Tag: Kenneth Walker III

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III has a chance to make history

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III has a chance to make history

The Seattle Seahawks have a legitimate star in the making with running back Kenneth Walker III. The explosive Michigan State standout has quietly made a name for himself as one of the best runners of the football in the league. Despite missing two games this year, Walker has taken every opportunity he can to make his presence felt in every outing since.

While the rushing yardage totals may not be there, Walker is having little trouble finding paydirt. Right now, Walker has seven rushing touchdowns on the year, as he is increasingly difficult to stop when the end zone is in sight.

Walker’s touchdown total has him on the verge of matching some recent franchise history. In fact, if he is able to get three more rushing touchdowns this year, he will be the first Seahawks running back to have at least 10 scores on the ground since Marshawn Lynch had 13 during the 2014 season.

Walker is a threat to take it to the house with every touch of the ball. The Seahawks would be wise to once again make him a focal point of the offensive game plan on Sunday, in an effort to keep Kyler Murray and the dynamic Cardinals offense sidelined. If Walker can start running rampant, Seattle has a good shot at defending home turf.

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Seahawks must establish RB Kenneth Walker III vs. Rams in Week 9

Seahawks must establish RB Kenneth Walker III vs. Rams in Week 9

The Seattle Seahawks failed to run the football effectively versus the Buffalo Bills in their Week 8 blowout defeat. Starting running back Kenneth Walker II was completely ineffective, rushing for 12 yards via nine carries. Change-of-pace back Zach Charbonnet rushed for four yards and a touchdown on three carries. Starting quarterback Geno Smith was actually Seattle’s leading rusher, a sign of their ground-game failure, gaining 16 yards via five scrambles.

Establishing Walker versus the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday’s Week 9 NFC West showdown is a must. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has faced difficult questions about abandoning the run this week. Grubb will surely attempt to get Walker going against the Rams.

Grubb dialed up seven passing attempts on Seattle’s opening nine offensive plays from scrimmage. The Seahawks immediately went into a pass-happy shell while the game was still close against Buffalo. That can’t be repeated versus the Rams.

Sean McVay’s Rams have struggled to defend the run this season. They’re currently allowing a 23rd-ranked 139.1 rushing yards per contest. Seattle’s offense is essentially the opposite of that, rushing for a lackluster fourth-worst 89.3 ground yards per outing. Analytics indicate the Rams actually have an 11th-best run-stop-win-rate (RSWR) of 32%, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Meanwhile, Seattle’s run-block-win-rate (RBWR) is just 69%, 25th-best in the league, indicating the struggling offensive line is to blame for the run-game struggles.

Walker rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown in a Week 1 victory over the Denver Broncos. It’s been difficult to repeat those efforts, with a disappointing string that included showings of 19, 32, and 12 rushing yards. Establishing Walker against the Rams is a necessity given the recent ground-game struggles.

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Seahawks ongoing run-game struggles take center stage vs. Bills

Seahawks ongoing run-game struggles take center stage vs. Bills

The Seattle Seahawks continue to struggle to establish an efficient rushing attack. Those ongoing difficulties took center stage against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8, a lopsided 31-10 defeat. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb must make an effort to rely on Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet earlier in games.

Walker was completely ineffective, rushing for 12 yards via nine carries. Charbonnet rushed for four yards and a touchdown on three carries. Starting quarterback Geno Smith was Seattle’s leading rusher, galloping for 16 yards via five scrambles.

The Seahawks rushed for 32 net offensive yards. Mike Macdonald’s squad was woefully out-gained on the ground by the Bills 164-32. Time of possession heavily favored Buffalo, 38:03 to 21:57.

Grubb continues to feature a pass-heavy attack. As pointed out by The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell, the Seahawks called seven passes on their first nine offensive plays from scrimmage. The Seahawks gained 16 rushing yards via 12 carries by Walker and Charbonnet. Buffalo only led 7-3 with 20 seconds remaining in the first half, giving Seattle no tangible reason to go into a pass-happy shell.

