Seahawks Star Rips Defense After Letting 1-10 Titans Hang Around
The Seahawks beat the Titans 30-24 and improved to 8-3, but Devon Witherspoon had to keep it real. Seattle’s star cornerback flat-out said the unit didn’t meet its own standard in Nashville, pointing to busted containment on Cam Ward and late-game breakdowns that let a 1-10 Titans team hang around far too long.
“I think we played all right,” Witherspoon said in a postgame press conference. “I mean, I don’t think we played to our standard. We gave up too many points, to be honest… we was letting the quarterback get outside, we wasn’t plastering, staying on our man, and they was able to create plays when they needed them.”
‘We Didn’t Play to Our Standard’: Witherspoon’s Honest Review
Even in a win, Witherspoon sounded more like a coach than a two-time Pro Bowler.
He kept coming back to the same theme: the defense didn’t do enough to close the door. Ward extended plays outside the pocket, receivers worked free late in downs, and the Titans kept hanging around despite Seattle jumping out to a big lead.
“In the end, it boiled down to all being a close game,” Witherspoon said. “So it’s like we got to be better on defense for sure.”
Head coach Mike Macdonald didn’t exactly disagree. He credited the team’s resilience but admitted they’d like to “close the game out earlier”, and he was openly frustrated about giving up a 90-yard punt return touchdown with no edge contain.
Praise for Nick Emmanwori and Macdonald’s ‘Crazy’ Defense
Witherspoon’s criticism didn’t stop him from hyping up a few teammates.
Asked about rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, he lit up. He said Emmanwori is doing “everything we wanted him to do,” calling it “hard to describe” how good he’s been and admitting his expectations for the 6-foot-3 safety are sky-high. In classic Spoon fashion, he joked that Nick is “big as [expletive]” for a rookie and that there’s basically nothing he can’t do.
On one of the game’s biggest hustle plays, Ward reversed field and looked like he might break free for a huge gain — until Emmanwori chased him down from the back side. Witherspoon called it a “great effort play” and said it was exactly what they’re taught: always race to the football, always have your teammate’s back.
He also tipped his cap to Macdonald, saying it’s “a testament to how Coach Macdonald’s able to cook up some crazy stuff and put us in the best position to win.” That’s coming from a player who’s been asked to wear multiple hats himself, bouncing between slot, outside corner and sometimes even safety looks in this scheme.
‘Mission Over Anything’: Why Seahawks Say They’ll Be Better
Despite the blunt critique, Witherspoon kept circling back to one big-picture idea: the “mission.”
“We always just put the mission over anything else,” he said. “No matter what happens or what the outcome may be… just stay the course of the mission. Don’t let it default to anything else.”
He admitted the Seahawks “could have played a lot better on both sides of the ball,” but emphasized how much better it feels to correct those issues after a win instead of a loss. That lines up with Macdonald’s own “defend a blade of grass” mantra and his constant messaging about resilience when things get weird late in games.
For now, the tape will show both truths: a defense that made enough plays — including a fourth-down stuff by Brandon Pili and a few key rushes late — and one that still left plenty of meat on the bone.
If Witherspoon has his way, the next time the Seahawks let a struggling opponent back into a game, it’ll only be on film from this week, not something that becomes their new identity.
JJ Redick Sends Strong Message After Deandre Ayton Injury
After the Los Angeles Lakers squeaked out a 108-106 win over the Utah Jazz, coach JJ Redick delivered a strong message regarding Deandre Ayton‘s injury. Ayton was ruled out of the second half due to a right knee contusion.
Speaking to the media in his postgame press conference, Redick was asked about an update on Ayton’s condition. The second-year coach didn’t want to speculate on his big man’s injury, but he wanted everyone to know that it’s next man up for his team.
“I mean, everybody’s got to be ready. I don’t want to speculate on DA, but you know, we feel confident that we have enough options,” Redick said.
Ayton was unable to practice on Saturday because of illness, but he was cleared to play against the Jazz. However, he suffered a right knee contusion after colliding with Ace Bailey in the first quarter. He tried to play through the injury before getting ruled out of the second half.
“He had gotten hit on his leg in the first half and was kind of limping through it. And then couldn’t go in the second half,” Redick said, via ESPN.
The former No. 1 pick finished with just two points, two rebounds and one steal in 13 minutes.
Redick’s Options if Ayton Gets Ruled Out
The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t released an update on Deandre Ayton‘s injury. They are flying back home to Los Angeles, so Ayton is likely to be evaluated on Monday before an official diagnosis is announced. The Lakers are set to start a four-game homestand on November 25 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
If Ayton gets ruled out, coach JJ Redick has solid options off the bench. Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber split the minutes at center in the second half, as per Bleacher Report. Hayes is more of a rim runner and prefers to be in the dunker’s spot, while Kleber stretches the floor with his 3-point shooting.
Ayton is having a solid start to his Lakers career, averaging 15.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. He signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the purple and gold franchise in free agency. He has a player option for next season, so he’s playing for a new contract.
Ayton Underappreciated This Season
After recording three consecutive 20-point, 10-rebound games, Deandre Ayton received a shoutout from NBA analyst MJ Acosta-Ruiz. The host of The Association on NBA TV praised Ayton’s performances for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, describing his contribution to the 12-win team as “underappreciated.”
“He has been going off; he has four 20 and 10 games already through the season, which is what he had all of last year. And he is anchoring this Lakers defense at the moment. I think he’s one of those guys…you can’t discount what he’s been doing thus far this season,” Acosta-Ruiz said, via Basketball Network.
Ayton has looked comfortable alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He’s expected to thrive with LeBron James as well, so he’s going to be a huge factor throughout the season for the Lakers. He might never live up to his potential as a former No. 1 pick, but he could carve out a perfect role in Hollywood.
