Has Kenny McIntosh Season Arrived With Seahawks Facing Playoff Elimination?

The status of Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet remains uncertain, opening the door for Kenny McIntosh to be a major X-factor for the Seahawks in Chicago.

Oct 20, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh (25) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

No longer controlling their own destiny and needing a win to keep their diminishing playoff hopes alive, the Seattle Seahawks hope to have at least one of their top running backs available for a crucial Thursday Night Football road contest against the Chicago Bears.

But even if Ken Walker III and/or Zach Charbonnet suits up for Seattle, neither player will be close to 100 percent, as Walker suffered an ankle injury in Sunday's loss to Minnesota and Charbonnet has been on the injury report the past two weeks with oblique and elbow issues. While coach Mike Macdonald offered more optimism about the latter being able to play, he only logged one carry against the Vikings, and only four days between games puts his health into question.

With Walker and Charbonnet both banged up, the Seahawks may have to turn to Kenny McIntosh to take on a larger role out of the backfield in the biggest game of the season thus far.

Only a few weeks ago, McIntosh had seen limited action on offense for Seattle, rushing just four times in the first 12 games. But after Walker tweaked his calf in a win over the New York Jets, the second-year back out of Georgia saw his first extended action spelling Charbonnet in Arizona, rushing seven times for a career-high 38 yards in a big NFC West road win.

Over the past two weeks, McIntosh has continued to see a handful of snaps on offense, rushing six times for 23 yards and catching a 15-yard pass from Geno Smith against the Vikings. With those opportunities in the previous three games, per Pro Football Focus, he has generated a pair of missed tackles and 46 yards after contact while moving the chains for four first downs, making the most of his first extensive chance to play after being sidelined most of his rookie year by a knee injury.

Thrusting McIntosh into the starting role in the heat of a playoff race might seem like too big of a stage for a back with only 17 career carries, but he excelled in big games playing at Georgia in college, including rushing for 50 yards in a national championship blowout win over TCU two years ago. If anything, he will likely relish the chance to be thrown into such a pressure cooker after playing against top competition in the SEC.

On a new episode of Locked On Seahawks, hosts Corbin Smith and Rob Rang take a look at the first injury report on a short week for Seattle and why McIntosh may be an X-factor to watch at Soldier Field, examine a surprising advantage the Seahawks may have on offense against a maligned Chicago defensive front, and break down five other key matchups to watch in prime time on the day after Christmas.

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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