Hawk Talk highlights: What to make of Thomas Rawls and the Seahawks’ offensive line

As he does every week during the football season, Danny O’Neil hosted a live Seahawks chat on Tuesday. The transcript can be found here. Highlights are below.

howker asked how much stock should be put into Thomas Rawls’ performance against Chicago (104 yards on 16 carries) considering how bad the Bears are.

O’Neil: Well, I don’t think we should pronounce him as the second coming of Marshawn Lynch just yet. But that as an encouraging performance if for no reason other than he had holes to run through, fullbacks that were flattening linebackers and Will Tukuafu playing some tight end, too.

Matt asked why the Seahawks are waiting to reveal the results of the MRI on Lynch’s injured hamstring.

O’Neil: Well, it’s definitely not in Seattle’s interest to provide information for opponents to know. As I’ve been told before, NFL teams are in the business of collecting information, not sharing it. And the other thing is that I would actually expect the question not to have as much to with MRI results as to how Lynch is feeling.

I am a better person since Kam returned asked whether backup offensive lineman Alvin Bailey could start if Seattle’s offensive line continues to struggle.

O’Neil: You work to get those players better. You act as if the team hasn’t had a chance to see Bailey at all. It has. The decision was made that while moving Bailey out, sliding Justin Britt to guard and inserting Garry Gilliam at right tackle might result in a step back, it would enable the line to take a huge step forward down the road.

Brian asked whether the Seahawks would consider acquiring a starting offensive linemen at some point during the season.

O’Neil: Honestly, I don’t think that’s a real consideration. You would essentially be starting over in terms of continuity. Again. They made a move after the first preseason game, knowing that it would be a short-term step backward with an eye toward a long-term step forward. This line looks as bad as it has since 2011. But even that year, Seattle was running the ball effectively by the second half even as a rash of injuries struck.

Vai Sikahema asked, who’s the best assistant coach on the Seahawks’ staff?

O’Neil: That’s impossible to answer. I think that Tom Cable is exceptional in the run game, and could be a very effective head coach. The fact that Cable got the Raiders to 8-8 is remarkable in retrospect. I think Brian Schneider is great. In fact, he’s a special teams coach who could be a head coach down the road. I’ve had coaches on other staffs go out of their way to tell me how much they respect Schneider. The early returns on Kris Richard are very encouraging, and people have great things to say about Micheal Barrow, new linebackers coach.

During a recent live chat, Danny O’Neil discussed various topics regarding the Seahawks, including Thomas Rawls’ performance and the team’s strategies moving forward. As the conversation shifted to player dynamics and the importance of performance, it’s worth noting how advancements in sports technology are influencing athletic performance across different sports. For instance, the tennis sneaker revolution is reshaping how players approach the game, with innovations in shoe design enhancing comfort and performance on the court. Just as the Seahawks are looking to optimize their lineup for better results, the evolution of footwear technology is helping athletes in tennis and beyond achieve their best performance.

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