The Seattle Seahawks have been much more competitive during the 2022 season than many people thought that they would be. After trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos this past offseason, many assumed that the Seahawks would be heading toward a rebuild. While that still may be the case, this is a team that is playing hard every week and exceeding expectations set for them.
Seattle is struggling mightily on defense as they are 31st in points allowed and 32 in yardage. They would struggle to stop a cold at this point as every team outside of Wilson and the Broncos has found a ton of success against them. The Seahawks have surrendered at least 27 points in four consecutive games.
They have remained competitive, for the most part, during that stretch because of the performance of their offense. Geno Smith has been a revelation at the quarterback position, slinging the ball and taking advantage of having a strong group of skill position players around him.
One of those players is running back Rashaad Penny. The 2018 first-round pick found his footing last season, as he finished the 2021 campaign as one of the most productive running backs in the NFL. That performance carried over to this season, as Penny currently ranks 11th in the league with 346 rushing yards.
The San Diego State product likely would have been higher on the list had he not suffered an injury in the third quarter of their Week 5 game against the New Orleans Saints. Penny was gang tackled after a six-yard gain and was forced to leave the game on a cart. Unfortunately for him and the team, Penny’s injury looks to be a serious one.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Penny suffered a fractured tibia. He will undergo further testing, but the early diagnosis certainly isn’t encouraging as it is likely that Penny will need to undergo surgery.
If Penny’s injury is as serious as predicted, it will be the Kenneth Walker III show in the Seahawks backfield. Walker was a second-round pick out of Michigan State in the 2022 NFL Draft after a dominant season with the Spartans following two years with Wake Forest.
He showed off his explosive athleticism against the Saints, breaking off a 69-yard touchdown that gave the Seahawks a short-lived lead in the fourth quarter of the game. Walker finished the game with eight carries for 88 yards and is in line to become the lead early down back with Penny sidelined.
