The Seattle Seahawks’ rushing totals look rough on the surface, but the full picture is a lot less alarming than the raw numbers suggest.
Through three games, Seattle is averaging just 101 rushing yards per game. Two of the three ball-carriers are sitting below 4.0 yards per carry, and the rookie first-round pick has had trouble protecting the football. On paper, that’s not the profile of a healthy ground game.
But the context matters. This hasn’t been a normal start to the season, and it’s too soon to hit the panic button.
The opener was chaotic from the jump, which tends to happen when you lose your starting quarterback five plays into the game. It also marked Brian Fleury’s first time calling plays, and there were predictable hiccups with getting the call in and organized. Even so, it was a little surprising to see Fleury drift away from the run, especially with his backup quarterback in the game and Price off to a strong start.
The second game didn’t really call for a full workload either. Seattle had the result essentially wrapped up by the third quarter, and George Holani and Jadarian Price were both dealing with injuries.
That opened the door for Emanuel Wilson, who handled things well enough. The Seahawks still piled up 162 rushing yards in that game, with Wilson going for 4.4 yards per carry.
Week 3 created another different kind of problem. Seattle got itself behind early and spent most of the afternoon trying to catch up, which is never ideal for building a run game.
Price also found himself in the doghouse after a costly fumble, and Anthony Bradford’s injury added another wrinkle. That combination makes it hard to expect the offense to hit its stride immediately.
There’s no denying the Seahawks miss Kenneth Walker III, who was a monster next to Patrick Mahomes. Losing him hurts, and it’s fair to wonder how different things might look if he were still in Seattle. Still, he’s not the only reason the rushing attack hasn’t clicked yet.
The bigger issue is that Seattle has played only one full game with its starting quarterback. That kind of turnover affects everything, even with Drew Lock playing his rear end off in Darnold’s absence. And despite the running-game issues, the Seahawks are still putting up 25 points per game and have topped 30 points in back-to-back weeks.
There’s work to do, and Price has to be better with the football. But this looks more like a temporary mess than a lasting problem. A Week 4 matchup with a winless Los Angeles Chargers team could be exactly what Seattle needs to get the ground game moving again.
In Other News...
Seahawks Backfield Concern Grows As Key Defender Trends Toward Return
The Seahawks Thursday injury report brought a little clarity on the back end and a few more questions in the backfield. Safety Ty Okada was limited, and Julian Love was also listed as limited, though Love is expected to play against the Chargers. Seattles running back room, meanwhile, kept drawing attention, with rookie Jadarian Price sidelined by a chest injury and George Holani limited in practice.
Zach Charbonnet was back on the field in a limited capacity after working his way back from an ACL tear, a sign the Seahawks are at least moving him closer to availability. He is not yet eligible to play in games, but his return to practice adds another layer to a backfield that already looks thin at the moment, especially with Seattle still sorting through who will be available when the Chargers come to town. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Get Encouraging Injury News Before A Bigger Chargers Test
The Seahawks got a useful midweek lift as they worked through practice preparations for a bigger Chargers test. Zach Charbonnet opened his practice window, a meaningful step as Seattle continues to manage its backfield, while Ty Okada was back in limited work after missing time. The rest of the injury report brought a familiar mix of limited and full participation, giving the coaching staff a better sense of who might be available as the game plan comes into focus.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, had a more uneven day on the field. Some Chargers players were back to full participation, but Derwin James and Ladd McConkey did not practice after being limited the previous day, a sign that the situation still bears watching on both sides of the matchup. For Seattle, the encouraging developments are helpful, but the real test will be how much of that progress carries into a game against a Chargers team that is still sorting out its own health. [Read more 🡒]
Geno Smith Looks Like The Seahawks Quarterback Fans Remember
Geno Smith is starting to look a lot like the quarterback Seahawks fans remember from his breakout run, and the early numbers back it up. In a CBS Sports ranking by Garrett Podell, Smith sits 11th among NFL quarterbacks, but his recent play has been stronger than that placement suggests after he threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns in Week 3.
For Seattle, the encouraging part is how efficient Smith has been while keeping the offense on schedule. He leads the league in completion percentage at 75.5 percent and ranks fifth in passer rating at 110.0, a sign that the Seahawks are getting steady, productive quarterback play as the season settles in, even as the Jets, his former team, sit at 1-2 entering Week 4. [Read more 🡒]