Fixing Run Game Pivotal to Seattle Seahawks' Success in 2024

Dropping five of their final eight games a year ago, the Seahawks will need vast improvements handling the run game to bounce back into the playoffs.

Nov 19, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) runs against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (44) in the third quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Playing a major role in the team missing the playoffs last season and the subsequent coaching change in January, the Seattle Seahawks couldn't run the ball consistently or stop the run, and avoiding a repeat will be crucial in the push to return to the postseason under Mike Macdonald.

Despite investing a pair of second round picks in running backs Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet in consecutive drafts, the Seahawks finished last season with a dreadful 28th ranked rushing attack. They also ranked outside of the top 20 in the NFL in yards per carry, Expected Points Added, and rushing touchdowns, failing to come close to meeting expectations with a struggling, injury-marred offensive line largely being the culprit.

For their part, Walker and Charbonnet did their best with shoddy blocking, rushing for nearly 1,400 combined yards with the majority of that yardage coming after contact. Per Pro Football Reference, Seattle ranked fourth in attempts per broken tackle, illustrating their efforts to manufacture yardage in spite of the lack of running room in front of them.

Meanwhile, as the Seahawks failed to produce a consistent ground game on offense, the defense functioned like a matador's cape against opposing rushing attacks, particularly after losing Uchenna Nwosu to a season-ending injury in Week 7. Over the final 11 games, they allowed a staggering 1,829 rushing yards, 310 yards more than the second-worst team during that span (Cardinals), along with a league-worst 18 rushing touchdowns.

On a new episode of Locked On Seahawks, hosts Corbin Smith and Connor Benintendi revisit Seattle's run game woes from last season on offense and defense and explore why there should be optimism on both fronts heading into a new year, starting with personnel and scheme changes with Macdonald calling the shots on defense.

Smith and Benintendi also dive into the inside linebacker group in their latest training camp position review and continue the 90-man countdown looking at best and worst case scenarios for Darrell Taylor, Mike Jackson, and Charbonnet.

Listen to the latest Locked On Seahawks in entirety here or subscribe for free to the podcast platform of your choice here.

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