Kenneth Walker delivered an impressive performance on Sunday, leading the Seattle Seahawks to a crucial victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The crafty running back racked up 118 yards on only 14 touches, and proved to be explosive enough to change the game at any moment. With this victory, the Seahawks responded after losing a close contest to the San Francisco 49ers to open their 2023 campaign. This hard-fought victory keeps the hope of future games alive.
Walker and Rashad Penny during the first three games, when Walker and Zach Charbonnet shared the backfield evenly. Walker soon overshadowed him as the stronger, more impactful option. He put the game away with a spectacular 19-yard TD run. He was instrumental on a game-winning field-goal drive with a dazzling 20-yard run. His versatility, vision, and precision were on full display the entire game, highlighting why he was the ideal choice to one day be the Seahawks’ offensive foundation.
Coach Mike Macdonald was very complimentary of Walker’s performance saying, “That’s the dude that comes on tape. This prominent early endorsement speaks to Walker’s consistency and ability to rise to the rhetorical moment. His steadying, veteran presence, as well as his consistent contributions, played a major role in the Seahawks turning things around after an extremely poor opening to the year.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold touched on how Walker can shift the momentum in a game. “Sure enough, he breaks a couple tackles and I knew he had a chance,” Darnold remarked. On the court, Walker inspires confidence in his teammates. On clutch plays they need him creating separation for them to have chances to win.
Walker delivers as Seahawks find themselves in a pivotal moment. With no obvious clear-cut No. 1 at RB, his success will be needed to make the Lions’ ground-and-pound strategy work as they hit the home stretch. His capacity to maintain the load in tandem with Charbonnet only speaks to the talent laced through Seattle’s backfield.
The Seahawks’ offense is designed to distribute the ball among multiple players, as evidenced by Coach Macdonald’s statement: “This offense is designed to get the ball to everybody.” This strategy doesn’t just help to spread the defensive attention, but it helps make players like Walker shine.
Walker’s advocacy didn’t go unnoticed by his teammates. Rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba expressed confidence in the team’s overall performance, saying, “We know that they have our backs, and that feels really going into a game… We know they’re ready and we know they’re the best in the world.”
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