One of the biggest things noticeable for rookies in the NFL is the tendency to play too fast, but for Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker, that served him well last season.
Now in his second year in the NFL, Walker is again off to a good start. He has already amassed an impressive 450 rushing yards and six touchdowns through just six games.
Head coach Pete Carroll has noticed Walker's improvement in patience at the line of scrimmage. Instead of trying to force plays, Walker is making clearer choices, resulting in better output from the running back.
“I think he realizes that you can’t try to break everything," Carroll said. "He’s making a little clearer choices about hitting the line of scrimmage and there’s good things that happen when you do that too. Breaks come from that also; I think he’s doing really well. He’s a highly creative runner, you have to give him space. He’s going to go for stuff, and that’s the only way he’s going to make some of these amazing plays too."
Walker's performance against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday showcased his growth. He carried the ball an impressive 26 times for 105 yards, leading the Seahawks to a 20-10 victory.
With rookie Zach Charbonnet also performing well, the Seahawks now have a formidable running back tandem. They have managed to surpass 100 rushing yards in three out of their six games, all of which resulted in wins.
Although the running game was strong against the Cardinals, the offense struggled in the red zone, converting only one of three attempts. Walker believes the issue lies in execution rather than play calls.
"Execute," Walker said. "We just don’t execute. We’ve got the good play calls, but we just got to execute."
While Walker's success is evident, there are still areas that need improvement for the Seahawks. However, as long as Walker continues to make clear choices and demonstrate patience with the ball, Seattle can rely on their running game to overcome offensive shortcomings.
