Kenneth Walker III just changed the temperature of this game. The Seattle running back ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run that flipped the score and the mood. Earlier, he sparked the first punch with a 46-yard catch that set up a Zach Charbonnet touchdown. Two explosive plays, two quick swings, and a clear message. Seattle’s offense is leaning on a star in real time.
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Walker flips the game
The moment popped with speed. Walker pressed the hole, slid past a linebacker, then hit the gas. By the time the Rams’ pursuit found an angle, he was gone. The run gave Seattle a 14-13 lead and stunned a defense that had started to settle in.
His first strike was through the air. Seattle flexed Walker out as a checkdown option, then turned him loose on a wheel concept. He tracked the ball, made the grab, and raced 46 yards. The sideline jumped. That play set up Charbonnet’s short score and announced the script. The Seahawks will test the Rams horizontally and vertically with their backs.
Walker’s 55-yard touchdown run put Seattle in front, 14-13, and flipped momentum toward the visitors.
How Seattle is using Walker
This is not just about touches. It is about leverage and stress. New head coach Mike Macdonald and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb are pairing motion with angle routes and outside zone. They are forcing the Rams to declare coverage, then punishing them if a safety cheats.
- When the Rams play two high safeties, Walker gets light boxes and attacks the edges.
- When they spin a safety down, Geno Smith gets play action shots to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.
- Linebackers are caught in the wash, because Seattle is marrying run and pass looks.
- The tempo is steady, which keeps Walker fresh for sudden bursts.
You can feel the plan. Walker gets early touches to gauge pursuit. Then Seattle hits the gas with a changeup. The 46-yard catch was that changeup. The 55-yard run was the haymaker.
The blocking picture
Credit the line. Charles Cross and the tight ends sealed the edge on the long run, which gave Walker a two-way go. Guards climbed to the second level, and Walker made one cut. That is the blueprint for his style. Get him squared, let him decide, and trust his burst.
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What it means for the matchup
The Rams want to play fast with a young front. They chase, rally, and hit. Walker punishes that style when pursuit takes a false step. Once the backside loses contain, he turns six yards into sixty. That forces Los Angeles to tighten its run fits and bring help down. The ripple is huge. It opens slants for Lockett, seam shots for Noah Fant, and isolation routes for Metcalf.
Seattle’s identity is taking shape. It is not just a deep ball team. It is a space team. Walker stretches the field, not only with speed, but with threat. Defenses must honor him before the snap. That tilts the numbers and simplifies reads for Geno. It also lifts the huddle. You can hear it when he pops a run. Helmets clap. Coaches sprint. Energy floods the sideline.
Dual threat backs change coverage math. Walker is forcing the Rams to pick between box integrity and deep help.
The wider lens
Walker has always had the home run in his bag. Today, he is stacking it with patience and hands. The catch on the wheel showed trust. The line sold the run. Geno gave him a chance. Walker did the rest. That is how a back becomes the center of gravity for a game plan.
This performance also says something about Seattle’s balance behind him. Charbonnet’s touchdown mattered, because it showed depth. Defenses cannot sell out on one back when the other finishes drives. And the receivers play off it. Metcalf’s presence keeps a corner off the edge. Smith-Njigba’s motion shifts leverage. It all leads back to Walker, who turns small seams into big stories.
What comes next
Now the chess begins. The Rams will test heavier boxes, plus-pressure looks, and scrape exchanges to slow the cutback. Seattle will answer with screens, counters, and bootlegs. If the Rams overplay the run, the Seahawks will fire to the perimeter. If they sit back, Walker will keep taking five, then forty-five.
For Seattle, the priority is health and ball security. Keep Walker upright. Finish runs smart. Hit the cut and get down when needed. The yards will be there if the structure holds.
If Los Angeles widens its front, look for Seattle to hammer inside zone and quick play action to the middle of the field.
Conclusion
Kenneth Walker III has grabbed this game by the collar. A 46-yard catch to light the fuse, then a 55-yard burst to seize the lead. The Seahawks have found their rhythm through a back who can threaten every blade of grass. If that continues, the Rams face a long second half and a longer flight home. Seattle wanted an identity on offense. In a few loud seconds, Walker made it clear.
