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The Seattle Seahawks were roundly criticized for drafting a running back in the first round this year (including by me, but not for lack of need) and yet Friday’s news is another check mark in the “Pros” column for Pete Carroll going out and grabbing Rashaad Penny: running back Chris Carson is questionable to play against the LA Chargers on Sunday.
Carroll noted that he expects Carson to play but he added, “We’ve just got to make sure on game day that he’s okay. If not, we’ll go with the other guys and move forward.”
The full Pete Carroll quote on Chris Carson: “He worked. He’s just got a little groin thing he’s feeling. He got through the day. He practiced every day this week. We’ve just got to make sure on game day that he’s OK. If not we’ll go with other guys and move forward. We’ll see.”
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) November 2, 2018
Carson missed 12 games during his rookie campaign with a broken ankle and sat out in Week 4 against the Arizona Cardinals with a hip injury. That week the Seahawks still rushed for 171 yards, including 101 and two touchdowns by Mike Davis. Penny was given nine carries and gained 49 yards. Carson seems to me to be the best back among the three right now, but Seattle was not much worse for the wear with the backups in Arizona and I wouldn’t expect a much different case at home vs the Chargers. (Hence why I would not use a first round pick on a back usually.)
Also listed as questionable were strong safety Bradley McDougald and outside linebacker K.J. Wright, but Carroll says both were resting and will play against LA.
Carson’s three 100-yard games rank as the second-most in the NFL this season (tied with Ezekiel Elliott, and one fewer than James Conner and Todd Gurley) despite him only playing in six games. The Seahawks are the only team in the NFL to have two different players gain 100 rushing yards in a game this season.