Kenneth Walker's first injury question(able)
Updates on Grey Zabel, Robbie Ouzts, plus new Seahawks All-22 film!
The Seahawks are listing Kenneth Walker as questionable to play against the Titans due to a glute injury, the first time he’s been on the injury report all season, but Mike Macdonald said he doesn’t expect it to hold him out Sunday. Instead it could just mean more snaps for Zach Charbonnet, but what else is new?
Charbonnet out-snapped Walker in six of the first seven games that he played in although Walker has out-snapped Charbonnet in each of the last three. This continues to be an almost even split with Walker getting 99 snaps in the last three games compared to Charbonnet’s 77 snaps.
Kenneth Walker’s last 3:
Zach Charbonnet’s last 3:
You might assume, like I did, that George Holani must be playing a lot more frequently recently because he has 12 carries and a touchdown in the last three games. Well that is an increase for Holani but he isn’t really cutting into their time very much:
Holani had 3 carries on 3 snaps against Washington
Holani had 7 carries on 11 snaps against Arizona
Holani had 2 carries on 2 snaps against L.A.
So if Holani is in the game, he’s getting the ball. In two of those three contests, Holani was in the game when the Seahawks had a massive lead.
Walker’s injury is so unexpected that it’s hard to predict what that means for his workload against Tennessee (my wife’s fantasy team weeps) but how he and the other Seattle running backs are utilized has been a mystery all season.
Want to support the Seaside Joe daily Seahawks newsletter? Subscribe, share and comment! Tell a Seahawks friend! Upgrade from free to a $5 membership! Thanks!
Grey Zabel is a game time decision
Mike Macdonald told the media on Friday that he will decide Zabel’s status (knee) on game day. Overall this is still great news given the fear that Zabel’s injury looked very serious when it happened and now maybe he’ll miss one game at most.
Robbie Ouzts is on the injury report with an elbow injury but Macdonald said that the injury was nothing to be worried about and instead the fullback was missing practices this week to deal with a personal matter. Listed as questionable, it’s difficult to say if Ouzts will play or not. The Seahawks haven’t given Brady Russell much time this season, except in the last two games that Ouzts from his previous injury when Russell had 9 snaps and 15 snaps, respectively.
If Ouzts is out, we should expect to see Russell take his place.
It’s not clear how likely it is that Ernest Jones IV will play against his former team, Macdonald merely reiterated that he’s questionable when asked on his status. Tory Horton and Tyrice Knight have been ruled out.
If Jones did not play then the next linebacker up on the 53-man roster would be Chazz Surratt. However, the team elevated Patrick O’Connell from the practice squad last week so he could be the player who actually gets the nod. By my count, this would be the third and final time that Seattle can elevate O’Connell to the game day roster before they’d have to actually add him to the 53 the next time they want him up.
This is the third straight game that Horton has missed with a shin injury. Macdonald said that Horton is “doing everything he possibly can to get back” but it won’t be this week. One more missed game after this and it’s the same as if Horton went on IR.
Horton has scored a touchdown in all four games this season when he got at least 4 targets.
Seahawks all-22 “short-yardage savants”
New Seahawks defense breakdown by All-22 highlighting Seattle’s tremendous efforts on Sunday to stop the Rams on short-yardage situations, including backed against their own goal line. The Seahawks could be the best short-yardage defense in the NFL.
Click it and then click it again:
Leave comments for All-22 telling him how much you like it and if you mention Seaside Joe you’ll get a gold star (from me).
I did some digging of my own and the Seahawks are a really good third-and-short (1-3 yards) defense:
Seattle is allowing 52.4% first downs on third and short, which is the seventh-best in the league. Not close to the Lions, but Seattle’s had to stop a lot more of those plays than Detroit. Now here’s why I bring it up:
The Seahawks are good on third-and-short defense. They’re GREAT on third-and-short offense:
Seattle is converting 69.4% of their third-and-short plays, just a hair behind the Cardinals for the best mark in the league. A.J. Barner has 5 of those carries and converted 4 of them into first downs. Charbonnet has 10 of those carries and only six of them have gone for first downs. (Walker only has one of these carries.)
On fourth-and-short, Barner has converted 3-of-3 attempts (so a total of 8 of 9 Barner runs have been successful) compared to 0-of-1 for Charbonnet.
Love it or hate it, A.J. Barner tush push plays are here to stay.
Sam Darnold INT breakdown by Kurt Warner
As the header says:
How are Seahawks fans feeling about this week’s game against the Titans sans a few key players and the importance of the questionable guys being available:
Seaside Joe 2454
If there was ever a week to rest some people and see how the backups play this is it. I think the defense will do ok. If the offense doesn't turn it over and give up some easy points then we win. The interior line with a backup LG is a big question mark, but I think it would be good to rest Grey. It's a long season for a rookie, let's try to save him for the playoffs.
I’m feeling good about this week. If there were ever a week to play shorthanded, this is it. I’d rest Zabel and Jones, Play Thomas at the mike, and play O’Connell on short yardage defense and go nickel with Emmanwori most of the time at either ILB or slot corner depending on the Titan’s offensive personnel.