Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny Thrives on Pulling Runs and GU-Counter vs. Bears

The Seahawks unleashed Rashaad Penny versus the Bears, pulling offensive linemen and unveiling a fun new GU-Counter concept. Matty F. Brown breaks down Penny's impressive play and Seattle's effective run scheme.

The Seahawks’ run game versus the Bears was a rare positive in the disappointing 25-24 defeat. Lead back Rashaad Penny continued his redemption arc, rushing 17 times for 135 yards and one touchdown—good for a stunning 7.9 yards per carry average. Meanwhile, the improved chemistry between the interior of the offensive line remained obvious in their combination block execution.

One fun element to the attack was the amount of runs with one pulling lineman or more. Typically, the Seahawks are a wide-to-mid zone run blocking team with the gap changeup of duo—like power without the puller. However, versus the Bears, eight of the team's 20 running plays featured one puller or more, or 40 percent. Two more of the plays were duo, meaning Shane Waldron called 50 percent gap-blocked concepts.

Five of Penny’s 17 carries came behind one puller or more, resulting in 78 yards (15.6 average). Most noteworthy was the guard-u (tight end off the line of scrimmage) counter design that the Seahawks utilized. Seattle has typically used the guard and tackle from one side of the formation to pull around to the frontside. It is more of a wrap than a counter.

It was the GU-counter change-up which resulted in Penny’s pair of 32-yard rushes. Moreover, it proved effective at punishing Chicago for aligning in a two-high shell and running a coverage that Seattle—and Russell Wilson—has, did and will struggle with. 

"There's no doubt he is a factor," Carroll described of Penny after the game. "He looked big-time running the football today, and he busted a number of different types of runs and hit some different style runs that were great to see him break tackles and get out, and that's a ton of yards for him to get in that game."

4:47 Left in Third Quarter, 2nd and 8: GU-Counter

Pre-snap, the Seahawks shifted Freddie Swain across the formation. This changed their look from three eligible receiving threats on one side of the formation to a 2x2 set. It also put the receiving strength to one side of the field and the run strength on the other. The Bears responded with their nickel, Duke Shelley, travelling with the shift and their linebackers, Roquan Smith and Alec Ogletree, switching sides.

Seattle was then able to run at Chicago’s nickel defender rather than its inside linebacker, plus the Bears’ inexperienced edge-setting in Ledarius Mack—the younger brother of Khalil, who was only activated off the practice squad for this game.

The advantage of the tight splits was shown on this run. DK Metcalf was able to block down on the play-side end man on the line of scrimmage, which was Mack. This made the outside linebacker think that the run was going outside of Metcalf’s block, so he fought the pressure and locked out. Meanwhile, Shelley was conscious of needing to "crack-replace" the responsibility of Mack as the force defender.

The result of this chaos was that Seattle’s first puller, Gabe Jackson, was able to reach Ogletree, who was desperately flowing to turn back the first puller, and Jackson was able to collide Ogletree into the hesitant Shelley.

Gerald Everett, the second puller, had no one to immediately block as he reached the second level. This was because left guard Damien Lewis had sealed the heavy-playing 2i-technique defensive tackle, Bilal Nichols, inside. Meanwhile, Duane Brown had helped Lewis in this endeavor before expertly catching Smith.

Smith, on the backside of the play, had seen his lever key of Everett go across the formation and rapidly moved laterally with the pull. Brown, however, was able to contact Smith. Typically, this would have been an inside-out block, but Brown finished pushing Smith outside.

Carrying the football, Penny processed this. He pressed the block of Everett, running behind it on the same track. He then saw Brown’s finishing leverage on Smith and cut behind the block into the opening. 

Until that point, both safeties had been pass-first players, stepping off at the snap and not triggering with the run action. As Deon Bush looked to add secondary support and fill Penny’s opening, the running back was able to sharply cut past Bush while still rapidly accelerating. This broke the ankles of the poor safety, who jumped inside and whiffed. Penny made sure to skip in order to avoid any contact.

Penny then showed awareness of where the next defender was, the outside corner to that side, Kindle Vildor. He stiff-armed Vildor away, then maintained control of the football as the other safety, Eddie Jackson, brought the runner down from behind.

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— Ultra Rare Tape (@UltraRareTape) December 30, 2021

10:12 Left in Fourth Quarter, 2nd and 10: Same-Side GU-Counter

Faced with another 2nd and long situation, Seattle ran its GU-Counter play from an offset shotgun formation. With the back offset to the same side the Seahawks pulled, this was a same-side counter from Seattle. The offense once more looked to run towards the passing strength and the nickel corner Shelley, rather than at the inside linebacker Smith.

