Carson’s TD run is one that will live on with Seahawks; Simmons injury key
Chris Carson, the bulldozer. And the unifier.
Doug Baldwin, David Moore, D.J. Fluker (who wasn’t even in uniform, out injured), Carson’s fellow running back Mike Davis ran over to Seattle’s bench to shout their congratulations in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s eventual overtime loss at San Francisco.
Seconds earlier, the Seahawks’ running back refused to go down, on fourth down, to force a tie.
The 49ers (4-10) scored the only points of the third quarter to take a 20-13 lead. Then Carson ran twice for 46 yards.
That set up a third-and-goal from the 2. Carson was stopped on an inside-zone run to the 1.
On fourth down, out of shotgun, Carson took the handoff and got hit almost immediately by San Francisco defensive lineman D.J. Jones. Jones out-weighs Carson by 99 pounds. Yet Carson bulled off him. He rammed through Niners linebacker Elijah Lee. He charged through two more defenders at the goal line. Then, with a push from left tackle Duane Brown, Carson reached across the goal line for the TD.
His sixth rushing touchdown this season—the most impressive score of the seventh-round draft pick’s two-year career—tied the game at 20 early in the fourth quarter.
And it sent the Seahawks’ sideline into a party.
“That’s winning football,” Russell Wilson said of Carson’s determined run.
Indeed, no matter what happens from here on this season, when Seahawks staffers put together highlights of this season, that TD run by Chris Carson will be at or near the top. It exemplifies the toughness and effort coach Pete Carroll constantly preaches.
“I’m just going to keep going,” Carson said at his locker as the Seahawks quietly dressed after losing, 26-23, in overtime. “Until my body is on the ground I don’t feel like I’m stopped.”
Carson finished with 119 yards on 22 rushes. It was his fourth 100-yard rushing day this season.
Simmons’ injury becomes key
Who knew an injury to a September waiver pickup would help deny Seattle of clinching that playoff berth?
Jordan Simmons, claimed from Oakland in September, made his third career start Sunday. That was because starting right guard D.J. Fluker was inactive with a strained groin for the second consecutive game.
The previous two starts for Simmons were his first two in the NFL for the Raiders’ undrafted rookie free agent in 2017. The Seahawks ran for 273 yards at the Rams last month. Last week when Simmons started again Seattle romped for 214 yards in the win over Minnesota.
All seemed well on Sunday as Simmons plowed lanes for Carson into the third quarter. Then as Carson ran past him for a 5-yard gain Simmons rolled face-down into the wet turf. He sustained what Carroll said after the game was a “first-degree” knee sprain..
“We don’t know what that means for him coming back, so we’ll just have to wait and see when we get back and all of that,” Carroll said.
Ethan Pocic entered for Simmons. And the 2017 second-round draft choice showed why he’s been third-string.
Pocic was called for holding that negated Mike Davis’ 19-yard run to the San Francisco 38 with 53 seconds left in regulation. Instead of being in winning field-goal range in a tie game, Seattle had first-and-20 at its own 33.
In overtime Pocic’s second holding penalty wiped out Wilson’s 32-yard pass down the right sideline to J.D. McKissic on third down. Seattle eventually punted.
“Well, he didn’t work out very well,” Carroll said. “He didn’t work out very well.
“I haven’t seen the call or anything like that so I can’t tell you (in detail). But we have to be in position and keep our hands inside and not give them a chance to call it.”
Pocic started the first two games at left guard this season. Seattle lost both those games when Pocic started, at Denver and Chicago.
Carroll said Fluker worked out before Sunday’s game, but the Seahawks don’t yet know if he can play next Sunday in the home game against Kansas City.
Extra points
Running back Rashaad Penny was inactive for the first time this season. He did not make the team’s trip to the Bay Area this weekend; he stayed home to rehabilitate a sore knee. Carroll said the Seahawks should know more by Wednesday about his availability. ... Pro Bowl linebacker K.J. Wright was out for the 11th time in 14 games since surgery in August on his knee. ... The Seahawks left defensive tackle Nazair Jones inactive for the sixth game this season. They chose Poona Ford inside on the defensive line instead. The Seahawks generally have made Ford active versus running teams this season and the taller Jones, more of a pass rusher who knocks down throws, active against throwing teams. ... Special-teams player Maurice Alexander was inactive because of a concussion he got covering a kick against the Vikings. The other inactives were cornerback Kalan Reed and center Joey Hunt.
This story was originally published December 16, 2018 at 7:31 PM.
