What’s next for Seahawks’ run game with Chris Carson, C.J. Prosise out for year?
The Seahawks just lost their running game to season-ending injuries.
Now, in the crux of the year, they must find a way to keep these gut-punches from ending all their seasons.
The team that wants to run the ball—that must run the ball, given its offensive line’s issues in pass protection—will be without 1,230-yard rusher Chris Carson, number-two back Rashaad Penny and their backup C.J. Prosise for next Sunday’s NFC West title game against San Francisco.
All three backs will miss Seattle’s upcoming playoffs, too.
Coach Pete Carroll announced that following Seattle’s 27-13 loss to Arizona Sunday at CentruryLink Field.
Carson has a hip injury the coach said is similar to safety Lano Hill’s last year. That was a fractured and displaced hip that required surgery. Hill was out months well into the offseason.
Carroll also said Prosise has a broken arm.
Both got hurt in the first half of the malfunctioning loss to the Cardinals.
“Losing Chris Carson, who has had an amazing year...I know it’s pretty tough on him. Tough on us,” quarterback Russell Wilson said, aptly.
“He’s been the epitome of toughness. He’s been the epitome of a workhorse. ...He’s been really, really special. ...
“So it’s just disappointing. And we’ll figure out what we can do.”
Penny went on injured reserve earlier this month. He tore knee ligaments. He needs reconstructive knee surgery.
Plus, Pro Bowl veteran left tackle Duane Brown needs knee surgery. He also missed Sunday’s game. Carroll describes Brown’s procedure Monday as “minor, he just needs to get his knee cleaned up.”
“It’s a couple-week deal here, we think, if we’re lucky,” Carroll said.
That leaves the offense also without its best lineman and blocker for the division-title game against the 49ers next Sunday night.
Overcome all those injuries to win that 49ers game, and the Seahawks have a home game and perhaps a first-round bye in the playoffs as at least the third seed. It’s still possible Seattle would be the two or one seed, but New Orleans and Green Bay would need to lose. The Packers play at the Vikings Monday night.
Lose to San Francisco, and it’s the fifth playoff seed for Seattle (11-4) as a wild card, and a wild-card round game in two weeks at Philadelphia or Dallas, whichever wins the NFC East. The Eagles (8-7) beat the Cowboys (7-8) Sunday. If Philadelphia beats the New York Giants (4-11) this coming weekend, the Eagles win the East and host a wild-card game.
“We’ve got to get to scrambling,” Carroll said. “John (Schneider, the team’s general manager) has got to get to work and figure out what we’re doing next.
“We are going to figure out a way. We are going to use all the same tools that we use all the time, mentally, to make sure we can be disciplined about it and turn our focus on the challenge. Our guys do a remarkable job of doing that.
“So, people who question their ability to do it can’t believe when we do it. We’ll try to show you and prove it.”
The Seahawks are going to sign a running back or two to the roster this week. An immediate option could be undrafted rookie Xavier Turner off the practice squad.
It’s likely Schneider and Carroll were on the phones Sunday night contacting veteran free agents. But veterans available at Christmas, after 16 weeks of the NFL season, are most often either: old, broken or broken and old.
The Seahawks reportedly had one of their former running backs, Robert Turbin, plus NFL veteran Alfred Blue in for tryouts last week.
The starting running back against the 49ers and into the playoffs is likely to be the one who was the only available rusher for the final 2 1/2 quarters against the Cardinals.
Rookie sixth-round draft choice Travis Homer from Miami gained 16 yards on five carries Sunday. He got his first rushes in the offense just last week in Seattle’s win at Carolina.
Carson may have gotten hurt during a carry with 5:23 left in the first quarter, though he played on. He had runs of 10 and 16 yards on Seattle’s first offensive possession. Carson gained 40 yards on eight rushes in the half. He went from the 5:23 mark of the first quarter until 8:38 left in the second quarter between carries.
That second rush in that span, for 7 yards, was his final one—of the season.
Carson was inside the tent for medical observation for a few minutes in the second quarter, then walked down the sideline into the locker room with a team assistant.
He finishes his third Seahawks season with 1,230 yards and seven touchdowns. He rushed for 1,151 yards last season, when he missed two games. Carson is the sixth Seahawks running back to rush for 1,000 yards in two consecutive years.
His rookie season of 2017 ended with a broken leg in the fourth game.
Carson has still not finished an entire season injury-free since he was in junior college. That was before two seasons at Oklahoma State.
Prosise was already in the locker room when Carson got there. His broken arm is his ninth injury in three-plus years since the Seahawks drafted him in 2016.
Yes, this team thrives on adversity. Yes, they’ve overcome injuries, defeat and despair before while making the playoffs seven times in the last eight seasons, including playing in two Super Bowls and winning one.
What kind of challenge is this to the Seahawks’ hopes in the upcoming postseason?
“We do like kind of running the football, you know,” Carroll said, with a small, almost rueful grin.
“It’s a challenge. John has to get working. He has a plan. And he was already preparing for every position that has a fallout, wherever we go.
“So, we’ll let you know when we get to it.”
This story was originally published December 22, 2019 at 3:24 PM.
