The Seattle Seahawks have announced that running back Marshawn Lynch won't play Monday night against the Detroit Lions, according to John Boyle of seahawks.com.
Lynch has been dealing with a hamstring injury this season, and rest is likely the only way he will get better. Lynch has been limited in carrying the ball this season and is averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. Last season, Lynch averaged 4.7 yards per carry and scored 13 touchdowns.
The Seahawks will look to rookie running back Thomas Rawls Monday night. Rawls exploded onto the NFL scene last week, when he rushed for 104 yards on just 16 carries. The Seahawks are excited with Rawls' play and are likely counting on him to play big against the Lions.
"This was one of my guys. I was really fired up about him, because I liked the style that he brought," said head coach Pete Carroll, via seahawks.com. "So I was really pulling for that one to come through. The guys who were on the phone all the way up until we got them, there was a little pressure on that one. I was really pulling for him all the way throughout... We were thinking about drafting him. We were looking forward to getting him."
While Carroll said that he really wanted to draft Rawls, they ended up signing him as an undrafted free agent. Rawls said that he knew how Carroll felt about undrafted rookies, as well as their history in Seattle, and that's what led to him signing there, according to seahawks.com.
The Seahawks also signed veteran running back Fred Jackson prior to the season, and he will likely get touches on Monday night. The Seahawks will likely miss Lynch against the Lions, but they likely believe that Rawls and Jackson can step up in his absence.
