Edit: If the video does not display, you have to click the “Watch on YouTube” button or follow this link here.
While Trevone Boykin’s 88-yard drive and game-winning hail mary to Tanner McEvoy grabbed the headlines in the Seattle Seahawks’ 17-16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, the first quarter was controlled by the Seahawks’ formidable running play of Christine Michael. In this game, Michael collected 44 yards on seven carries in a variety of zone running concepts. It was a critical game for Michael, who went into camp as a presumed backup to Thomas Rawls at best and a definite bubble candidate who nearly ran out of NFL chances last year. This may have been his best time to shine with Rawls and others still out with injuries over the weekend.
In this video breakdown, I took a quick look at a few of Michael’s runs and in particular his outside zone run at the end of the first quarter to gain nine yards.
Based on his performance this week versus the Chiefs, it looks like Seattle might have a good running back duo when Rawls returns to the lineup. There will be some difficult decisions for Pete Carroll and his staff to make when it comes to the order of running backs this year.