Kenneth Walker III off to fast start as Seahawks’ RB1

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Kenneth Walker III took the toss from Geno Smith, turned the best nook after which turned on the jets, racing by the Los Angeles Chargers’ protection untouched for a 74-yard landing run that put an exclamation level on a press release victory by the Seattle Seahawks.

So, what’s it prefer to be operating within the open area with nothing in entrance of him however the finish zone?

“It is an excellent feeling as a result of it is uncommon,” Walker stated after the Seahawks’ 37-23 win over the Chargers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. “It does not actually occur a lot in soccer, so once you get the chance, you have to make one of the best of it.”

Uncommon for many operating backs, anyway.

However that is twice in three video games that Seattle’s rookie second-round decide has exploded for a protracted landing run by which no defender obtained a hand on him. His first NFL rating was a 69-yarder towards the New Orleans Saints in Week 5, when he took an inside handoff to the left, reduce to the best and kicked it into excessive gear. Each performs had been exquisitely blocked. Walker and his 4.38 velocity did the remainder.

Per Subsequent Gen Stats, he reached 22.09 mph on his 74-yard landing run. That is the quickest any ball service has clocked this season and tied for the second-fastest because the begin of 2021.

So you possibly can say that Walker, in additional methods than one, is off to a quick begin because the Seahawks’ new RB1.

“That dude is particular, man,” Smith stated. “Ken is a particular participant. You may simply see the look in his eyes. He is targeted. All he wants is a crease and he may be gone.”

It looks as if a very long time in the past that critics of Seattle’s collection of Walker had been complaining — loudly — that No. 41 total was too early to take a operating again. By no means thoughts that the Seahawks knew on the time that Chris Carson seemingly would not play once more because of the neck harm that compelled him to retire. Additionally they knew they could not rely on oft-injured Rashaad Penny to remain wholesome, a priority that was realized when he suffered a season-ending ankle harm within the Saints sport.

Walker himself missed a lot of coaching camp and the season opener after having a hernia process in mid-August. That helps clarify why he did not look utterly settled over his first few video games, when a few operating performs needed to be aborted as a result of he went the mistaken solution to take the handoff.

Contemplate him settled now that he is rushed for 353 yards and 4 touchdowns on solely 52 carries during the last three video games. That features 168 yards — most by a rookie this season — and two touchdowns on 23 carries towards the Chargers. His 6.13 yards-per-carry common ranks second amongst all operating backs.

The Seahawks already had a candidate for defensive rookie of the 12 months in cornerback Tariq Woolen. Now Walker is rising as a candidate for the offensive model of the award. He is third amongst rookies in speeding yards with 411 and tied for first with 4 speeding touchdowns, regardless of lacking a sport and never taking up because the starter till Week 6.

Walker is getting it completed with the mix of velocity and energy that led some draft analysts, together with ESPN’s Todd McShay, to view him as the highest operating again within the 2022 class. Walker confirmed each on his 12-yard landing run towards the Chargers, when he took an inside handoff, shot by way of the second degree and plowed into the top zone with a defender clinging to his legs. He turned a couple of would-be losses into quick positive aspects by breaking tackles or jump-cutting to keep away from them behind the road of scrimmage.

“He actually did have some terrific runs,” Carroll stated. “He had an excellent 3-yard run one time when he obtained caught within the backfield. He simply has a ton of skill.”

Walker carried 21 instances final week towards the Arizona Cardinals in his first begin and upped his carry quantity by two towards the Chargers. Carroll stated after every sport that he likes these numbers, so Seattle’s most well-liked workload for Walker seemingly received’t change with Travis Homer nearing his return from injured reserve. Homer, who usually shares third-down duties with DeeJay Dallas, is ready to follow this week and will play Sunday towards the New York Giants (4:25 p.m. ET, Lumen Discipline, Fox).

The Seahawks like Homer and Dallas in third-down and end-of-half conditions due to their skill to move block and catch the ball out of the backfield. These had been the 2 knocks on Walker’s sport popping out of Michigan State. However earlier than he went down in coaching camp, he was making splash performs within the passing sport and drew rave evaluations from Carroll.

Walker has caught eight passes for 27 yards.

“There’s nothing he cannot do,” Carroll stated postgame Sunday. “He can catch it. He can run it. He can break huge performs. He can run quick yardage. He can run off deal with. He can run across the edge such as you noticed him on the massive play. It is a terrific draft decide. He is a terrific man so as to add to our soccer group and he is doing it.”