DT Damon Harrison
October 19, 2017
Q: Does Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson fool guys a lot?
A: Oh yeah. He does this little in and out move that gets everybody. It’s easy to say, ‘You have to play it better than that,’ but in the moment, it’s tough.
Q: Some quarterbacks run because they want to run, some run just to buy time to throw. Which one is Wilson?
A: He’s doing both. You have a guy like a [Tampa Bay quarterback] Jameis Winston, who’s running just to buy time to make the throw. And Russell does the same thing, but he also runs to run, you know what I mean? And he picks up crucial first downs. So, it’s on guys like JPP [defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul], [defensive end] Kerry [Wynn], and myself and [defensive tackle] Dalvin [Tomlinson] to keep him inside and force him to make throws from in the pocket.
Q: Is it important that you don’t get too aggressive with the pass rush against Wilson because you know he’s going to take off?
A: Yeah, exactly. And he does a great job of keeping his eyes downfield, but also he keeps his eyes on the defensive linemen. So, you can’t always think you got him. If it looks that easy, trust me, it’s not what you think. So, we’ve just got to do a great job of attacking him.
Q: After getting your first sack of the season last week, do you feel like you are hitting your stride?
A: No, I wouldn’t say that. Kerry Wynn just did a good job of coming inside and making it happen for me. It wasn’t anything that I did special.
Q: What has gotten in the way of you getting more pressure on the quarterback this season?
A: I mean, I’ve been close, I just haven’t been able to finish the plays. So, I can’t really attribute it to one thing, I’ve just got to keep at it, I can’t give up.
Q: What does Russell Wilson present that is different from other quarterbacks?
A: He’s fast. He can throw the ball on the run. He’s really good at throwing the ball on the run.
Q: What does Wilson being able to throw on the run change for you as a defensive lineman?
A: Well, you’ve got to be smart with how you rush. A lot of the quarterbacks who can’t run, you can be aggressive in running up the field, trying to make them step up. But a guy like Russell Wilson, you have to keep him in the pocket because he makes a lot of throws when he’s running the ball. It’s really something that you see half the time when you’re watching film and the guys are letting him out of the pocket and they hit and he’s still completing throws. So, we just have to eliminate that.
Q: How about Wilson’s deep drop?
A: I haven’t really noticed it.
Q: How does Seattle’s offensive line change without tackle Luke Joeckel?
A: I can’t really say, I’m not in the room with them.
Q: What does Seattle center Justin Britt do for their offensive line?
A: He’s one of the better centers in the NFL. He does a great job of getting everybody lined up, making line calls, checking plays, checking run plays, getting the pass protection right. And he’s a big, aggressive guy who can also move. So, that’ll be a tough challenge for me this week.
Q: A big, aggressive guy who can also move sounds like you too, right?
A: No, I’m a big, slow guy who can’t move. I just stay in one spot.
Q: When you are handling double teams and standing your ground, is that more technique or strength?
A: A little bit of both, and relying on the linebacker to come in and make the play because if I’m taking on two in the double team, somebody is free. So, sometimes you’ve got to just sit there and take the double team without trying to get off and making the play, knowing that one of your teammates will be there. And if one of the linemen does come off, it’s my job to make the play. So, it’s a little bit of both.
Q: How much relief is there knowing that you have a win now, as opposed to the pressure of being winless? Does that make a difference psychologically?
A: No, not at all. We still have to prepare the same. Win or lose, we’ve got a job to do.
