Seahawks' Commitment to Running Game Creating Blueprint for Postseason Success

The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers should be nearly the same football team. And they are in many ways—from the mobile quarterbacks to the swarming run defense—with the exception of a key characteristic: persistence.

Too often this season the 49ers have strayed from the offense that’s rewarded them with the most success. They’ve abandoned the run and asked Colin Kaepernick to become an entirely different quarterback. He’s made errors while regressing with crippling inaccuracy. But he’s also been chained to the pocket, with read-option plays and innovative power-running schemes cast aside.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, rarely deviate from their offensive identity. Their approach didn’t change during a 17-7 win over the 49ers, because for them failing doesn’t prompt panic. It leads to stubbornness and a whole lot of running.

That’s who the Seahawks are offensively. It’s who they are during wins, during losses and during games when they officially eliminate a hated rival from playoff contention.

For one team Sunday there was a certain finality that went beyond the scoreboard. A season filled with dysfunction and dissension for the 49ers won’t include playoff football for the first time during the Jim Harbaugh era, right when said era is reaching its fiery conclusion.

For the other team an uprising continued. A division title is more than within reach for the Seahawks, and it’s now a likely ending. Their 2014 regular season will arrive at that final destination the same way a win was secured Sunday: through persistence, patience and power running.

Leading as always was running back Marshawn Lynch, who runs with fury but shakes hands with a gentlemanly touch.

Lynch did his simple yet beautiful celebration after scoring what would eventually stand as the game-winning touchdown late in the third quarter after a four-yard run. On that drive alone he thrashed for 33 of his 91 total rushing yards. His sudden outburst reflected the awakening of a Seahawks running game that had stayed stagnant well into the second half.

But earlier struggles didn’t matter, and the offense still defaulted to its natural state. Eventually chipping away turned into hammering, and a wall came crumbling down.

Quarter	Attempts	Yards
First	5	13
Second	6	34
Third	12	90
Fourth	8	15

That third-quarter surge was easier without the presence of 49ers middle linebacker and tackling freak Chris Borland. He returned only briefly after suffering an ankle injury while trying to block during safety Eric Reid’s interception to end the first half.

His exit continued a year of general decay and doom for 49ers linebackers. Borland was replacing Patrick Willis, and the plug was finally yanked on NaVorro Bowman’s attempted comeback from a torn ACL and MCL.

So without Borland and his 101 tackles over only eight starts prior to Sunday Lynch wasn’t running against the same imposing 49ers run defense. But that doesn’t subtract from fundamental execution and a uniquely valuable offensive piece exploiting a weakness.

Lynch is now only the seventh player in league history to score at least 10 rushing touchdowns and run for over 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Let that history sink in for a moment. Then picture a near future in which Lynch is no longer employed by the Seahawks. That remains likely given his age (he turns 29 this offseason), the physical abuse he’s endured with a violent running style (2,374 career touches including playoffs) and the burden of his $8.5 million cap hit in 2015, per Spotrac.

But the Seahawks will worry about embracing that cold football-business reality in the offseason and possibly after a title defense. For wide receiver Doug Baldwin—who caught three passes for 53 yards Sunday—a life without Lynch isn't something he can mentally compute quite yet.

“I don’t want to,” Baldwin told The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell after the game when asked if he can envision the Seahawks offense without Lynch. “I’m not even going to answer that.”

The threat of a barreling Lynch has a trickle-down effect when he’s swinging his mighty hammer late in a game, with shoulders lowered and legs pumping. There’s an instinctive need among opposing linebackers to overcommit and stop the pounding. But in doing so they create running opportunities for quarterback Russell Wilson by failing to stay disciplined against read-option plays.

That’s what happened here during the final play of the third quarter. After Lynch had marched for 38 yards on his previous seven carries, 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks completely neglected Wilson and instead fully committed to Lynch while crashing to the inside.

Credit: NFL.com

In doing so he left the entire right side of the field exposed. Wilson had plenty of wide-open space to work with, and 19 yards later he was well into 49ers territory again.

Brooks was left far behind after successfully corralling a running back who didn’t have something important: the ball.

Credit: NFL.com

A running game rooted in power and disguise often leaves opposing defenders either hurting, confused or both late in the game, which is when Lynch and Wilson are most effective.

The Seahawks of 2014 are now looking much like the Seahawks of 2013. Defensively every yard is contested, and they're averaging only 6.75 points and 188 yards allowed over their last four games. Offensively every yard feels painful, which has to continue against the Arizona Cardinals and St. Louis Rams.

Seattle finishes its season needing to secure an NFC West title and possibly home-field advantage against two top-12 run defenses. The same commitment to the run shown Sunday should be repeated in those games and throughout the playoffs.

That blueprint for playoff success has already been designed and followed. Now it’s just a matter of staying stubborn and persistent.