Seahawks Offensive Line Musical Chairs: Moving The Chains

The Seahawks offensive line continues to adapt to injuries, helping to lead an impact rushing attack in a 20-10 Week 7 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Oct 23, 2023 at 10:50 AM

Maliik Obee

Seahawks.com Contributor

The Seahawks defeated the Arizona Cardinals 20-10 at Lumen Field on Sunday, doing so with their fifth offensive line combination of the season. Despite injuries, Seattle's offensive line led the way for Kenneth Walker III's first 100-yard game of the season and gave Geno Smith time to throw while continuing to exemplify grit.

A 100+ yard day for K9!#GoHawks x @Kia pic.twitter.com/b3Dxx9RrpS
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 23, 2023

In 2016, Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll sat down with psychologist Angela Duckworth to discuss the definition of grit and what it means to him in building a team.

"It seems to me that we can really find ways," said Carroll. "To instill a mechanism of resilience by training people that they have the abilities that allow them to maintain hope. It's about hope. The reason you bounce back is because you know you have a chance. You believe, or you've been connected to a bunch of people that believe, so you go along with them. There's a hope, an undying sense of belief that, 'Of course we can come back, of course we can overcome."

Seattle's offensive line has embodied that mentality as it has managed to overcome injuries to every starter over the course of six games, with center Evan Brown being the latest starter to miss a contest (hip). Three of five starters in Seattle's home win Sunday were fill-ins, with rookies Olu Oluwatimi (center) and Anthony Bradford (guard) joining tackle Stone Forsythe in the lineup. Second-year tackle Charles Cross played in his third contest of the season, after going down in Week 1 with a toe injury and battling through an ankle issue. Guard Damien Lewis returned to the field after suffering an ankle injury during Seattle's 24-3 Week 4 win over the New York Giants. Starting second-year tackle Abraham Lucas continues to rehab from a knee injury that knocked him out of the season-opener and landed him on injured reserve.

Yet despite the constant shuffle of starters, Seattle's offensive line stepped up Sunday, paving the way for running back Walker's first 100-yard rushing game of the season (105 yards on 26 carries). Smith threw two passing touchdowns while being sacked just twice, following being brought down four times in Week 6's 17-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

"Kenny had a good day," said Carroll. "It was a hard, tough day. Got over 100 yards. He battled all day long and did a really nice job. So I think that the guys up front, somebody gave me the number that this is the fifth variation of our offensive line; is that right? OK, that's challenging. But those guys did well today. It was a really good job by those guys, getting a 100-yard rusher and protecting the quarterback enough so we could play a good football game."

Despite playing behind a different line almost every week, Smith continued to express his faith in that group while also praising offensive line coach Andy Dickerson.

"I've got the ultimate faith in those guys up front," said Smith. "I know how hard they prepare. We communicate, myself and the linemen, the guards and centers, we talk all week about fronts, protections, run game. We're in this thing together, all 11 playing together. But it starts up front, as we all know. And just proud of the way those guys have accepted the coaching. Coach Andy (Dickerson) has done a great job preparing those guys during the week and having them on point for game day. Whoever is out there, we know they're going to get the job done and just happy to be a part of it."

Through seven weeks, the Seahawks have been tested by the injury bug, proving resilient at 4-2. It all starts up front, as the offensive line continues to exhibit its grit, taking on all challengers and challenges.