Seattle Seahawks ready to step up after bye

KIRKLAND, Wash. - The Seattle Seahawks returned to practice on Monday after taking the entire week off during their bye week.

The biggest focal point for the second half of the season is to get better offensively in the red zone.

Seattle has converted just 5-of-17 trips inside their opponent's 20-yard line this season. The Seahawks are just 2-of-11 over the last six games in scoring touchdowns in the red zone.

"We'd like to leave that in the first half, if you could," head coach Pete Carroll said. "Offensively, we just didn't do well enough, didn't take advantage of our opportunities being down there. That's really a point of emphasis for us to turn that thing around. (We) want to leave those numbers in the past and see if we can do something really good in the second half there."

Their amount of red-zone possessions is down significantly from a season ago as well. Through eight games in 2014, Seattle had converted 16-of-31 red-zone trips into touchdowns.

Seattle's third-down conversion rate has also dropped from a season ago. Seattle converted 42 percent of third down chances in 2014. That number is down to just 38 percent so far this season.

Getting better in those areas are the primary focus for the second half of the year. The Seahawks under Carroll have always been strong in finishing games and playing their best football late in the season. It's a must for them this year if they want to make a run into the playoffs.

"We've taken pride in being a really good finishing team. That's why it was so hard to have to live with the games that happened in the early part of the year," Carroll said. "Just taking great pride in how you finish. That's playing well at the end, outlasting your opponent and doing things right longer than they can. That's always been kind of the way we've gone about it.

"Hopefully we can do that again. We're very healthy at this time of the year, and we're going to try to take advantage of that."

--Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane officially returned to practice on Monday after spending the first nine weeks on the physically unable to perform list.

Lane had been on the physically unable to perform list since the start of training camp after tearing his ACL and suffering a broken arm in the Super Bowl in February.

"He looked really quick and looked comfortable and all that," head coach Pete Carroll said. "He's worked really, really hard to get to this point. It's fun to see him back out there."

Lane intercepted a pass from Tom Brady in the end zone and suffered both injuries on the runback when he was tackled by Julian Edelman.

Carroll wouldn't rule out the possibility that Lane could play for them this week, but said they need to see how the week goes and where he's at. Lane was limited in his first practice with the team on Monday.

"I'm sure he's going to want to and we want to get him out there," Carroll said. "We'll just take it one day at a time and see how recovers."

--Wide receiver Ricardo Lockette is returning to Seattle after being released from Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas on Thursday.

"He bounced back, he's got a great spirit so he bounced back with an attitude that wouldn't surprise us," Carroll said. "He couldn't wait to get back to his teammates and get back with us."

Lockette suffered ligament and disc injuries in his neck after taking a hit from Jeff Heath of the Cowboys on a punt return late in the first half.

Lockette was retreating upfield to block for returner Tyler Lockett when Heath caught Lockette from the side and knocked him out. Lockette remained motionless on the Cowboys midfield star logo for several minutes before being strapped to a stretcher and carted from the field to an ambulance.

He had surgery the next day to stabilize his neck and remained in the hospital a few extra days for evaluation.

Lockette has full movement and feeling and is expected to make a strong recovery. Whether his football career can continue is still unknown.

NOTES: Tight end Luke Willson (ankle) did not practice on Monday after injuring his ankle against the Dallas Cowboys before the team's bye week. He's expected to return to limited work in practice on Wednesday. ... Defensive end Cliff Avril (ankle) did not practice on Monday. He's expected to return to limited work in practice on Wednesday. ... Left tackle Russell Okung (ankle) was back at practice after missing last week's game against the Cowboys. ... Receiver Paul Richardson (knee) is expected to play this week and be activated from the physically unable to perform list.