Seahawks to get a look at life without Marshawn Lynch

The Seahawks find themselves in unfamiliar territory heading into Monday night's game against Detroit, with Marshawn Lynch been ruled out, ending his streak of 69 consecutive regular-season and playoff appearances.

BY BRADY HENDERSON

Oct 5, 2015, 2:44 PM Updated: 3:37 pm

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Marshawn Lynch's hamstring injury will keep him out Monday, just his second missed game with Seattle. (AP)

(AP)

RENTON – Charlie Whitehurst was filling in for Tarvaris Jackson, Richard Sherman was still a backup to Marcus Trufant and the Seahawks were in the middle of a 3-5 start, still going through the growing pains that preceded their rise to perennial contention.

This was Week 7 of the 2011 season, which ended in a 6-3 loss to Cleveland that is best known for being the most unsightly Seahawks game in recent memory. More significantly given current circumstances, it was also the first and only time Seattle has played without Marshawn Lynch since his arrival the year before.

That history provides context for what unfamiliar territory the Seahawks find themselves in heading into Monday night’s game against Detroit. Lynch has been ruled out because of a hamstring injury, which will end his streak of 69 consecutive regular-season and playoff appearances dating back to that loss in Cleveland four seasons ago.

Rookie Thomas Rawls figures to again carry the lion’s share of the load, as he did last week when Lynch could neither start the game nor finish it because of injuries to his calf and then his hamstring. Rawls rushed for 104 yards on 16 carries while showing he has one obvious characteristic in common with the running back he was filling in for.

“I think we always appreciate the tough running style Marshawn has given us for years, so Thomas fits that mold a little bit,” coach Pete Carroll said.

Lynch had an MRI on his injured hamstring last week, didn’t take part in any of Seattle’s three practices and was ruled out on Sunday. He was initially expected to be a game-time decision as the Seahawks held out some hope he could play, which is an indication that his hamstring injury might not be a long-term concern so much as a one-week setback.

But his future in Seattle is still very much a question mark beyond this season, even with a contract that will have two years remaining. Lynch, 29, considered retirement last offseason and reportedly did so the year before as well, and his slow start to the season has at least raised the question about whether he might be approaching that inevitable running-back wall.

Could Rawls be an eventual replacement? One good game isn’t nearly enough to anoint him as such, nor would another one against a Lions defense that ranks 17th against the run and will be playing without one of its best player, linebacker DeAndre Levy.

But the early returns are encouraging for Seattle. Rawls was a standout during the offseason and training camp, playing well enough to essentially beat out former second-round pick Christine Michael for a roster spot then assume the No. 2 role after the team moved on from an injured Robert Turbin.

Rawls had gone undrafted despite rushing for over 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns in only nine games last season at Central Michigan. He has shown during his time in Seattle the physical running style that caught Carroll’s attention before the draft.

“I loved the way he finished plays. He had good quickness, he got in the open field, but the way he finished he was very aggressive. He almost was a heat seeking missile to find guys that were after him,” Carroll said. “That demonstrated to me a nature about him that I thought was unique, and I liked it more than anybody I saw in the draft. He was my favorite guy for being the aggressive tough guy and running at people, because you can’t make everyone miss in this league. You’re going to get in to those situations, you’re going to have to face guys up and he’s got a way about him.

“Just look at the first run he broke out (against Chicago), right in front of our bench. He took a couple of guys on and went after it. That’s built into him. I really like that.”

Lynch has been the model of consistency during his time with the Seahawks both in terms of his production and availability. It’s entirely possible that he returns next week from his hamstring injury and eventually regains his form from the last four seasons, when he averaged more than 1,600 all-purpose yards and 14 touchdowns.

But at least for another game, the Seahawks are about to get a rare glimpse of what life will one day be without him.