The Bears this time had a better solution for the concept. They moved their defensive line towards the tight end off the line of scrimmage in order to spill the football and buy more time for their linebackers behind. The frontside linebacker is able to flow to the second puller in less space. The backside linebacker has more time to get across and is likely kept clean by the action.

Play-side edge Robert Quinn looked to "wrong-arm" the first pull of Jackson, aiming to attack the block with his right shoulder and spill the ball further wide.  At tackle, Brown did get hands on Quinn, but the defender was still able to collide with Jackson. This massively restricted the available space for Penny and also the pulling Everett.

At the second-level, linebacker Christian Jones was kept clean and looked to fallback with Quinn’s spill and the run action, with Penny’s path going outside. Backside inside linebacker Smith, also clean, looked to turn back Everett’s second pull and get to Penny from the backside as the runner kept pressing to the defense’s right.

Penny’s pressing of the run and patience in letting the blocks develop was superb. With Smith taken outside of Everett, a crease on the inside developed. Just as Shelley came free on the edge of Metcalf’s block, Penny exploded past the arm tackle of the nickel.

Jackson, the first puller, went through the opening first after detaching from Quinn. Penny was then able to dip past Khyiris Tonga, the defensive tackle trying to work back to the hole. 

Penny cut with such agility that Jackson, the backside safety offering secondary support, was shook out of his cleats and ended up stumbling into the snow. The last victim of Penny’s ferocious speed was Thomas Graham, whose leverage was broken and whose tackle attempt from cornerback fell.

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— Ultra Rare Tape (@UltraRareTape) December 30, 2021

For Penny, this is hopefully the true start of his NFL career. The 2018 first-round pick turns 26 in February, by which point he’ll be in the last month of his rookie deal with the Seahawks following the team’s decision to decline his fifth-year option. 

Thankfully, Penny is now putting together a consistent résumé, something his past had tantalizingly flashed the potential of. He is thriving on a number of concepts, demonstrating serious development of his running back skills. He has even managed to show off his pass protection ability. 

“I feel like I didn’t make any statement,” Penny stated in his post-game press conference. “I knew what I can do, I was just never on the field. It’s unfortunate, but I’m thankful for whatever I’ve been doing these last few weeks and I couldn’t have done it without these guys. Giving me an opportunity to show what I can do and just never giving up on me.”

"I don't even know where we are in that," Carroll responded to questions on Penny's future. "He looks really good. He looks really good playing ball, and we need him on our team."

“I hope so,” Penny said after the game when questioned on a Seahawks return. “I mean, I come out to win games and help contribute and I think that’s the number one thing for me, and again, staying injury-free. Being positive and just doing whatever it takes to help win.”

That is what is most important: Penny’s sound health has continued through multiple weeks. Let’s hope that his poor injury luck remains firmly in the past. As Carroll said post-game, "It's really great to have him back. He is legit."

Production-wise, on his 71 carries this year, Penny’s 389 rushing yards are the Seahawks’ high. Furthermore, Penny is the team-leader in a number of advanced metrics—all courtesy of Sports Info Solutions (Note: these apply to those with at least 50 carries).

• Penny leads the team in yards after contact per attempt, his 3.3 YAC p/a higher than Carson’s 2.7 and Collins’ 2.1)
• Penny also is at the front of the Seahawks in broken tackles and missed tackles per attempt, forcing 21.1 percent compared to Collins at 14.8 percent and Carson’s 5.6 percent.
• Thirdly, Penny leads the team in EPA per attempt with 0.00, tied for fifth-best since 2015 with his 2018 self (The best was Chris Carson in 2020 with 0.07 EPA per attempt).
• Finally, Penny’s points earned per play is highest on the team at 0.086—Carson finished at 0.063 and Collins is at 0.008.

The Adrian Peterson signing on December 1 was questioned by many as a move ignorant of Seattle's situation. The 36-year old surefire Hall of Famer made his single Seahawks appearance on December 5, rushing for 16 yards on 11 carries and his 126th career touchdown. He is now on the injured reserve list.

Yet the impact of Peterson is that he may have reached Penny in a way that other teammates—more Penny's peers than legends—could not.

“He’s been around the whole time," Carroll said of Peterson in his Wednesday press conference. "And he’s been an active participant in whatever he can do, not so much on the field but whenever we are around it, he still influences people, strongly, with his presence and all that."

Did Peterson help Penny? 

“You guys have got to ask Rashaad what he would tell you," Carroll answered. "But I would think [Peterson] might have had as much impact on Rashaad as anybody.”

Penny's talent reminder is a positive to the miserable last few weeks that we can all be grateful for. Furthermore, the Seahawks' offense adapting their scheme to Penny's skillset and to how teams are playing them has been a delight in these difficult times. Will it continue? 

“I think this journey for me is far from over,” Penny assessed.