Brock: Where Seahawks will miss RB Zach Charbonnet most

The Seattle Seahawks had the luxury of having two starting-caliber running backs to turn to throughout the season, but that won’t be the case for the rest of their playoff run.

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Running back Zach Charbonnet suffered a season-ending knee injury in Saturday’s 41-6 divisional round win over the San Francisco 49ers, which is reported to be a torn ACL, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

With Charbonnet exiting in the second quarter, Kenneth Walker III assumed more of the workload as Seattle’s lead back, rushing for 116 yards and three TDs on 19 carries in a standout performance. But the Seahawks will undoubtedly be missing what Charbonnet brings to their backfield.

During Tuesday’s edition of Brock and Salk on Seattle Sports, former NFL quarterback Brock Huard described the areas the Seahawks will miss Charbonnet most.

“The two areas you’re gonna feel his absence and his void, the largest is down there in the phone booth where he’s got double-digit touchdowns,” Huard said of Charbonnet’s work near the goal line. “His ability to run through contact in short yardage, in the red zone, goal line, black zone, all the different areas down there where it is all about physicality. And then in the pass-protection game where he puts his chin in there.”

Charbonnet had been Seattle’s go-to option near the goal line this season. Ten of his career-high 12 rushing TDs this season came on carries inside the 10-yard line, according to Fantasy Pros. He also had nearly three times as many rushes inside the 10 as Walker during the regular season, outpacing his backfield mate 28 to 10 on carries inside the 10.

Charbonnet also logged 20 more pass-blocking snaps than Walker (67 to 47), according to Pro Football Focus. Despite having 20 more snaps in those situations, he allowed less pressures (five) than Walker (eight).

That means Walker is going to have to step up in those situations, according to Huard.

“Now you gotta be the peanut butter and jelly. You gotta be the Batman and the Robin,” Huard said. “And you gotta step up in both of these areas to another level.”

The Seahawks could possibly get some help at running back before they face the Rams in the NFC Championship on Sunday. Head coach Mike Macdonald on Monday said second-year back George Holani is “an option” to return off injured reserve this week. If he is able to come back, Huard could see him shouldering some of the load on third downs and in pass-blocking situations, but that comes with a caveat.

“I just don’t know where Holani is at in this, how much work behind the scenes (he’s done), all the kind of walkthroughs, all the reps,” Huard said.

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

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