Seahawks running backs coach says Marshawn Lynch hasn’t lost a step

Seahawks running backs coach Sherman Smith said he hasn't seen any noticeable slowing in Marshawn Lynch's game.

BY ERIC MANDEL

Oct 14, 2015, 12:12 PM Updated: 12:45 pm

Marshawn Lynch is expected to return to the Seahawks backfield Sunday after missing two games with a hamstring injury. (AP)

(AP)

There’s been plenty of talk about Marshawn Lynch approaching, or in the midst of, the beginning of the end of his fiery career. But that’s not how Seahawks running back coach Sherman Smith sees it.

“Honestly, he looks the same to me,” Sherman said Tuesday on 710 ESPN’s “Danny, Dave and Moore.” “Look at how he’s playing and forget about his age.”

The man affectionately known as Beast Mode is expected to return to Seattle’s backfield Sunday against the undefeated Carolina Panthers after missing the past 2.5 games because of a hamstring injury. Lynch, 29, had only missed one game since the 2011 season prior to this setback.

The nine-year veteran started the season uncharacteristically before succumbing to his injury, rushing for only 128 yards, averaging 3.4 yards per carry, in three games. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie Thomas Rawls stormed the scene with Lynch sidelined, rushing for twice as many yards (321) as the Pro Bowler behind an improving offensive line.

It might be easy to think of Rawls as Lynch’s heir apparent, especially with offensive lineman Justin Britt referring to the undrafted rookie as “a little Marshawn.” But Smith said comparing the two is not fair.

“That’s totally unfair,” he said. “Marshawn is the man and we can’t wait for him to get back on the field. He is a special runner, and so Thomas has just come in and shown that we got a reliable back if Marshawn can’t play. But Marshawn is the guy.”

Smith said Lynch has been “working real hard” to get back on the field and wanted to play last week. Although Lynch’s punishing running style means his body gets banged up a bit more than most other tailbacks, Smith doesn’t think Lynch is nearing the end of his shelf life as an effective player.

“I think Marshawn could play three or four more years if he wanted to,” he said. “He’s still a young man and he’ll tell you that, too.”

The widely held belief is that many running backs start to slow down at the age of 30. Smith said it’s “probably true” that Lynch isn’t quite as quick as he once was, but that it’s not showing up in any real way.

“He played at such a high level, he’s such a good running back, it’s not that noticeable to us,” Smith said.

Rawls is expected to get as many carries former backup running back Robert Turbin, which is about 15 snaps per game.

“We’re not trying to find the heir apparent yet,” Smith said. “We just want a good reliable backup that we feel good that we can win games with if Marshawn doesn’t play. But if Marshawn’s ready to play on Sunday he’s gonna get his normal snaps and if the game is on the line, I expect Marshawn to be in the game, going in there making big plays for us.”

And while some pundits took issue with Lynch staying in the suites and not traveling with the team during his injury, rather than standing on the sidelines and mentoring others, Smith disagreed.

“Really, it wasn’t noticeable to us one way or another,” he said. “If he’d have been down there, great, he wasn’t down there, it wasn’t a distraction. Honestly, for me, I’d rather not see him on the sideline if he’s not playing. It becomes discouraging to me. I want to see him on the field, so if he’s down there on the sideline walking around in his street clothes not playing, I’d have probably told him, ‘Why don’t you go up to the press box somewhere.'”

To that, Danny O’Neil countered, “Well, don’t send him to the press box, that’s the last place he wants to be with all the reporters.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry,” Smith responded. “He’s not gonna say anything.”