The Seahawks are now the league’s 29th-ranked rushing attack, producing 89.3 ground yards per outing. Grubb must work on his willingness to establish the run early. Seattle will continue being an inconsistent offense until they run the football more effectively and efficiently.

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Seahawks suffer worst loss of season, fall 31-10 to Bills at home

Seahawks suffer worst loss of season, fall 31-10 to Bills at home

The Seattle Seahawks took the field on Sunday and hardly looked competitive against the Buffalo Bills. Once more, the Seahawks were bullied in their own home. Only this time, it was the least competitive we’ve seen from this team in quite awhile.

Seattle has lost at Lumen Field for their third-straight home game. The last time they accomplished this “feat” was during the 2021 season when they dropped their first four home games… that streak was actually five games as it started with the 2020 Wild Card loss to the Rams the year prior.

The Seahawks did narrowly avoid failing to score a touchdown at home for the first time since November 2002 when they lost 31-9 to the Broncos, but this silver lining is a cold comfort.

Right from the get-go, the Bills were clearly the better team. Buffalo marched 90 yards in 14 plays, eating over nine minutes off the clock. This was despite the team was flagged four times, but Seattle could not take advantage. In fact, the Bills were guilty of 13 penalties for 85 yards. It is immensely frustrating the Seahawks were unable to have any of those play to their advantage. But, then again, the Hawks were just as sloppy, with 11 penalties for 82 yards.

Seattle’s offense was incapable of moving the ball, recording only 233 yards on 47 plays. The worst culprit was the fact the team could not run whatsoever. Buffalo’s rush defense has been highly suspect all year, but on Sunday they prevented the Seahawks from gaining any momentum.

Quarterback Geno Smith wasn’t much better, either. Smith completed 21-of-29 passes for 212 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. Smith’s interception came at a most inopportune time. Seattle was trailing 17-3, but made it across midfield when his pass was snatched by the Bills. Seven plays later, Buffalo made it 24-3 and effectively delivered the knockout blow.

The Seahawks’ up and down season continues. They started the year with three-straight wins, then lost their next three. They blew out the Falcons on the road for their most complete victory of the year, and followed it up with their worst home loss (by margin of defeat) since their 42-7 blowout loss to the Rams in 2017.

Speaking of the Rams, that’s who the Seahawks have next. Frustratingly, Los Angeles looks like they are back to being a legitimate threat. Wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua are back, and they just took down the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football last week so they will be well rested.

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First half recap: Seahawks trail Bills 14-3

First half recap: Seahawks trail Bills 14-3

This story was updated to add new information

Once more, the Seattle Seahawks have a slow start in the first half… and at home, no less. The Seahawks are hosting the 5-2 Buffalo Bills, who look every bit the part of an AFC contender. Seattle, on the other hand, are struggling to keep pace.

The Bills are dominating the Seahawks in all major statistical categories:

  • Total yards: 224 to 96
    • Passing: 152 to 95
    • Rushing: 74 to 1
  • Time of possession: 18:07 to 11:53
  • First downs: 15 to 6
  • Total plays: 35 to 23
  • Yards per play: 6.4 to 4.2

There are only two reasons why this score isn’t uglier than it should. First off, the Bills have been penalized an astonishing 7 times for 48 yards. They cannot seem to get out of their own way. In fact, the penalties are the doing a better job of slowing Buffalo down than the Seahawks are. The second reason is because of cornerback Josh Jobe stealing a possession away from the Bills with his interception. It is the first Josh Allen has thrown all season/

The primary culprit in Seattle’s slow start is the offense, which yet again, cannot seem to get anything going in their first halves. This is routine for them, aside from two or three games this year. Geno Smith has completed 10-of-13 passes for 95 yards, while Kenneth Walker III has five yards on six carries. The inability to get the ground game going is hurting Seattle to a disproportionate degree.

Buffalo will get the ball to start the second half.

