A couple of years ago, undrafted free agent Thomas Rawls was a great story for Seattle. Marshawn Lynch was breaking down and struggling, and Rawls came out of nowhere to have a great second half of the season for the Seahawks. Before getting hurt. But that was 2015, and it's now clear he's not a good running back.
Rawls had another crummy game against an up-and-down Arizona run defense last night. An above-average group for the season, but one that had given up 120-plus in two of four, with 4 TDs in those games. It's a typical outing for Rawls, who Pete Carroll has already dropped behind Eddie Lacy multiple times this year and Chris Carson as well. But those guys proceeded to get hurt, so we got more of Rawls.
Hopefully, nobody is actually starting him anymore. Doesn't catch passes, doesn't bust big runs, doesn't even seem likely to punch the ball in if it winds up near the goal line. The line in front of him is terrible, to be sure, but Rawls isn't good either.
First table shows every Seattle running back with double-digit attempts over the last two seasons, sorted by yards per carry. Second shows Rawls' game-by-game performance.
| SEATTLE RUNNING BACKS, 2016-2017 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | G | Att | Yds | TD | Avg |
| 2016 | C.J. Prosise | 6 | 30 | 172 | 1 | 5.7 |
| 2017 | J.D. McKissic | 6 | 21 | 92 | 1 | 4.4 |
| 2017 | Chris Carson | 4 | 49 | 208 | 0 | 4.2 |
| 2016 | Christine Michael | 9 | 117 | 469 | 6 | 4.0 |
| 2016 | Alex Collins | 11 | 31 | 125 | 1 | 4.0 |
| 2016 | Troymaine Pope | 3 | 11 | 43 | 0 | 3.9 |
| 2016 | Thomas Rawls | 9 | 109 | 349 | 3 | 3.2 |
| 2017 | Eddie Lacy | 6 | 48 | 128 | 0 | 2.7 |
| 2017 | Thomas Rawls | 7 | 49 | 125 | 0 | 2.6 |
| 2017 | C.J. Prosise | 5 | 11 | 23 | 0 | 2.1 |
The only less-effective backs for Seattle the last two years are Lacy, who's also terrible, and Prosise, who is incapable of staying healthy (he sprained his other ankle last night).
| RAWLS, LAST TWO SEASONS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Opp | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2016 | CAR | 15 | 106 | 7.1 | 2 |
| 2016 | DET | 27 | 161 | 6.0 | 1 |
| 2016 | @ GB | 12 | 67 | 5.6 | 0 |
| 2017 | WAS | 9 | 39 | 4.3 | 0 |
| 2016 | PHI | 14 | 57 | 4.1 | 0 |
| 2017 | @ NYG | 11 | 36 | 3.3 | 0 |
| 2016 | @ TB | 12 | 38 | 3.2 | 0 |
| 2016 | @ ATL | 11 | 34 | 3.1 | 0 |
| 2016 | MIA | 12 | 32 | 2.7 | 0 |
| 2017 | @ ARI | 10 | 27 | 2.7 | 0 |
| 2017 | @ LA | 8 | 20 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 2016 | @ SF | 8 | 14 | 1.8 | 1 |
| 2016 | LA | 21 | 34 | 1.6 | 0 |
| 2016 | ARI | 8 | 8 | 1.0 | 0 |
| 2017 | SF | 5 | 4 | 0.8 | 0 |
| 2017 | HOU | 6 | -1 | -0.2 | 0 |
| 2016 | @ LA | 7 | -7 | -1.0 | 0 |
In 17 games of Rawls the past two seasons, including the playoffs, he's been over 3.3 yards per carry five times. He's rushed for 4 TDs in those games. A nice story back in 2015, but it's over.
--Andy Richardson