The Seattle Seahawks are in the NFC title game and one win away from a trip to the Super Bowl. However, on Jan. 19, Seattle was dealt an unfortunate setback as running back Zach Charbonnet suffered a torn ACL, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
This season, Charbonnet has recorded 184 carries for 730 yards and scored 12 touchdowns in 16 games, per StatMuse. With the Los Angeles Rams coming to Seattle for their third meeting with the Seahawks, the question is: How do they replace Charbonnet?
CBS Sports’ Charles Davis believes that Kenneth Walker III will need to carry the load against Los Angeles if the Seahawks want to make it to Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX.
“To me, you lean heavily on Kenneth Walker,” Davis said during a Jan. 19 appearance on CBS Sports HQ. “This time of year, you’re not worried about, ‘Oh, well, let’s make sure they’re both fresh.’ No, you run him till it’s over. He’s in a very good groove right now, the way he played. Cam Akers is on the practice squad, who has experience in this league, a former Ram, so they could always bring him up for additional help. But I do think you just lean on Walker.
“It may change some of what you do in terms of running back in the passing game, but all in all, let’s say, ‘Let’s go Kenneth Walker.’ We saddled you up in the last ball game, almost 120 yards in that one [and] three touchdowns… But if Kenneth Walker runs the ball the way he did in the last game against San Francisco, they’re not going to worry too much about the third downs.”
Mike Macdonald Talks Zach Charbonnet Injury
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald struck an optimistic tone about the injury after the game, but that outlook changed soon after. During an appearance on Seattle Sports 710-AM on Jan. 19, Macdonald said Charbonnet will need surgery, a procedure expected to lead to an extensive rehab.
“It breaks your heart,” Macdonald said (h/t ESPN). “He’s going to need surgery. So, he has … got a good long road to come back. Our heart goes out to him. Prayers go out to Charbs. We love him, man…
“This guy is the epitome of what it means to be a Seahawk. Absolute tough as nails, great teammate, great human being, plays his tail off, detail-oriented, unselfish. This hurts, man. It hurts that it’s going on, but he’s going to be back. He’s going to be back stronger than ever, and the guys are going to pick him [up].”
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold Under Pressure
Seattle cruised past the San Francisco 49ers with a dominant 41-6 win in the divisional round, but attention now shifts to Sam Darnold heading into the NFC title game. Los Angeles have picked off Darnold six times across two matchups this season, making ball security a major storyline.
Former NFL player Emmanuel Acho pointed out that if Seattle wants to reach the Super Bowl, the quarterback must avoid the mistakes that plagued those games against the Rams.
“Ram [and] Seahawks, they’ve played each other twice this season; Matthew Stafford has five touchdowns [and] no interceptions,” Acho said on the Dec. 18 edition of “Speakeasy.” “Sam Darnold has two touchdowns [and] six interceptions. Let that sink in. It’s not a conversation. The game of football is all about the football.
“Matthew Stafford got five [touchdowns], no picks, in the two games combined. Sam Darnold got six picks in the two games combined. Average three picks a game. If Sam Darnold goes out there and starts throwing these picks, it’s going to be blouses before it gets started.”
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