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Seattle Hasn’t Allowed a 100-Yard Rusher in Two Years. Kenneth Walker Averages 133.
Seattle’s defense has gone 35 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher, per the Spokesman-Review. Buffalo’s James Cook was the last one, with 111 yards on Oct. 27, 2024. On Sunday night that streak runs into Kenneth Walker III, the Super Bowl LX MVP. He now leads the NFL in rushing for the 5-0 Chiefs and is averaging 133 yards a game. One of those numbers has to give.
35
Straight games without Seattle allowing a 100-yard rusher. The last one was James Cook on Oct. 27, 2024.
Walker is on pace for 2,261 yards, which would beat Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105. His team has won 15 straight games, a streak that started here. Sunday is his first time back at Lumen since the Feb. 11 parade. Every week he makes Seattle’s decision not to franchise-tag him at $14.5 million look more expensive. I’m not reopening that argument. The rest of the city is doing it all week anyway.
The streak has a real case, though. Seattle allows 96 yards a game to opposing running backs, which is top 10 and the best run defense Kansas City has seen this year, per SI. This defensive line also spent years watching Walker’s cuts up close in practice. Byron Murphy II and Leonard Williams share the team lead in sacks. Neither of them is getting surprised by a jump cut he’s seen a hundred times.
The Chiefs also have problems at tackle. Right tackle Jaylon Moore has a concussion, and Andy Reid wouldn’t promise anything on left tackle Josh Simmons, who hadn’t practiced between Aug. 16 and last week, per Yahoo Sports. On Sunday he could be running behind whoever’s left.
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Seattle doesn’t have to stop Kenneth Walker. It has to hold him to 99.
Seattle doesn’t have to stop Kenneth Walker. It has to hold him to 99. I’ll take 99 yards and a win, buy the man a sandwich at Sea-Tac, and never mention it again.
SOURCES →
AROUND THE COOP
Around the Coop
The 3-3 Seahawks are still sixth in ESPN’s power rankings. Ten of their turnovers came in three losses by a combined eight points, and opponents scored 44 points off them. Keep the ball and this team is 6-0. ESPN
Seattle signed tight end Josiah Deguara and fullback Jackson Acker to the practice squad Monday and released receiver Malick Meiga, the 6-foot-4 guy with a 4.43 forty. Fleury’s offense would rather have blockers than sprinters. ESPN
Sam Darnold’s QBR is 43.6, 26th in the NFL, behind Deshaun Watson, Malik Willis and undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels. Eight months ago he won a Super Bowl. The stat sheet doesn’t remember. CBS Sports
NFC WEST SCHADENFREUDE REPORT
RAMS
Sunday’s 18-16 loss to Arizona was expensive for the Rams. Nose tackle Poona Ford is out for the season with a ruptured triceps, and Davante Adams will miss six to 10 weeks with a ruptured hamstring. Both went to IR on Tuesday. That same day Los Angeles signed Brandon McManus, its third kicker of the season, because Blake Grupe tore his ACL making a tackle on kickoff coverage. It’s October 21. At this pace they’ll be holding open tryouts at the Santa Monica Pier by Thanksgiving.
NINERS
Mike Evans left Monday’s 23-17 win over Washington late in the first half with Achilles tendinitis, and the 49ers offense went with him. After halftime they managed 72 yards, three points and three straight fourth-quarter three-and-outs. Their four healthy receivers caught two passes for 35 yards between them. Kyle Shanahan’s diagnosis: “it kind of is what it is.” They’re 6-0, and the receiver room is down to four guys who combined for two catches. Good luck in Atlanta, fellas.
SEACHICKENS TRIVIA
Seattle took this Notre Dame quarterback second overall in the 1993 draft, and as a rookie he set NFL rookie records for passing yards, attempts and completions. Who is he?
Tap to Reveal the Answer
Rick Mirer. Drew Bledsoe went first overall to New England that year, and those rookie records turned out to be the peak of Mirer’s four seasons in Seattle.
Got a Question Keeping You Up at Night?
Turnovers, Walker, or whether 99 rushing yards counts as a moral victory. Send it in. The Rooster answers the best ones, eventually and with opinions.
Four days to Walker. Hold him to 99. — The Rooster