Seahawks vs Bills injury report: Latest updates, news for Week 8

All the latest updates and news on the Seahawks injury report ahead of a Week 8 game vs. Bills

The Seattle Seahawks are gearing up for a Week 8 home showdown against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. It will be Buffalo’s first visit to the Pacific Northwest since the 2016 season. Seattle got some good injury news related to their right tackles, as Abe Lucas and George Fant are back at practice. Unfortunately, they did have to place Stone Forsythe on injured reserve as well.

For Wednesday’s practice, plenty of key names did not participate, such as wide receiver DK Metcalf. Against the Falcons last week, Metcalf suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain, and is considered week-to-week. He did not practice, nor did Kenneth Walker III who is apparently still dealing with an illness.

The full injury report for Wednesday’s practice can be seen below.

Seahawks injury report

Did Not Participate:

  • WR DK Metcalf – Knee
  • CB Tre Brown – Ankle
  • DE Leonard Williams – Knee/NIR-Rest
  • CB Nehemiah Pritchett – Ankle
  • RB Kenneth Walker III – Illness

Limited Participation:

  • T George Fant – Knee
  • T Abe Lucas – Knee
  • CB Riq Woolen – Ankle
  • S Julian Love – Knee/Quad
  • NT Cameron Young – Knee
  • DE Mike Morris – Ankle

Full Participation: 

  • TE Brady Russell – Shoulder
  • LB Boye Mafe – Knee
  • S Jerrick Reed II

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Seattle Seahawks’ 5 highest graded players in Week 7 according to PFF

Seattle Seahawks’ 5 highest graded players in Week 7 according to PFF

Several Seattle Seahawks players put forth excellent performances in Sunday’s dominant 34-14 Week 7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Each week, Pro Football Focus grades every qualifying player in the league. This week, the following Seahawks talents were the five highest-graded performers.

Kenneth Walker III | 87.7

Kenneth Walker III was outstanding on Sunday, rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown via 14 carries en route to averaging an effective 4.9 yards per carry. The dual-threat Walker also added two receptions for 24 yards and an additional score to his offensive totals. Seattle’s excellent running back was understandably their highest-graded player.

Derick Hall | 87.7

Derick Hall didn’t record a sack on Sunday despite already having five QB takedowns this campaign. That doesn’t mean the former Auburn standout didn’t make an impact. Hall returned a 36-yard fumble recovery on a Boye Mafe strip-sack for his first career touchdown. He also recorded four pressures.

DK Metcalf | 80.6

DK Metcalf suffered a knee injury in the victory, but he still managed to make a massive impact. The rocked-up Metcalf recorded four receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown, and even caught Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s first career passing attempt. We’ll monitor Seattle’s WR1 and his injury status ahead of a matchup with the Buffalo Bills in Week 8.

Julian Love | 79.1

With Rayshawn Jenkins on IR, and various other secondary defenders sidelined, including Riq Woolen, the Seahawks were counting on receiving a consistent performance from veteran safety Julian Love. That’s exactly what they got. Love totaled nine tackles, and more importantly, recorded his second interception of the season.

Tyler Lockett | 77.8

Tyler Lockett continues to be ole reliable. The 2015 draftee hauled in four receptions for 45 receiving yards. Lockett has recorded 45-plus receiving yards in every contest this season, minus the Week 2 win over the New England Patriots. When Geno Smith is in a bind, he scans the field for his most consistent receiving threat.

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Seahawks snap losing streak, defeat Falcons 34-14

Seahawks snap losing streak, defeat Falcons 34-14

The Seattle Seahawks are finally off the schneid! After losing their last three-straight games, Seattle is finally back in the win column with a dominant 34-14 road victory over the Falcons. It was easily their most complete game of the season.

Atlanta had been one of the hotter teams in football as of late, as they had won their previous three games, including last week’s by a blowout. However, against the Seahawks, they could not really find their footing.

Seattle quickly built up a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. The Falcons were able to make it 10-7, but right before the half expired the Seahawks made it a 10-point game once more thanks to Geno Smith finding DK Metcalf for a 31-yard touchdown. Atlanta did manage to pull within three once more, making it a 17-14 game in the third quarter… but that was as close as they would get for the remainder of the outing.

