Did Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb Abandon Run Too Early vs. Packers?

The Seattle Seahawks stopped running the ball with 10 minutes remaining against the Green Bay Packers. Was it too early to give up on the ground game?

Connor Benintendi | 4 Hours Ago

Dec 15, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive end Arron Mosby (53) and Green Bay Packers linebacker Eric Wilson (45) tackle Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) during the second half at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

One week after posting their best team rushing performance of the season, the Seattle Seahawks ran the ball just 14 times for 80 yards against the Green Bay Packers in Week 15.

That was mostly due to Seattle falling behind by 14 points early, putting pressure on offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and his unit to move the ball in chunks. But did the Seahawks abandon the run too early?

Trailing 23-6 early in the fourth quarter, linebacker Ernest Jones IV forced a fumble that was recovered by safety Julian Love. Running back Zach Charbonnet exploded for a 24-yard touchdown run with 11:16 remaining to trim Seattle’s deficit to 10 points.

Charbonnet didn’t receive a carry the rest of the game, and the offense gained five total yards the rest of the way — including the garbage time drive with reserves in the game.

“Certainly, I think the scoring situation dictates a lot of that when you’re down, but there’s always opportunities,” Grubb said on Thursday. “I think that we’ve gotten ourselves in a good position. I think that when we got ourselves back in the game within 10 points and 10 minutes left, do you give a guy a chance to run the ball a little bit more than what I did? Certainly, hindsight’s always 20/20 and you look at those things critically.”

Green Bay sealed the game with five minutes left via Romeo Doubs’ second touchdown catch of the night. With quarterback Geno Smith sidelined, backup signal-caller Sam Howell could do little to counter a Packers defense that had already been teeing off on Seattle’s offensive line.

Smith was sacked three times before exiting in the third quarter, and Howell was brought down four more times on just 19 dropbacks. Still, Grubb continued to call pass plays. Grubb said it was a concerted effort to get Seattle’s receivers rolling.

“Could we have gotten Sam [Howell] going a little bit better with a different play package? Always, potentially. But at some point, you’re just trying to find ways to get the ball to [DK Metcalf] and [Tyler Lockett], which we weren't able to do as well,” Grubb said. “You’re looking for those opportunities to spark the offense and the team and certainly, it didn’t work out. That didn’t end up being the right formula, but those are the things you’re always looking for, what’s going to get us in rhythm, or make the big play to get us going.”

Grubb said they shouldn’t abandon the run altogether. But he opted to rely on his pass-catching playmakers instead of his ball carriers when the pass was having little success.

The Seahawks are 6-1 this season when their running backs carry the ball 20 or more times. They are 3-5 when attempting less than 20 run plays. In Week 15, Seattle’s season-high 176 rushing yards were powered by 29 carries — also the most attempts Grubb has called in one game.

“I think that there are points in football games where you might not be able to run the ball anymore depending on how much time’s left and things like that,” Grubb said. “But, if you’re looking for a play and you’re trying to spark the offense, I think it always starts with the playmakers. That was certainly the thought, ‘How do we get the ball to [Metcalf] and [Lockett] and [Jaxon Smith-Njigba]?’”

Whether continuing to run the football would have got Seattle back in the game or not against Green Bay is an unknown, but it’s obvious the straight dropback approach wasn’t working either.

Seattle’s record when establishing the run, even when the yards per carry output is low, displays why a multi-dimensional offense is important in the NFL. Grubb’s approach has been predictable and, at times, lacking effective adjustments mid-game. A middle ground is needed.

The Minnesota Vikings, who the Seahawks play Sunday, are allowing the second-least rush yards per game this season (89.1). If Seattle can’t get the ground game moving early, a talented Vikings front could once again tee off on the Seahawks' offensive line.