The Seattle Seahawks' running game has been straight fire in the preseason. I hate to pour water on that, but I'm gonna throw a wet blanket on as well. It's better than last year, but let's not wrap the Lombardi Trophy up quite yet.
I know, 12s, I know. What the heck is wrong with this guy? He's been complaining for years that Seattle doesn't run the ball enough. Now they're ramming it down the other guys' throats, and he's still complaining. I know, right? In Klint Kubiak, the team finally has an OC who backs up his statements about the rushing attack with action.
I'm not about to say that Seattle's rushing stats from the first two games are meaningless. Regardless of your opponent, the week of the preseason, or who you have on the field, 170 yards in the NFL is solid work. The Seahawks followed up their trampling of the Raiders with a full 268-yard stampede against the Chiefs.
There's no way to dismiss that as anything but a massive change for Seattle. But you know what? I'm gonna give it a try anyway.
The Seattle Seahawks haven't proven their running game is real
At least they haven't yet. Yeah, yeah, I know they lead the league in total rushing yards (438) and yards per average (5.5) by a wide margin. What's even more impressive is what the Seahawks have done with their number one offensive line in the game.
According to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, the first unit has played four series in the two games and been completely dominant. The backs ran for 188 yards on 23 carries, a stunning 8.173-yard average. That wasn't Shaun Alexander or Marshawn Lynch back there, either. Oh, and Charles Cross hasn't played yet, either.
Wow, I'm really making a terrible case for my argument here. I haven't even mentioned that George Holani - you remember him, the practice squad guy from last season - has 110 yards on just 12 carries. Or that Jacardia Wright, a guy with virtually zero chance of making the 53-man roster, has 82 yards and a 5.1-yard average. Way to dig myself a hole, right?
Not so fast, my good 12s. It does, in fact, matter who's lined up on the other side of the line. And for the Seahawks, the opposition has been less than impressive. I get it; Seattle hasn't exactly run the first unit out there on defense, either. That makes the performance of some unsung players that much more impressive, of course.
But let's talk about that Seattle running game again. The Raiders gave their starting defensive line a total of 40 snaps, 10 per player. After that, it was second and third-string and beyond the rest of the way. Two of their starting linebackers got nine snaps each, while the third, Devin White, had just four.
Yep, I know the Seahawks rammed the ball down their throats, too, but Las Vegas averaged 4.4 yards rushing last year, so they're not exactly roadblocks anyway.
More telling was the performance versus the Chiefs. 268 yards on the ground is pure ugly if you're on the receiving end. Seattle didn't face All-World Chris Jones once. His fellow starting D-linemen each had six snaps. Sam linebacker Leo Chenal had 16 snaps, while neither of his starting partners saw the field once. Their starting safeties played a lot, which is kinda weird, but you do you, Mr. Spagnulo.
The point isn't that the Seahawks' great rushing performance so far is a mirage. It's that it hasn't come in a vacuum, either. Key players on the other side of the field haven't been there to make the stops they often would have. Is Seattle's running game going to be better this season? Oh, there's no doubt about that. And yes, they could lead the league in rushing.
Just don't start burning jerseys and throwing beer cans at that sweet 75" 8K QLED TV the first time the Seahawks are held under 100 yards this season. Be smart and get a projection set. Then you just have to patch the drywall.
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