Marshawn Lynch Likely Out For Seahawks Vs. Chiefs

Marshawn Lynch is not expected to play this weekend against the Kansas City Chiefs, which is disappointing. Lynch has a back injury and is considered unlikely to play, according to Danny O'Neil of the Seattle Times. You can throw fullback Michael Robinson in there as well. He's expected to sit, too.

I was looking forward to the Chiefs run defense having a chance to fix whatever went wrong last week against Steven Jackson and the Rams.

I asked Danny Kelly over at out Seahawks blog, Field Gulls, to tell me something about the Seahawks offense I may not know and he pointed to the run game as a strength late last season...of course, that's with Lynch.

I don't know how much Seattle news reaches the midwest so you may well be privy to this, but the Seahawks' rushing attack really ramped up over the second half of the season in 2011. After a very slow start, the Seahawks rushed for 1,214 yards over the final nine weeks, an average of 134.8 yards per game.

Related: Chiefs Q&A at Field Gulls

Pete Carroll has repeatedly said that he wants Seattle to be a running team and with the help of Tom Cable and the implementation of his brand of the zone-blocking scheme last year, it finally appears like they're heading in that direction. The Seahawks offense, at its core, is centered around Marshawn Lynch and the tone and identity he brings. A power zone running scheme, buoyed by explosive downfield throws and momentum changing plays. That's what Carroll constantly talks about, anyway. Hopefully that's the on-field product this year.

The Chiefs first goal is always to stop the run. That's No. 1. Anthony Pleasant, Chiefs defensive line coach, has talked about that before with the role of the defensive linemen -- it's always starts with the run defense.

Friday night won't be as good of a test without Lynch playing but it'll still be a chance to improve on what went down last week. It'll also be a nice warm-up into remembering how to tackle since none of that goes on at training camp or practices anymore.

By the way, the running back the Chiefs will be facing is rookie Robert Turbin. I met him earlier this year and holy crap those arms...