Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker Set For Big Game vs. Panthers?

The Seattle Seahawks face a winless Carolina Panthers team on Sunday that is facing injuries to key defensive players.

The Seattle Seahawks face a winless Carolina Panthers team on Sunday that might be without its rookie quarterback, Bryce Young, who appeared on Wednesday's injury report. 

There are also injury concerns for the Panthers on defense, as Carolina outside linebackers Brian Burns and Justin Houston were both limited during Wednesday's practice. The Panthers will also be without linebacker staple Shaq Thompson, who suffered a season-ending leg injury in Monday's loss to the New Orleans Saints.

Seattle is 1-1 with a loss to the division rival Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, and a road win last week in Detroit against the resurgent Lions. The Seahawks have seen contributions from just about everyone on both sides of the ball, but there is one who might be the key to a Week 3 victory at Lumen Field.

One of last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year nominees, Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III has been involved this season but has yet to have a breakout game. Walker carried the ball 12 times for 64 yards in the Week 1 loss but fizzled in the second half just like the rest of the offense.

Of course, Walker scored a pair of touchdowns in the win over the Detroit, but finished with just 43 yards on 17 carries, a 2.5 yards per carry average. Former Seahawks wideout Michael Bumpus revealed his thoughts on the reason for Walker's slowish start this season.

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“Some of his exciting runs were the ones where he’s bouncing outside and making guys miss and picking up and extra four or five yards,” Bumpus said during Tuesday’s Bump and Stacy. “I’m looking at the guard play. Because most of those runs are zone. So all zone is, look at that offensive line, let’s say it’s zone right, everybody is stepping right.

"Say the 1-tech, the guy who’s in between the center and the right guard, is there. The center downblocks him, the right guard puts his hand on the shoulder, he climbs up to the next level, and then you attack the second level."

Walker could take advantage of a weakened Panthers defense that's missing a number of linebackers to injuries. Carolina allowed 134 rushing yards to the Falcons in Week 1 and 207 to New Orleans in Week. This could very well be the game Walker needs to finally break out.

While the Panthers don't possess the worst defense in the league, and coach Pete Carroll knows this could be Walker's week. 

“We were not consistent,” Carroll said Monday of the team’s run game in Week 2. “We have to clear things up and get him downhill.”