Tag: Kenneth Walker III

Seahawks Week 15 injury report: Kenneth Walker DNP

Seahawks Week 15 injury report: Kenneth Walker DNP

The Seattle Seahawks have announced their first injury report for Week 15, and on the list of non-participants at practice was running back Kenneth Walker III. Absent from the Week 14 win over Arizona due to a calf injury, Walker once again did not not practice. Backup Zach Charbonnet had a strong performance in his place, but there is no doubt the Seahawks would prefer to have their starter in the lineup.

It was a heavy day of non-participants due to rest, which I believe every 12 out there can understand. The good news is punter Michael Dickson was a limited participant. That coupled with the release of Ty Zentner sends a message that the team believes Dickson is trending upwards health-wise.

Here is the full injury report from Wednesday’s practice.

Did Not Participate: 

  • RB Kenneth Walker – Calf
  • CB Tre Brown – Hamstring
  • S Jerrick Reed II – Quad
  • DE Leonard Williams – Foot/NIR/Rest
  • LB Ernest Jones IV – Knee/NIR/Rest
  • G Laken Tomlinson – NIR/Rest
  • WR Tyler Lockett – NIR/Rest
  • NT Jarran Reed – NIR/Rest
  • LB Boye Mafe – NIR/Rest

Limited Participation:

  • TE Brady Russell – Foot
  • P Michael Dickson – Back

Full Participation:

  • T Stone Forsythe – Hand
  • WR DK Metcalf – Shoulder
  • T Abe Lucas – Knee
  • LB Uchenna Nwosu – Thigh
  • CB Artie Burns – Toe
  • S K’Von Wallace – Ankle

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Can RB George Holani make an impact for the Seahawks?

Can RB George Holani make an impact for the Seahawks?

The Seattle Seahawks were dealt a brutal blow on Saturday when it was announced running back Kenneth Walker III was ruled OUT. Seattle will have to compete in the Week 14 rematch without their best ball carrier. With Walker no longer active, filling his place is rookie running back George Holani, who was elevated off the practice squad.

Holani turned plenty of heads this preseason, when he rumbled his way to 66 total yards on 17 carries in his three games. He even managed to find the end zone twice, including the first touchdown of the exhibition season for the Seahawks. The question now shifts to Week 14 – can Holani make an impact for a Seattle offense struggling to run the ball?

The Seahawks have not had more than 285 total yards of offense in four of their last five games, and are really struggling getting anything going on the ground. The main culprit of this problem is of course Seattle’s atrocious offensive line. Surely backup Zach Charbonnet will get the lion’s share of carries in Walker’s absence, and I would not be surprised if third-stringer Kenny McIntosh gets some looks as well.

However, I don’t think Holani should be ignored from the game plan. He has only suited up in one game this year, a Week 2 road trip to play the New England Patriots. The Seahawks, at times this year under Ryan Grubb, have abandoned the run far too early. Yes, they struggle to get things going on the ground, but there are other times where they move off the run when they do not have to do so. Perhaps Holani can provide a bit of a spark to a Seahawks team that are underdogs for an eighth-straight week.

 

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III downgraded to OUT for Week 14

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III downgraded to OUT for Week 14

In a rather unfortunate bit of news, the Seattle Seahawks have officially downgraded running back Kenneth Walker III to OUT for Sunday. The Seahawks will have to go into their crucial Week 14 rematch with the Arizona Cardinals without their best ballcarrier.

Walker was listed as QUESTIONABLE on Friday going into the weekend with a calf injury. Sadly, the standout back could not overcome this setback, and will not be present. As a result, Seattle elevated rookie running back George Holani off the practice squad. Holani was undrafted out of Boise State this year, and made quite the impact in the preseason. The former Bronco had 17 rushes for 66 yards and two touchdowns this past August.

Additionally, the Seahawks elevated punter Ty Zentner from the practice squad. Zentner was added to the practice squad earlier this week as insurance for punter Michael Dickson, who is also QUESTIONABLE and dealing with back spasms.

The other addition to the injury report is cornerback Tre Brown, who has been downgraded to DOUBTFUL.

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3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks offense vs. Cardinals in Week 14

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks offense vs. Cardinals in Week 14

The Seattle Seahawks face a critical matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in Sunday’s Week 14 game. It’s a potentially decisive NFC West rematch after the Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 16-6 two weeks ago. Sunday’s outcome will have a drastic impact on the standings and postseason odds. Despite picking up the win, Seattle’s offense struggled against Arizona  in Week 12. We’ve compiled three bold predictions for the offense in Week 14.

Seahawks score more than one offensive TD

In the Week 12 victory over the Cardinals, the Seahawks offense took a 7-3 lead in the second quarter via a three-yard passing score from Geno Smith to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. That would be Seattle’s lone offensive score of the afternoon. Coby Bryant returned an interception for a 69-yard pick-six for Mike Macdonald’s second and final touchdown. Look for the Seahawks to enjoy more offensive success this time around.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the WR room again

The Seahawks have won three consecutive games and Jaxon Smith-Njigba has led the offense in receptions and receiving yards in all of them. Superstar wide receiver DK Metcalf missed Thursday’s practice with a shoulder injury. With Metcalf’s status for Sunday legitimately hanging in the balance, expect JSN to continue operating as Smith’s go-to target.

Zach Charbonnet thrives

Running back Kenneth Walker III also missed Thursday’s practice with ankle and calf designations. Change-of-pace back Zach Charbonnet ranks second on the offense in touchdowns this season with six. Charbonnet took advantage of an expanded role versus the Cardinals if Walker is absent or even limited.

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Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Cardinals on offense in Week 12

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks vs. Cardinals on offense in Week 12

The Seattle Seahawks captured a critical victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, winning their Week 12 contest within the NFC West 16-6.  Starting quarterback Geno Smith completed 22 of 31 passing attempts for 254 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Smith and the offense were effective enough on offense. Analyzing the advanced metrics, these were the Seahawks’ three highest-graded players on offense, according to Pro Football Focus.

Kenneth Walker III | 88.2

It was borderline surprising to see Kenneth Walker III score so highly considering he rushed for 41 yards and zero touchdowns via 16 carries. The Cardinals shut down the former Michigan State standout, holding Seattle’s preferred ball carrier to 2.6 yards per carry. Walker however chipped in with four receptions on six targets for 52 receiving yards, totaling nearly 100 yards of offense.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 79.1

Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to enjoy a breakout sophomore campaign. JSN was once again Smith’s go-to target on Sunday, leading the Seahawks in receptions (six) and receiving yards (77). Smith-Njigba also scored Seattle’s only offensive touchdown of the afternoon. JSN is living up to the hype as last year’s first-round selection.

DK Metcalf | 69.8

DK Metcalf remains Smith’s tried and true deep threat. The vertical boundary receiver accumulated four receptions for 59 receiving yards. The highlight of Metcalf’s afternoon was a 29 yard reception, Seattle’s second-longest play from scrimmage on offense. The Cardinals had few answers for Seattle’s passing attack.

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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.