PFF analyst calls for patience with Seahawks’ run game

The Seattle Seahawks suffered one of the most shocking losses of the NFL season thus far when they fell to a Washington Commanders squad led by backup quarterback Marcus Mariota last week.

RB Zach Charbonnet designated to return to practice by Seahawks

In that 33-31 upset defeat, the Seahawks were never able to get their run game established.

Seattle rushed for just 44 yards on 18 carries in the loss, which included only 39 yards on 17 carries from running backs. Eleven of those yards came on its first offensive play, and rookie Jadarian Price had a costly fumble near his own 20-yard line that set up the Commanders’ opening score in the first quarter.

It was a tough day on the ground for a Seahawks team that had run for 162 yards the week prior, but has also largely been inconsistent rushing the ball through the first three weeks.

Seattle’s run game could get a boost in the near future since Zach Charbonnet returned to practice Thursday, opening a 21-day window for him to return from the torn ACL he suffered in January. But is the rushing attack a concern for the Seahawks?

Pro Football Focus analyst Trevor Sikkema preached patience with Seattle’s run game when he joined Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Thursday, specifically when it comes to Price. He also felt the Seahawks lacked that patience when they faced Washington, and that Price has lacked patience at times with the ball in his hand.

“I think Jadarian Price gives you a lot of that explosiveness, but at the same time, he’s a rookie,” Sikkema said. “He turns the ball over early in that game. I don’t wanna say he’s in the doghouse because he still played and they needed him to play a little bit, but they didn’t lean on him as much as I felt like they could have, and it felt as though the game plan got away from them a little bit when it came to getting back to running the football.

“I really just feel like it does come down to the game slowing down a little bit (and) a little bit more patience from Jadarian Price.”

Price was the No. 2 option during his college days at Notre Dame playing behind 2026 No. 3 overall draft pick Jeremiyah Love. And while the popular belief is that Price would have been the No. 1 back at pretty much any other school, Sikkema said the smaller share of reps Price received does matter.

“He’s still not getting those carries, he’s still not getting those snaps, and that experience means a lot,” he said.

When asked if the Seahawks need to make fundamental changes to their run game, Sikkema said he doesn’t believe that is the case.

“I think it’ll be fine because they’re still trying to run a lot of that outside-zone run game. They’re still trying to get these guys to the outside. They still want Jadarian Price to be in space and make the most out of his explosiveness. So, I don’t really want them to do anything different,” Sikkema said. “It’s just gonna be a little bit of a learning curve as Price sort of understands the timing, the strength, how easily guys can close in on him, how tightly he has to hold that football to make sure that he’s not putting it on the ground – all that good stuff.

“So, it was always going to be a little bit of timing for him, but I don’t think that schematically or fundamentally they’re doing anything that really needs changing. It’s just a young back that I think needs time.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app. 

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