After rushing for a career-high 106 yards and his first two NFL touchdowns, Seattle running back Christine Michael is one of three players nominated for Ground Player of the Week at NFL.com.
Michael carried 20 times in the Seahawks' 37-18 win over the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He put Seattle on the scoreboard twice in the opening quarter, sprinting 41 yards for the end zone on the team's third play from scrimmage and crossing the goal line again on the next possession from four yards out to stake the Seahawks an early 14-0 lead.
"This is really a time for Christine," Carroll said Monday of the fourth-year pro, a 2013 second-round pick by Seattle who rejoined the Seahawks late last season after stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins. "His eyes are wide open and he's kind of taking everything in. I think he's thrilled about how things have gone since he's returned. He's really excited about what his role is that he can play with this team.
"That was such a great explosion early in the game. A statement to get us going. It kind of answered to something. We wanted to get on the scoreboard and do it in the running game if we could. All of that stuff. Then to get his first touchdown as well and he had a 100-yard game and all that. I think there was just a lot of positives. Kind of like he's starting over again, so I think it's quite all right for him to kind of feel like a rookie starting up. Then being excited about all that kind of stuff in that kind of fashion. So it's a good story."
For NFL.com's Ground Player of the Week honor, Michael finds himself up against Bills running back LeSean McCoy, who rushed for 110 yards and two touchdowns in Buffalo's 33-18 win over the Arizona Cardinals, and Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount, who rushed for 105 and two touchdowns in New England's 27-0 victory against the Houston Texans.
Should Michael come away a winner this week, USO Northwest is eligible to win $2,000 towards transitioning programming. Fans can cast a vote for Michael right here.
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Seahawks running back Christine Michael opens the scoring in Week 3, running 41 yards for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers at CenturyLink Field.
