Here was Holmgren's response to some of the defensive players criticizing the schemes in the loss to Dallas:

“I did not address it with the players because I didn’t know," Holmgren said. "I didn’t know about it. A couple things happened: after you lose a game—an emotional game, and you guys know this—sometimes players say things that they believe, but it’s not necessarily true all the time. In their frame of reference, they think it’s going to work that way, but it doesn’t. The simple fact of the matter is, this season, we have not taken the ball away very much, and that’s a frustration for our defense. And we have not gotten pressure on the quarterback…and that’s been a frustration. So, automatically, if you lose a tough game [you say], ‘Well, we should’ve done this.’ Or, ‘Heck, Coach Holmgren should’ve called more runs.’ Whatever it is. Whatever we did in the game, it didn’t work. So we should’ve done something else. I think you got to be careful with that stuff. When we have blitzed this season, I could show you ten plays where we went after them hard, and they threw the ball downfield for a long touchdown play. So, it’s a frustration more than anything else. The players care, though, which I like. They really do care. And in their mind, if they think a way is better, I think you have to listen to them a little bit. I believe that. If Matt Hasselbeck were to come to me and say, ‘You know what? I think if we try these couple things…’ I would absolutely listen to him. Absolutely listen to him. And then, if I didn’t think that that was the way to go, then I would tell him, and these are the reasons why. But we’ll try this. I think we’ll do some of that, probably…on defense. But you know how it is, I mean, heck, things get said. How much of it is real? I think after they see the film, which they now have seen, they might look at it a little differently.”