Pete Carroll Reveals Real Reason for Riq Woolen Benching

The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Night Football” in Week 15 thanks to an outstanding overall team performance. In this game, the Seahawks defense restricted one of the league’s finest offenses to 17 points and 143 passing yards. One of the big issues after the game was why Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen was benched for Michael Jackson to open the game. In his postgame press conference, head coach Pete Carroll responded to the question.

Pete Carroll Explains Why Riq Woolen was Benched

During Week 15 against the Eagles, the Seahawks’ defensive lineup featured Michael Jackson as the starting cornerback, while Riq Woolen was on the bench. In the preceding week, amidst a four-game losing streak, Pete Carroll, in an unusual move, specifically called out several Seattle defenders, including safety Jamal Adams and Woolen, who didn’t play against the Eagles due to injury.

Following the Seahawks’ 20-17 victory, reporters questioned Carroll about Jackson not being on the field for the first drive, during which the Eagles scored a touchdown after a 75-yard march. Carroll explained that there was a competition during the week, leading to the decision to give Jackson and Woolen a chance to battle for the position, as all the players were performing well.

Ultimately, in Week 15, Jackson played 50 defensive snaps (72 percent), while Woolen only played 19 snaps (28 percent). This change appeared to benefit the Seahawks defense in the long run, with Jalen Hurts managing just 143 passing yards, and both A.J. Brown (5 catches, 56 yards) and DeVonta Smith (5 catches, 50 yards) having relatively subdued performances.

Seattle is Back in the Playoff Race

The Seahawks secured a crucial victory against the Eagles in Week 15, a significant turning point for the NFC West team. Following a challenging stretch of four consecutive losses, the team’s playoff aspirations were hanging by a thread. Presently, with three games left in the season, Seattle still requires assistance, but there is renewed hope for making it to the playoffs.

Currently positioned at eighth place, just outside the playoff cutoff in the NFC, the Seahawks hold a 45 percent chance of making the playoffs, as per the NFL playoff simulator by the New York Times. Coach Carroll’s team doesn’t have complete control over its fate, even if they manage to win all three remaining games. To secure a playoff spot, they need to rely on other 7-7 teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, and New Orleans Saints either winning or losing specific matchups. If all those teams win their remaining games (with the exception of the Rams beating the Saints in Week 16), the Seahawks still have a 65 percent chance of making it, dependent on how other games unfold, affecting the strength of schedule tiebreaker.

However, if any of those competing teams lose a game, and the Seahawks can triumph over the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Arizona Cardinals in their final three games, they will clinch a playoff spot for the second consecutive season.

Considering that all three opponents are struggling to varying degrees, even with the Titans and Cardinals games being away, the Seahawks are likely to be favored in all three matchups.