Pete Carroll: Russell Wilson is 'over-trying a little bit'

Pete Carroll's assessment of Russell Wilson after two weeks: his quarterback is pressing.

"I'm finding Russ over-trying a little bit," Carroll said Tuesday morning on ESPN 710, via the Seattle Times. "He's pressing in difficult situations to try and see if he can come up with a way to make something happen instead of just getting rid of the football."

With little running game and lacking receiving options, Wilson has been in negative situations regularly, including a bevy of 3rd-and-longs in Monday night's loss in Chicago. Carroll noted that sometimes Wilson tried to make too much out of a bad situation.

"In the long yardage situations, he needs to throw the football a couple times," Carroll said. "We need to get rid of the ball and just give up on a play because it's not happening and not take an additional pressure. So that just adds up and it makes it hard on him."

It's somewhat difficult to mesh the criticism of Wilson holding onto the ball when many of his spectacular plays in the past have come on just such occasions. It's clear, however, that Carroll wants his quarterback to play better within the scheme of the offense.

According to Next Gen Stats, in Week 2 versus the Bears, Wilson performed better when he released the ball more quickly. The QB completed 73.7 percent of 19 passes for a 92.0 passer rating, and 1-1 TD-INT ratio on balls thrown under 2.5 seconds. On passes that took 2.5-plus seconds, Wilson completed 47.1 percent of 17 attempts for a 79.5 passer rating and 1 TD.

Much of Wilson's damage Monday night came late in the game with the Seahawks in catch-up mode and the Bears defense playing less aggressive on the edges. Through the first three quarters, he was 9-of-22 passing for 69 yards.

Carroll noted the offensive line's struggles but wouldn't put it all on the Seahawks blockers.

"The momentum of the rush building on you is a factor, and we'd like to eliminate that. That does go right to Russell's competitiveness," Carroll said. "He's a battler and he's going to try to figure it out, and he has so many times. But maybe not then, not now, not in these (situations), and keep us forward a little bit better so we don't have to take the negatives. The negative plays are really difficult. It kind of adds up on you somewhat."

Blame Wilson, blame the O-line, blame the running backs, receivers, tight ends and definitely blame OC Brian Schottenheimer. When a unit looks as inept as the Seahawks did for three quarters Monday night, the blame can be ubiquitous.