were paying a little bit more attention to him. They go in bunches. It’s like we were waiting for Doug (Baldwin) to break out. I mean, I think honestly, the second touchdown (Baldwin) had was one of the best catches I’ve ever seen. Not just the ability to catch the ball, but the ability to secure it with the safety closing on him. They come in bunches. It doesn’t really matter who makes the catches. He (Moore) certainly can help us. We love that when he gets one-on-one matchups, which this team is going to give us those. Maybe this is the week.”
AND WILL THIS BE THE WEEK FOR J.D. MCKISSIC?
Another player Schottenheimer said to expect more of soon — and maybe this week — is running back J.D. McKissic.
McKissic has been on the field for just six snaps in the last three games since returning from the injured reserve list with two carries for 2 yards and no receptions. McKissic missed the first 11 games of the season with a broken foot suffered in August.
But with rookie Rashaad Penny possibly out again this week with a knee injury, the team might turn more to McKissic.
“I think he’s getting his feet back up underneath him,’’ Schottenheimer said of McKissic. “We love him. I mean, there’s nothing that he can’t do — he can run the football, he can protect, he can make plays out of the backfield. It’s just hard to get guys rolling when you’ve got Chris and Mike (Davis). But he’s one of the guys Russ (Wilson) trusts. Absolutely trusts, has no questions about him. So, he doesn’t need to play a whole lot for Russ to believe, ‘OK, he’s over there, I’m going to do this.’ A terrific football player that’s just going to continue to get better. Now that he’s back full speed, we’ll use him a little bit more.”