Seattle responded by Smith finding the birthday man himself, Kenneth Walker, for a 17-yard receiving touchdown. Once more, it was a 10-point game at 24-14, and the Seahawks poured it on from there.

Atlanta’s first three drives of the fourth quarter all ended in disaster. At midfield, Boye Mafe forced a fumble of Kirk Cousins, and Derick Hall scooped the ball up for a 64-yard touchdown to make it 31-14. On the ensuing drive for the Falcons, Cousins pass bounced off wide receiver Drake London’s hands and into Julian Love’s… who secured his first interception since Week 1.

Seattle turned that interception into three more points. Finally, the last Falcons drive Cousins led was once again ended abruptly thanks to a Coby Bryant interception… his first in his career. After that, rookie Michael Penix Jr. took over and had his first regular season snaps of his career. The game was effectively over by this point.

The Seahawks secured a much-needed win, stopping the bleed. They improve to 4-3, and keep pace with the San Francisco 49ers. In fact, depending on how San Francisco’s game against Kansas City plays out, Seattle could theoretically move back into sole possession. However, that is merely a hypothetical. What matters is they did not lose any ground.

Geno Smith was highly efficient, completing 18-of-28 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Walker had 69 yards and two total touchdowns, and DK Metcalf led the team with 99 receiving yards and a score.

Next up: a return to Lumen Field to host the Buffalo Bills. At the moment, they have a multiple score lead over the Tennessee Titans late in the fourth quarter. Assuming the Bills can hang on, they will improve to 5-2, giving the Seahawks another considerable challenge.

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First half highlights: Seahawks lead Falcons 17-7

First half highlights: Seahawks lead Falcons 17-7

The Seattle Seahawks have had their best first half of football in nearly a month, as they lead the Atlanta Falcons XX-7 on the road. Seattle started the game strong with an opening drive field goal, which should have been a touchdown if it wasn’t for a meddling holding call. Still, the Seahawks took a 3-0 lead.

Seattle’s defense held Atlanta to a punt, then a missed field goal, and eventually the Hawks offense found the end zone with a Kenneth Walker III touchdown. The 20-yard touchdown was scored by Walker on his birthday!

The Falcons answered the Walker touchdown of their own, cutting Seattle’s lead to 10-7 in the second quarter. Seattle had a few more fireworks, such as this trick play from Jaxon Smith-Njigba to DK Metcalf.

Unfortunately, the Seahawks could not get much out of this, as penalties and sacks forced a punt. Seattle’s protection has been weak, as usual, as Geno Smith has been pressured the entire game. However, the Seahawks have been able to get to Kirk Cousins as well, such as this sack from Leonard Williams.

But the Seahawks were not done. Seattle took advantage of one final drive before the half expired, with barely over a minute left. Facing a third-and-15 with mere seconds on the clock, Geno Smith uncorked and hit DK Metcalf for a 31-yard touchdown to give the Seahawks a 17-7 lead just before halftime.

Be sure to follow @TheSeahawksWire and @KoleMusgrove23 on Twitter for more live updates, analysis and highlights during the game.

Watch: Kenneth Walker III scores a touchdown on his birthday

Watch: Kenneth Walker III scores a touchdown on his birthday

The Seahawks have taken an early lead on the Atlanta Falcons, thanks to running back Kenneth Walker III… on his birthday no less!

Usually on ones birthday, the custom is obviously to give gifts to the one who’s birth we’re celebrating. Well, Walker decided to reverse the trend and give the Seahawks – and the 12th Man – a gift of his own.

This gift came in the form of a touchdown to help extend Seattle’s lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter. Walker’s 20-yard scamper is his sixth of the season, and a much needed one.

Walker was listed as QUESTIONABLE headed into this game due to illness. Thankfully, he was able to get over it enough to play. At the time this article was published, the Falcons did manage to respond to Walker’s score with one of their own, but Seattle still leads 10-7.

Be sure to follow @TheSeahawksWire and @KoleMusgrove23 on Twitter for more live updates, analysis and highlights during the game.

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