Seahawks passing game can overcome early running back injuries

Something usually strikes around November whereupon a running back for the Seattle Seahawks gets injured. Whatever that is has sure hit the team early this year.

With Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet, and Kenny McIntosh already dealing with ailments less than two weeks into camp, Seattle’s once again hoping to field something resembling a full running back room. Already.

Though it’s absurd to think a team would simply conclude to never run the ball...what’s that you say? Tampa Bay did what?

Anyway Pete Carroll will (probably) never do this. But it reminded me that the “Carroll run first” narrative remains overblown, and in fact the offensive firepower of this year’s Seahawks absolutely rests in the passing game.

They’ll still never be a team that does the above, but a couple of things stand out about this offense, as the fellas that tote the rock do indeed hopefully recover soon.

Among the drastic differences between 2022 Russell Wilson and Geno Smith, the two that stand out the most in my mind are 3rd down conversions, and this little gem:

Would you believe it? It was not Pete Carroll, but Wilson’s former new coach who refused to send him out there all alone and un-hemmed, but old ground-and-pound Carroll himself who allowed Geno to spread it out frequently.

Think through the above-average passing scheme/personnel options that Shane Waldron’s offense now has this season:

• Geno Smith top-10 efficiency in empty backfield
• Elite efficiency w/ three tight ends on the field
• A three-receiver set like they’ve never had, albeit dependent on a rookie, albeit that rookie sure seems like the real deal, albeit anything can happen.
• Maintained deep threat ability

We do sincerely hope that Seattle sends more than DeeJay Dallas to the line by himself come Week 1. Things are trending in the right direction.

But the fact remains, as balanced as Pete Carroll says he wants to be, the accolades of this offense will very likely be, once again, on the passing game.