Whew? Mora could’ve blown it
DAVE BOLING; THE NEWS TRIBUNE
RENTON Jim Mora hadnt coached a win in 28 days. It had to feel like a month of Sundays.
But over the course of one afternoon, his Seattle Seahawks registered a disposition-improving 41-0 win over Jacksonville, and NFC West Division front-runner San Francisco absorbed a humbling 45-10 home loss to Atlanta.
It left the suddenly defibrillated Seahawks just a game out of the division lead.
Mora celebrated by decamping Qwest Field to get to the second half of a sons soccer game. He not only rooted him to a win, he noted on Monday afternoon that the Mora family won all seven athletic events in which members participated over the weekend.
We may wonder if Mora told his children that the wins were nice, but they werent enough. They still had to keep improving. That was his message to the Seahawks.
In watching the tapes, like all games, theres good and theres some things you want to improve upon; as coaches, we have a tendency to focus on the things you want to improve upon, but there were a lot of good things in that game, and a lot of good efforts, Mora said. The objective now is to get better, not just match it, but even be better this week.
In home games in which theyve been led by a healthy quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, the Hawks have scored a pair of wins by a 69-0 margin. Remember that this team scored only 72 points in five games the entire month of November last season.
The 1-3 record before Sundays game, though, caused Mora to admit last week that the circumstances had reached a critical stage.
Did the win reduce the threat level to Orange? Yellow? Not from Moras perspective.
I want it to be more dire than its ever been, Mora said. As I told them today, a lot of times you walk in after a game like that and a coach says, Hey, do it just like we did last week. I dont want it to be just like it was last week; I want it to be better in terms of our attention to details, sense of urgency. ... Weve got to elevate it every week.
Its why Mora remained insistent even though the Seahawks had a comfortable lead and Jacksonville was never a threat after the first period.
It was so important to me that we finish the game the right way, with the right frame of mind, with a toughness, with no letdown, he said. And I thought we did that.
Mora said hes not the type to carry the stress from losing streaks home. No kicking the dog. No chewing the drapery.
Nothing changes, not for me at least, Mora said. Whether you win or lose, you have to start preparing for the next one.
Yeah, but ... come on.
Sometimes after a loss its a little harder, it just sits in your gut until Monday. Sometimes you have to push yourself through it.
The Mora familys personal win streak gets another test this weekend, and dads Seahawks face the challenge of an Arizona Cardinals team that not only won the division last season but advanced to the Super Bowl.
Given that fact and several others, the team should have no trouble maintaining a level of emotional intensity this week, Mora said.
It was a good win, he said. Weve got to be quick to put it behind us and move on.
But moving on is easier when it feels as if its in a positive direction, and Mora would not deny the psychological healing of a big win to snap a losing streak.
Its only one game, but the clouds lifted a little for us, he said.
Mora maintained his optimism, knowing the Cardinals were going to have to deal with the Seahawks raucous crowd, and with the bye week that follows, any number of front-line talents might be healed enough to get back on the field.
Who knows what can happen? Its a long season, he said.
He meant that as in: Its a long season, and we can still get back in this thing. Not as in: Holy heck, is this ever going to be a long season.
A 41-point win can do that for you. And of course, theres his own relief that he wasnt the only Mora to come home a loser last weekend.
Dave Boling: 253-597-8440
Dave.boling@thenewstribune.com
