Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet Praised by Pete Carroll: 'Really Impressive!'
Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Zach Charbonnet had his breakout game in the NFL on Sunday in a 37-27 win over the Carolina Panthers. He showcased his talents that left fans wanting more.
Forming a nice tandem with Kenneth Walker, Charbonnet showed off the physical style of his play as he carried the ball nine times for 46 yards, finishing with 5.1 yards per carry.
While the numbers aren't eye-popping, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll wasn't surprised by Charbonnet's efforts against the Panthers.
“He looked good, he looked really good," Carroll said. "We haven’t seen anything but that. If you just take off his plays that he’s run in preseason and what he’s done for us in camp, he’s been really impressive the whole time. That’s no big change. He got the big opportunity on the sidelines to blast a guy and show his toughness and aggressiveness which everybody loved. But he’s been doing that, he’s been looking for those, he’s kind of seeking those out a little bit."
The play that Carroll is talking about happened as the fourth quarter was winding down. Charbonnet took the handoff from Geno Smith and bounced outside on a 2nd and 8.
The former UCLA standout raced toward the end zone as Panther safety Sam Franklin Jr. tried to halt his progress. But Charbonnet sent Franklin Jr. into another state, as he trucked him out of bounds in impressive fashion. His physical run drew plaudits from everyone on the Seahawks sidelines.
Zach Charbonnet announced himself as a viable weapon on Sunday against the Panthers.
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Coming in as a rookie, a lot has been placed on Charbonnet's plate. From learning the playbook to protections, routes, and everything in between, it's likely been a steep learning curve.
But there are some rookies who just soak it up and put everything into practice rather early. Charbonnet appears to be one of those.
“We’ve been really impressed with Zach’s ability to handle all of it: the passing game, the routes, the protections," Carroll said. "He was right in there like a veteran player in this game. That’s a big accomplishment in Week 3, Week 4 of the season to be that far along in our confidence and willingness to play him. There’s not situation we would keep him out of it at this point.”
With Walker the No. 1 back and starting to hit form, having a "back-up" like Charbonnet gives Seattle a nice one-two punch out of the backfield.
While it is early, there are signs that this much-vaunted Seahawks offense is starting to find its feet after a couple of uneven performances.
As for Charbonnet, it is the simple one-day-at-a-time approach as he looks to continue making plays.
