‘Hawk Talk’ highlights: How will the Seahawks get their run game going?

Danny O’Neil hosted another edition of “Hawk Talk” on Tuesday, as he does each week during the Seahawks season. The complete transcript can be found here. Highlights are below.

PDXHawk asked about the chances of the the running game getting on track at some point this season.

Danny O’Neil: It’s going to get better. That’s not just about Thomas Rawls coming back. It’s not just about the offensive line – which is currently starting two rookies – getting better as it always does. It’s about Seattle being able to better sustain drives.

Mike asked if the Seahawks are about to move on from using Christine Michael as they’re No. 1 running back.

Danny O’Neil: Nothing that happened (or more accurately didn’t happen) in the running game on Monday night had anything to do with Christine Michael. There was no room to run.

MmmYesQuite and Jdoster06 both inquired about a possible extension for Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham, who is signed through next year for $10 million (unguaranteed).

Danny O’Neil: An extension on Jimmy Graham? Why in the world do that? Here’s the fundamental reason. Jimmy is not at a point where he is underpaid. If he’s worth $10 million next season, pay him the $10 million. His annual salary matches up well at the position and extending a guy who has a contract like that into the future – essentially moving cap costs into his 30s – that’s how teams wind up in salary-cap hell.

Ross asked about what to make of Monday’s win over the Bills in which the Seahawks’ offense played much better in the first half than in the second.

Danny O’Neil: A lot to unpack. I could see arguments for both sides. On the one hand, the Seahawks won a game in which the opponent scored 25 or more points for only the second time since Russell Wilson became QB. On the other hand, the Seahawks allowed 25 points to a Bills team that’s only slightly more complicated than a Nebraska offense from the late ’90s.

Tom Page asked if rookie George Fant is proving to be better than Bradley Sowell at left tackle?

Danny O’Neil: He certainly has more upside than Sowell. The fact that you’ve seen him get two clipping penalties (fairly unheard of for NFL linemen in the past few years) is evident.

SeaHokie asked about the ongoing list of weird instances that have occurred in the north end zone of CenturyLink Field on Monday Night Football.

Danny O’Neil: Let’s count ’em up. That’s the end zone of the Terrell Owens Sharpie signing, right? And Jay Feely missing three field-goal attempts in that November 2005 game against Seattle when Luke Petitgout had 500 false-start penalties. And it’s the end zone where Tony Romo bobbled the snap on a potential game-winning FG. And where Kam Chancellor knocked the ball loose from Calvin Johnson and K.J. Wright batted it out. And the Fail Mary, with Russell Wilson showing he’s so great that he doesn’t often throw interceptions, but when he does, they win games for Seattle.

Roger asked if the fact that safety Kam Chancellor has been injured for stretches of multiple games in each of the last two seasons is a sign that his future is short in Seattle.

Danny O’Neil: Availability – or lack thereof – certainly played a role in Seattle’s decision to move on from center Max Unger after 2014. That said, who is Seattle going to look to extend/retain out of the current group on the team?