The Seattle Seahawks have not had the kind of season that was anticipated when the Super Bowl champions kicked off the year with a victory over the New England Patriots.
Head coach Mike Macdonald was hoping that his team would once again set the pace in the NFC West and set up homefield advantage in the NFC playoffs at the end of the regular season.
Those thoughts have flown by the wayside through the first six weeks of the season. The Seahawks are merely 3-3 as they prepare for their Sunday night home game against the resurgent Kansas City Chiefs (5-0). In addition to that mediocre start, the Seahawks are competing with the undefeated San Francisco 49ers (6-0). They are already three games behind the NFC West leaders.
Charbonnet remains out for Seahawks
Macdonald can't do anything about the three losses that the Seahawks already have, but he believes his team will be prepared to upgrade their level of play against the Chiefs. However, while he was hoping that the running game would get a lift from the return of running back Zach Charbonnet to the Seattle offense after full practice participation on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, he has been ruled out of the Sunday night game by the organization.
Charbonnet has been out since last season after his ACL injury and subsequent surgery. Even though he has been ruled out of this game, Charbonnet's recovery has gone well and he should be in the lineup shortly.
Charbonnet has been activated from the PUP list and is looking forward to playing. “Whenever I’m out there, it’s going to be special,” Charbonnet said, per Andrew Destin of The Athletic. “Just going to be happy to be back out there.”
He was hoping to be back this week and get a chance to face off with former teammate Kenneth Walker III, who has been dominant this season for the Chiefs. Walker leads the NFL in rushing with 665 yards, a 6.3 yards per carry average and 6 TDs.
Seahawks have running back issues this season
In addition to Charbonnet's absence, the Seahawks will not have rookie Jadarian Price in the lineup and he remains out with a chest injury. Price has played in just three games this year and he is not eligible to come off the Injured List until Week 8 at the earliest. The Seahawks will host the Chicago Bears next Monday night.
The running game was a key part of the Seahawks success last year, but it has been a problem area this year as a result of Charbonnet's absence and the Price injury. The Seahawks rank 18th in rushing yards per game (107.2), and their running backs have lost four fumbles.
The running game responsibilities will be handled by Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Velus Jones Jr. Wilson is the team's leading rusher to this point in the season with 87 carries for 303 yards with 2 touchdowns and a 3.5 yards per carry average. He has also fumbled twice while averaging 50.5 yards per game.
Holani has 97 yards on 31 carries and he has gotten into the end zone once. Jones has eye-catching speed, and the Seahawks could give him more of an opportunity. He has just 4 carries for 20 yards.
If the running game does not hold its own, the Seahawks will have to depend on QB Sam Darnold and the passing game. Darnold is coming off back-to-back excellent seasons — with the Vikings and the Seahawks — but he has had some struggles this season. He has thrown for 1,033 yards and completed 60.4 percent of his passes, but his 7-7 TD-interception ratio is disappointing.
Smith-Njigba will have to carry the offensive load
The key to Seattle's passing game is obviously Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who may be the No. 1 receiver in the NFL. He has caught 49 of 65 targets for 7171 yards and he has already gotten into the end zone 7 times this season.
In a game against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, the passing game is going to have to carry a heavy load. The Chiefs are averaging 28.0 points per game and they are fifth-highest scoring offense in the league and they are also averaging 414.0 yards per game, and that ranks first in the league.
No. 2 receiver Cooper Kupp may have slowed by a step, but he can make the difficult catch for the Seahawks under the most difficult circumstances. He has 16 receptions for 179 yards and 1 TD, and his numbers are likely to improve.
In addition to Smith-Njigba and Kupp, the Seahawks hope to get a left from tight end AJ Barner and wideout Rashid Shaeed. Barner has caught 15 passes for 138 yards while Shaheed has 14 receptions for 162 yards. Shaheed caught 59-687-2 last year while playing for the Seahawks and the Saints last season.