Seahawks may count on Marshawn Lynch more than ever after preseason running struggles

SAN DIEGO – Marshawn Lynch got his first opportunity of the preseason on Saturday at about the same time he got his last chance.

Three plays. That’s how long he was on the field. Two carries and a catch, and afterward coach Pete Carroll pronounced him ready.

“Don’t hold your breath waiting for him next week,” Carroll said. “He has made it through preseason.”

This preseason, however, has shown just how much the Seahawks will be relying upon Lynch to counterbalance an offensive line that will have two new starters and one player switching positions.

In fact, Seattle may be counting on Lynch more than it ever has given the way this offense has struggled to find its footing. Carroll acknowledged those difficulties after Saturday’s 16-15 victory in San Diego, addressing the production of a starting offense that has yet to score a touchdown in three preseason games.

“I’m a little frustrated by it,” Carroll said, “but I’m not worried about it over the long haul.”

If you can parse the difference between Carroll’s frustration and worry, then maybe you can explain just how big of a concern Seattle faces as it prepares to enter the regular season with an offensive line that has been shaky throughout the preseason.

“We need more time,” Carroll said. “We’re not ready yet.”

And there is more time, but only a little. The Seahawks host Oakland in the preseason finale on Thursday, a game that Lynch won’t play in.

Now comes the obligatory disclaimer regarding the preseason. Teams hold things back to preserve the element of surprise, and the fact that tight end Jimmy Graham has not been consistently targeted so far this month shouldn’t be seen as a concern. The Seahawks know what they have there and how they plan to use them.

The bigger question has been the running game that is the heartbeat for Seattle’s offense. There’s nothing to hide there, nothing to protect, but through three games the Seahawks have not had the ground gains they’re accustomed to even when Lynch has sat out.

The concern over that lack of production can be read into the fact that for the second consecutive week Carroll mentioned that Lynch’s presence will help the offense.

“Twenty-four in the game looks pretty good to me,” Carroll said. “When he plays, that’s a little bit better. He’ll help those guys.”

He’s right, of course, but that message makes you wonder just how much Seattle is depending on Lynch to counterbalance an offensive line that is going to be learning on the job.

Garry Gilliam is a former tight end who’s in his third year playing offensive line and he’s starting at right tackle. Justin Britt was a highly regarded second-round pick in 2014, but he’s now got all of eight practices at left guard, where he’s expected to start. Drew Nowak started at center for the second consecutive preseason game. He’s strong and he’s smart and he’s also a former defensive lineman who was signed to Seattle’s practice squad a year ago.

“They’re just going to get a lot better,” Carroll said. “They’re just going to improve with just being sharper with their calls and more precise about the decisions that they’re making and we’ll take advantage of that.”

That would have been fine back in 2011 when Seattle was in the midst of a transition, accumulating the pieces that would become a contender. But this is a team that has gone to back-to-back Super Bowls, one that added a Pro Bowl tight end in the offseason in Jimmy Graham and added $5 million to Lynch’s salary to keep on trucking.

This is not a team that can wait for adequacy up front.

“It needs to hurry,” Carroll said. “We’ve only got a couple of weeks before we play.”

Notes

• Russell Okung was held out of Saturday’s game, Alvin Bailey stepping into his starting spot on the line. Carroll said the absence came as a little bit of a surprise. “Russell had a sore shoulder coming out of practice the other day,” Carroll said, “and we thought he’d be all right with a day of rest and all that. But he was still sore so we just take the precautionary move to keep him out. Could he have played? I think he could’ve played, but we just want to make sure we don’t push it too far. We need him to get back. That decision came really right at game time.”

• Linebacker K.J. Wright suffered a shoulder injury on a block from Chargers tackle King Dunlap in the first half. Wright was initially tended to on the field, but walked off his own. “He wanted to go back in and would have,” Carroll said. “He seems to be fine, but he did get knocked pretty good.”

• Linebacker Mike Morgan suffered a hamstring injury that took him out of the game while Dion Bailey, who started at strong safety, suffered back spasms.

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