Brock: The problem facing Seahawks’ run game is clear

For the second time in the past three weeks, the Seattle Seahawks struggled to get much of anything going running the football.

Seahawks’ offense laments turnovers, says defense ‘deserved to win’

Seattle rushed for just 89 yards on 26 carries in its 32-29 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. And when it comes to what the running backs did, the results were even less productive. Seahawks running backs combined for just 68 yards on 24 carries, good for a meager 2.8 yards a pop, and neither of the two backs who carried the ball had a rush that went for more than nine yards.

On top of the lack of production in the backfield, Seattle running backs fumbled the ball three times, losing two. One of those two lost fumbles came in their own end zone and resulted in a 49ers touchdown in the closing moments of the first half, a critical moment in a game the Seahawks ultimately fell three points short in.

“The running back room is a problem,” former NFL quarterback Brock Huard said Monday during his Blue 88 segment on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.

The biggest problem Huard is seeing from Seattle’s running backs?

“This is not to be a player basher or player hater, but anybody with eyes can watch it and just watch the lack of explosion, the lack of acceleration, the lack of breaking a tackle, the lack of getting one more yard than what’s blocked,” he said.

Despite an injury to first-round pick Jadarian Price and the team still awaiting the return of Zach Charbonnet from a torn ACL sustained last season, the Seahawks have remained committed to running the football so far this year with their 27.8 rush attempts per game tied for 11th in the league. However, their 3.8 yards per carry this season ranks 20th.

The lack of explosive plays have been at the center of those struggles running the football. Seattle has just nine rushes of 10 yards or more from its running backs through five games. Five of those were from Price, who was placed on injured reserve with a chest injury after Week 3. Emanuel Wilson has the other four among his team-high 73 carries. George Holani has zero among his 26 carries.

Reinforcement coming?

One player who could help Seattle’s lack of playmaking ability in the backfield is newly signed running back Robert Henry Jr., who was signed off the Washington Commanders’ practice squad on Tuesday.

NFL analyst and former league scout Daniel Jeremiah described Henry as  a “gifted” running back capable of hitting “lots of home runs” during a recent conversation with Brock and Salk.

Henry was inactive for Seattle’s game against the 49ers, but Huard could understand why.

“I am sure saw some of the calculus, rightfully so, for the coaching staff as they’re trying to get ready to play this game against that opponent with that intensity, speed, violence, all of it was, was: ‘Can we throw a guy when he’s been here for four days?'” Huard said.

But “George Holani’s not pass blocking, he’s fumbling all over the place. Emanuel, bless his heart, is getting the yards that are blocked (and) not one inch more,” Huard added. “And because of it, you ran for 2.8 yards to carry once again from your running backs. That’s just not winning football.”

Listen to Brock and Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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