The Seattle Seahawks are in first place in the AFC West because of a versatile offense and a talented defense. But the key to Seattle's success, says veteran running back Ricky Watters, is new head coach Mike Holmgren.

"He gave us discipline," Watters told Gary Miller on a recent edition of Up Close. "Every game what he says is perfect and before the game is perfect, and leading up to the game all week long."

Watters also said that Joey Galloway, who recently ended his holdout, was the most valuable Seahawk in Sunday night's comeback victory over Denver. "He made those big plays that mattered most, you know, when he caught that ball down the sideline and he kept his feet in," Watters said. "That was a huge play."

The following is an edited transcript of Watters' interview.

Miller: How much of your 7-2 record do you attribute to Mike Holmgren coming in as the new head coach?

Watters: You can't say enough about what he has done. I tell you what, Paul Allen and Bob Whitsitt and the rest of the brain trust up there, they are doing all the right things, as far as I am concerned, bringing in all the people they are bringing in. When he (Holmgren) came here I knew he was going to bring a great system, winning tradition and the toughness that he brings to the team and the discipline, and that is what he did. He gave us discipline. Every game what he says is perfect and before the game is perfect and leading up to the game all week long. He prepares us as best as he can, I mean he crosses all the t's and dots all the i's.

Miller: What have you seen change in him over the years (from when you were with San Francisco and he was the offensive coordinator)?

	Ricky Watters and his Seattle teammates rallied to beat Denver on Sunday night.

Watters: Well, I would say everybody grows; he was great then, but now when you keep winning like that and you become a head coach and you prove yourself as a head coach, you do the things he done in this league, you get that instant respect and credibility, and you walk with that air of confidence, and that is what he has. He has brought that to this team and it is great, because that is what we needed and that is what is getting us through these games. Like these close games like this, last year we would have lost these games, and we did lose these games and now we believe that we can win the game no matter what, and we don't quit.

Miller: (Former coach) Dennis Erickson said that players had to look at themselves and that there was too much finger pointing going on last year?

Watters: I think he is absolutely correct; you have to look at yourself. I know after the season, I looked at myself and said, 'what things could I do better and how can I in any way help this team.' And I looked at some of the things, and I knew I felt like I should lose some weight, you know I was up in the 230-235 range. Now I am more of the 220-225 range, does that make a difference, who knows? But I felt like it did, and there were things I worked on too, and I think if everybody does that, that is how you become better. Definitely it wasn't all him, there is no way you could say it was all him.

Miller: Ironically, you were on the same plane flight as Holmgren when he flew out to Seattle to accept the head coaching job. What was it like, sitting side-by-side next to Mike Holmgren?

Watters: It was cool, because I felt comfortable with him anyway, and I always have. But I really felt comfortable with him now since he has become our coach here; we sat down and talked a lot, that is what I love about him, you can communicate with him. We are sitting on the plane just talking like anybody, it is not like here is the coach and here is the player. It is really cool and that is what I like about him. He will discipline you when he has to, he will correct you and do all those things, but he will also hug you and joke with you; he will let you know that you're doing a great job and that is what you need, you need all that.

Miller: Coming off your win against Denver, Joey Galloway came in and made a couple of clutch catches; you said 'we don't beat them if he doesn't play.' Why?

Watters: We don't.. He made those big plays that mattered most, you know, when he caught that ball down the sideline and he kept his feet in: that was a huge play, they were giving it to us pretty good, those 17 unanswered points, you know, we could've been sent reeling. We believed in each other, we came in there and everybody pulled it together, I loved the atmosphere in the huddle of 'we are going to win this game no matter what.' He comes in all week, he came in and worked hard, he was catching balls like that all week, I mean, just one of the guys right away coming in there and everybody accepting him back. That was great, because that is important, and he just really did a great job for us and he made some clutch catches.

Miller: How much is it going to open up your offense to have Galloway at his full-time position?

Watters: Oh, definitely it is going to open it up more; the more weapons we have the better, and obviously, if we give coach Holmgren, you know, give Mike those weapons, man, you know what he can do with them. I think everything is coming along, we have to be very, very happy with the way we are right now, and the progress we are making. We still are not where we want to be, because obviously we are still putting all these pieces of the puzzle together, but man, if you really look at it, what it could be is just spectacular, we just have to keep on working hard and taking it one game at a time.

Miller: What was it like when you played the Monday night game in Lambeau Field.. How much different was that week than the others for coach Holmgren?

Watters: I have so much respect for him, because of what he says at certain times. I wouldn't think he would say it, and he just comes out and says it. That is one of the things he did that was so special in helping us win that game; he told us it is not going to be like any other game, it is Monday night, everybody is going to be watching, he made sure that we understood that going to Lambeau is not just any regular place. They really get after you, and if we let them get in front of us we are going to be in trouble. He let us know everything, but he also told us that we could win the game, and that is what is important. He makes sure he says everything that needs to be said, it is just incredible, he does such a great job, I think, not that he needs my approval.

Miller: How much of an influence did Walter Payton have on you?

Watters: A tremendous amount, a tremendous amount, beside the posters I had up of him in my room of when I was younger, just watching him play in the way that he handled everything, not just on the field but off the field. Just everything that he did exemplified a great human being with compassion and heart. When I met him at the Oklahoma City bombing, that terrible thing that happened, we went there as a relief program and we went there to talk to some of the parents that lost people and children and all that kind of stuff. We put on a baseball game, he still had some of the moves, he stole third base, he did the high step, and also he talked to me a lot and he explained things to me and he helped me out. He gave me little pointers here and there on my running style and different things that I can do, and for a person like that, he doesn't have to do that. But he did it and he kept in touch with me and he called me from time to time; just a great person.