What the Seattle Seahawks were trying to do on offense wasn’t working.“He and I sat down and kind of had a little heart-to-heart Darnell Savage Jr. Jersey ,” said Schottenheimer, Seattle’s first-year offensive coordinator.“There were things that he and I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page about. It wasn’t just the running game, it was he and I continuing to build our relationship and it was an awesome meeting. It probably lasted about an hour and we talked about a ton of different stuff. I know I came out of that meeting feeling really good just about the direction where we wanted to go.”The direction has been clear for more than three months as the Seahawks went from a team searching for answers to a team back in the postseason after a one-year absence from the playoffs.And it was the decisions made before playing Dallas in Week 3 where the switch was made and Seattle started on its path that has the Seahawks headed to face the Cowboys on Saturday night in an NFC wild-card game.The conversation between Carroll and Schottenheimer made clear Seattle was going back to the fundamentals of how it wanted to be offensively. They were going to make running the ball the priority and let Russell Wilson be a playmaker around the running success.The result: Seattle ended the season as the best run team in the NFL, and with Wilson having one of the best seasons of his career making big plays in the passing game.“I don’t think you’d always sit there and say we’re going to make this philosophy and go do this, and then you think you’re going to be the best in the league at it,” Schottenheimer said.Throughout last offseason, Seattle preached it was returning to the basic offensive fundamentals that led them to consecutive NFC titles. They were going to be bullies running the football behind the trio of Chris Carson, Mike Davis and Rashaad Penny.But for the first two weeks of the season, Schottenheimer and Carroll got too far ahead of themselves. They tried to see how much the Seahawks could rely on Wilson, rather than relying on the run game. The result was a pair of ugly losses to Denver and Chicago, and Wilson running for his life getting sacked 12 times in those first two games.When Dallas arrived in Week 3, so did Seattle’s change in approach. That was the week Carson became the workhorse in the run game. It was the week that the additions of D.J. Fluker and J.R. Sweezy at the guard positions started to become noticeable, and Seattle’s running success meant Wilson was no longer under siege by the opposing pass rush.Seattle rushed for only 113 yards that day in the 24-13 win �? 102 by Carson �? but it laid the foundation for what the Seahawks became.“They were talking about it the whole time of running the ball more and being a run team,” Carson said. “They finally started getting it going against the Cowboys and it’s taken off ever since.”Starting with Week 3, Seattle has rushed for 2 http://www.packerscheapstore.com/elgton-jenkins-jersey-cheap ,422 yards, the fourth-most by any team since 2010 during that 14-game span. The 2014 Seahawks had 2,447 yards during the same stretch of games, one spot ahead of this year’s team.While it was the Cowboys when Seattle committed to its offensive identity, when it fully took hold depends on whom you ask. For Schottenheimer it wasn’t until Week 12 at Carolina when he became convinced Seattle had the ability to win in multiple ways. The victory over the Panthers came on a day Seattle ran for only 75 yards, but Wilson threw for 339. It’s the only time in the final 14 games Seattle was held under 100 yards rushing as a team.For offensive tackle Duane Brown, it was Seattle’s first game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5. Seattle lost 33-31, but ran for 190 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry.“It just became our norm and we had some pretty good fronts that we went against,” Brown said.Carroll agreed with his left tackle that it was a few games after facing the Cowboys before the commitment to Seattle’s offensive style became the norm.“It was a step in right direction and the commitment came through but we were just getting started,” Carroll said. “I don’t think that was the pivotal week, it took us two or three weeks after that before we started to find the stride that we wanted and started to build on that.” CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Mixon had one of the best games of his career in yet another Bengals loss — making it seven of their past eight, and counting. He sees no reason to slow down even as another season slips away in Cincinnati.“Right now, we are down but we ain’t out, so that’s how I’m approaching it,” the second-year running back said. “I’m going to approach it like we’re in.”Technically Jace Sternberger Jersey , the last-place Bengals (5-8) aren’t eliminated from playoff contention despite their third-longest losing streak in coach Marvin Lewis’ 16 seasons. They could still get the AFC North title if they win out and the Steelers, Ravens and Browns all fall apart the rest of the way.Article continues below ...A loss Sunday to the Raiders (3-10) would eliminate the pretense and leave Cincinnati with a third straight losing season and a lot of big questions to address in the offseason: Does Lewis stay? Who’s the next defensive coordinator? Will anything really change so long as Mike Brown runs the franchise?By contrast, the Raiders are already in next-year mode. Following a 24-21 win over the Steelers , they fired general manager Reggie McKenzie and launched into a front-office reshuffle in preparation for coach Jon Gruden’s second season back with the Raiders.They don’t have a general manager and they’re not sure where they’ll be playing next season before moving to Las Vegas in 2020, but all that’s for later. First, they have to finish a season in flux.“When you get here, it’s just rainbows and butterflies because you made it to the NFL,” quarterback Derek Carr said. “All of a sudden, you get new friends every year. I think I’ve counted I’ve had like 27 different people in the locker next to me in five years. It just shows you how tough this business is.”Some things to watch Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium:STRIKE THE BALANCECarr has found a comfort zone in Gruden’s offense. He began the season overly aggressive, throwing eight interceptions in the first five games. Then he got overly cautious, failing to complete a pass of more than 10 yards twice in a span of three games.He’s finally gotten a balance.Carr has gone a franchise-record eight straight games without an interception and has regained his deep touch. He completed nine passes that traveled at least 15 yards downfield the past two games against Kansas City and Pittsburgh, equaling his total from his previous six games combined. Now he’s facing the NFL’s worst defense.“I feel more confident in our system,” Carr said. “I feel like my reads are quicker. I feel like I can get through things and eliminate things faster. That feels better.”RAIDERS BANGED-UP O-LINEThe Raiders come into the game with major questions on the offensive line. Starting left tackle Kelechi Osemele missed last week’s game with a toe injury. Starting right tackle Gabe Jackson is dealing with an elbow injury.Backup Jon Feliciano was placed on injured reserve with a calf injury, leaving Chaz Green and Denver Kirkland as potential options against Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap and the rest of the Bengals.“I know that both of them are as tough as they come and if there’s a will http://www.packerscheapstore.com/dexter-williams-jersey-cheap , there’s a way,” Gruden said. “They have the will, I know that. We’ll just hope for the best.”GUENTHER’S RETURNPaul Guenther left Cincinnati after 13 years on Lewis’ staff, including the last four as defensive coordinator, to join Gruden’s staff. He knows the Bengals’ offense, which is struggling mightily with quarterback Andy Dalton and receiver A.J. Green out for the season because of injuries.Guenther also is very familiar with Jeff Driskel, who makes his third NFL start in Dalton’s place. The Bengals expect Guenther to try to disguise blitzes and coverages to throw off Driskel.“I know whenever you’re going against a quarterback who hasn’t played much, as a defense you’re always looking forward to it,” Bengals linebacker Vincent Rey said.TURNING MIXON LOOSEMixon had a career-high 26 carries for 111 yards during a 26-21 loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles. He also caught a team-high five passes, becoming the focal point of Cincinnati’s depleted offense. The Bengals plan to lean on him heavily in the final three games. The Raiders know he’s the one to stop.“Man, he’s good,” Gruden said. “He’s a great slash. He can stop and start. He has power. He’s a good receiver. He’s a good blitz pickup guy. He’s putting it together in Cincinnati.”WILL ANYBODY WATCH?A small crowd is expected for the Bengals’ final home game. They’ve gone 3-4 at Paul Brown Stadium before some of the smallest crowds in its history. Their average of 51,673 is the second-smallest attendance since the 65,535-seat stadium opened in 2000.