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- Mar 20, 2019
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The Seattle Seahawks had wanted to get running back Chris Carson more involved in the passing game this season. In Week One, Carson was more involved than anyone in the passing game.
Carson led all Seahawks players with seven targets. That accounted for more than 33 percent of the 20 throws made by quarterback Russell Wilson during the game.
“Well, it worked out,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Monday. “It was something that was part of the offseason to involve him and he jumped out with six catches. That was a lot of catches for him. It’s clear why we’re trying. He made some nice plays running with the football. The touchdown play was a phenomenal run after catch. We’re not talking about him lining up as a wide receiver to run post routes and digs and stuff like that. We want to use him in classic fashion for the running back position and letting him catch the ball with space and run for obvious reasons.”
Carson’s feast resulted in famine for others. Receiver Tyler Lockett wasn’t targeted at all until the fourth quarter, finishing with two balls thrown his way.
“We weren’t looking at that,” Carroll said. “We looked at him a number of times. The idea was to go there, and we couldn’t get there. We didn’t forget he was out there.”
At least Lockett had two targets; receiver Jaron Brown didn’t have the ball thrown his way at all.
“Yeah, we love what he does and what he contributes and all that,” Carroll said. “But it really was just how the game goes sometimes. We’re counting on him making plays and doing stuff, he’s been terrific for us.”
Terrific isn’t a word that would be applied to the Seahawks’ downfield passing game, especially with only 20 passes thrown, and more than a third of them to a running back. If that continues, folks may wonder why so much money has been invested in the quarterback position.