Pete Carroll seems to be going through some stuff right now.
The Seattle Seahawks had a rough afternoon Sunday, getting beat up on both sides of the ball in a 34-12 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Carroll made some curious decisions in the game, none more head-scratching than his choice to run the ball deep in Bengals territory late in the first half.
Marshawn Lynch converted a first down on a fourth-and-2 draw, but he was tackled short of the goal line. Seattle couldn't stop the clock, time expired, and the team went to the locker room down 17-3 with nothing to show for a promising drive.
After the game, Carroll gave an unusual explanation for his actions.
"We learned about what happens when a coach gets hormonal and tries to freakin' jam it down their throat for the touchdown there right at the half," Carroll said, according to The News Tribune. "That was a mistake. It would have been a good call if we made it. But we didn't."
We haven't formally researched this, but we're going out on a limb and guaranteeing this is the first case of an NFL coach blaming hormones for his decision-making process.
"It's a bit little tough, because I have an attitude and a personality about how I want to do it," Carroll said. "But as we're developing as a team, we're not quite capable to take advantage of that yet. I have a lot of times where I've been in that situation, and it's worked out. And it hasn't a couple times here. And I don't mind the scrutiny. It is what it is. I'm not worried about it."
Pete, this isn't USC anymore. Reggie Bush isn't walking through that door (not that you'd even want him to). When Charlie Whitehurst and Tarvaris Jackson are your quarterbacks, take points whenever you can find them.
Just ... take ... the ... points.