Pete Carroll: loss to 49ers ‘best scenario’
San Francisco (10-4) snapped a two-game run of futility against the Seattle Seahawks (11-2) two Sundays ago with a 19-17 win at Candlestick Park. Prior to that victory, Seattle had defeated the 49ers by a combined score of 71-16 in their aforementioned contests, both at CenturyLink Field.
If the Seahawks were to have won on December 8th they would have wrapped up the NFC West crown and a first round bye in the playoffs at this point. Such a scenario would have left Seattle without a meaningful game for nearly a month, as NBC Sports’ Curtis Crabtree notes. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll thinks that loss may have been a blessing in disguise.
"“It would have been a different challenge,” head coach Pete Carroll said Monday. It would have been an entirely different challenge for us mentally; for the coaching staff and for the players as well. I mentioned it last week that this could be the best scenario that you have to stay in it and keep battling. I’m more concerned about losing the edge that we’ve gained and it’s taken months and months and months to get here, and then all of sudden you kick into a month mode where it could be different.” [NBC Sports]"
Coincidentally, if the Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals (9-5) this week the 49ers clinch a playoff spot. Additionally, Seattle will clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC anyway under that scenario. It is playoff time folks.