BUMP AND STACY

Why Bump feels the Seahawks can fix their lacking run game

Oct 14, 2024, 3:45 PM

Seattle Seahawks Kenneth Walker III touchdown run Detroit Lions 2024...

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III runs for a TD against the Detroit Lions on Monday night. (Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

(Nic Antaya/Getty Images)

A problem has emerged in recent weeks for the Seattle Seahawks on offense.

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Despite possessing one of the NFL’s more explosive running backs in Kenneth Walker III, the Seahawks have struggled to put together a consistent run game and have completely abandoned it at times.

Through six weeks, Seattle’s rushing attack ranks at or near the back of the pack in a number of categories. Its 20.8 rush attempts per game and 31.65% rushing play percentage are both last in the NFL, and its 96.5 rushing yards per game are 29th.

Those numbers become even more abysmal in the sample size of the past three games – all losses for the Seahawks.

In those games, Seattle has run the ball just 16.7 times per game while calling run plays just 23.92% of the time. The next closest teams to those numbers during that stretch are the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 22.3 rushes per game and the New York Jets’ 33.18% rushing play percentage.

The lack of a rushing attack was a big point of emphasis during a short week before facing the San Francisco 49ers last Thursday. The Seahawks were coming off a string of two games where running backs had a combined six carries in the first half. Plus, Walker had only five total carries just days prior in a disappointing loss to the New York Giants.

“Got to get the ball to (Walker) more,” first-year offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said about the loss to the Giants. “I think we had plenty of run game in the plan, didn’t have anything to do with not having enough calls for that, just didn’t get called. And for us, we leaned on the wrong thing. And I think if we get Ken 10 more touches, 15 more touches, things are going to look different.”

However, Seattle couldn’t get much going against the 49ers. The Seahawks showed a commitment to trying establish their run game, started the game with three handoffs on their first four plays and had 10 running back carries in total in the first half, but they ended up with only 52 yards on 20 carries by the end of the game.

Can the Seahawks and Grubb get things figured out on the ground? Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus has some hope. He explained why Monday during Four Down Territory on Bump and Stacy.

“I’m watching film all weekend and there are some things that I saw during the 49er game (where) I go, ‘If you just fixed that, you’re good,’” Bumpus said.

The problem

Grubb was known for his high-flying and innovative offensive scheme during his time coaching in the college ranks. He had success calling plays at every stop, but most notably the past two seasons on Montlake as the offensive coordinator of the UW Huskies.

One of the unique aspects of Grubb’s offense is the varying pre-snap shifts used to confuse the defense and give the offense a chance to read how its opponent reacts.

“There are some plays where there’s a run play and the Seahawks are shifting formations and motioning guys over, and the (line)backers are moving with them,” Bumpus said. “It changes their strength (and) it changes their gaps.”

But Bumpus isn’t seeing the players on offense make their own adjustments in response to the defense.

“Too many times, I saw the backers’ shift confuses the offensive line,” Bumpus said. “You gotta guard going to the wrong guy, you got two tight ends blocking one guy, and I’m looking at the facial expressions or the body language of the players afterwards and (they are) like, ‘What are you doing? You’re supposed to go there.’ They are confused. At no point in time should you ever not block (star linebacker Fred Warner) for the Niners. He should be blocked at all times.

“So those shifts, those motions and the backers moving with them were confusing the offensive line and the tight ends that were involved in this whole situation.”

The solution

Among the 12 teams with the lowest percentage of run plays in the league, only one (Atlanta) has a record above .500. So, finding a way to reboot the rushing attack is key for the Seahawks.

Bumpus sees Seattle’s problem as one that comes down to players not knowing their assignments when the defense changes its look. Ultimately, that falls on the coaches.

“At this point, I’m thinking (about) coaching. You got to get them ready for that,” Bumpus said. “They gotta know, if we shift them from there to there, the backers are gonna slide, this is gonna be my guy. Fred Warner should never not be blocked or attempted to be blocked. It blew my mind how many times he was free and just moving. So, I’m putting it on the coaches now.

“I don’t think they have the offensive line – all across the board – that they want as far as talent-wise, but if you just coach guys up to get to the dang spot (and) get to the right guy, you give yourself a chance, because Ken Walker can set up those runs. But if they’re not even getting to the right guy, you stand no chance.”

Listen to Four Down Territory with former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus at this link our in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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