Seahawks believe there’s no divide between offense, defense

RENTON, Wash. – Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin chose to diffuse any potential issues lingering in the Seattle Seahawks locker room from the latest sideline outburst by cornerback Richard Sherman.

Baldwin and Wilson said Wednesday that the Seahawks locker room is built to withstand issues like the one that has been raised since Sherman openly questioned the offensive play-calling during last week’s 24-3 victory over Los Angeles. Sherman said he didn’t regret his outburst during the third quarter of the victory that clinched the NFC West.

For the most part, Sherman’s teammates have defended him, saying they understand he’s trying to do what’s best for the team.

“All of us have our issues. We’re all humans in this locker room and we recognize that. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses and we just try and love each other regardless,” Baldwin said. “Whatever issues we may have in this locker room with coaches, players, media, we still love each other. When we keep that in perspective we can get through anything.”

Sherman’s yelling in the direction of head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell raised the possibly of a fissure forming between Seattle’s offense and its standout defense. For most of the past five seasons, Seattle’s been among the elite defensive teams in the league, while the Seahawks offense has gone through stretches of high productivity and frustrating inconsistency.

There have been heated disagreements before, but never one so public as a player on one side of the ball questioning what’s happening with the other.

“Who knows about if it could go too far, we’re not worried about that, we’re moving on,” Wilson said. “Everyone is focused and committed to winning and committed to one another. We’re all competitive, we all want to be great, we all want to win.”

Bevell said Tuesday that he believed it was not the place of a defensive player to question the calls of the offense. Baldwin, who has been highly supportive of Bevell in the past, skirted the question of whether Sherman crossed a line.

“That’s not for me to decide. And I don’t know the full story either so I can’t really speak on it,” Baldwin said.

Sherman was angered when Seattle passed from the 1-yard line on first-and-goal, a throw by Wilson intended for Jimmy Graham that was nearly intercepted. Sherman said after the game that the Seahawks should not be throwing the ball from the 1-yard line and referenced the Super Bowl loss to New England that was decided on Wilson’s pass from the 1 that was intercepted.

For his part, Wilson said Wednesday he hopes to be in the position of being at the 1-yard line again.

“I hope we get to the one-yard line again, and I’d throw it again too if it was the right call, right timing,” Wilson said. “I have all the confidence in the world in that, I have all the confidence in the world in the players that we have.”

NOTES: Wilson opened his weekly availability by joking about Sherman’s threat on Tuesday to have the credentials revoked for a local radio reporter who had questioned his outburst – a threat Sherman later apologized for on Twitter. “Don’t make me take y’alls credentials today,” Wilson joked as he walked to the podium. … DEs Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril were voted to the Pro Bowl and were thrilled to share the honor together. “It’s like a brother relationship that we have. For both of us to be doing some good things, it’s pretty cool,” Avril said.