What has Rawls done to deserve the starting spot?

[SpokaneHawks]

I'm not sure why everyone forgets about Lacy. He is a proven commodity and can last through more than a quarter here and there! Will he be motivated and return to his previous form? Nobody knows but I sure as Hell would have him starting if I ran this team! Rawls, IMO, will never be more than a "come in To give the starter a rest" type of back. Rawls ain't built to be an every down back, compare his stature and build to Lynch or Lacy. Weight may be close but physique is not. History has shown Rawls won't last, he never has and so far doesn't look like he ever will.

 

[Smellyman]

Here are a few reminders of why Rawls will get another shot this season.


[youtube]0L_wJwgc38o[/youtube]

and led the league in yards per carry


If Carson gets hurt, we will have to start the always hurt threads around here.
http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/...ut-seahawks-rookie-running-back-chris-carson/
The answers lie mostly in concerns about his durability and speed. Carson had a sprained ankle that bothered him in 2015 and then a broken thumb in 2016 along with the ACL in high school. He also pulled a hamstring and didn’t participate in shuttle drills at the NFL Combine in February. Also, his longest run at OSU was 26 yards, which in part helped lead NFL.com in its scouting profile of Carson to conclude that he “lacks explosive, playmaking ability.’’

 

[hawk45]

I'm not sure why everyone forgets about Lacy. He is a proven commodity and can last through more than a quarter here and there! Will he be motivated and return to his previous form? Nobody knows but I sure as Hell would have him starting if I ran this team! Rawls, IMO, will never be more than a "come in To give the starter a rest" type of back. Rawls ain't built to be an every down back, compare his stature and build to Lynch or Lacy. Weight may be close but physique is not. History has shown Rawls won't last, he never has and so far doesn't look like he ever will.

I agree.

Lacy, whether he makes every weigh-in, def doesn't look as chunky as he did in GB. I have some substantial optimism that esp against his former team he will ball out.

 

[ImTheScientist]

Rawls averaged 3.2 tpc last year

 

[Bobblehead]

What has a else done to deserve the starting position?

 

[Heyseed]

Rawls was awesome against the Lions in the Playoffs

 

[Coug_Hawk08]

I don't think his start spot is very secure. He has to prove it all over again.

 

[CamanoIslandJQ]

Regardless of who starts at RB, if it's Rawls, Lacy or Carson & if that RB doesn't perform up to expectations, next guy up.......so, I don't see a problem with that. I think Lacey will probably be the actual starter, occasionally given a breather allowing Rawls/Carson to get a few snaps at RB. Procise and McKissic likely 3-rd down backs only. PC could also equally split reps in the 1-st half and go with the hot hand in the 2-nd half. Sounds viable to me.
:smilingalien:

 

[West TX Hawk]

It's amusing how many people put total faith in Rawls somehow recapturing his 2015 form. Broken leg, high ankle sprain and a poor season last year later but they still expect him to shine. Except for Detroit and Carolina last year, he was a subpar back with a poor season.

Also peculiar how so many are completely against a rookie RB "unproven" like Carson from starting. Glad Rawls had so much experience when he got the nod 2 years ago. RB is the one position rookies can have a significant impact immediately. Just look at some rookies starting this year: Fournette, Cook, McCaffrey, Hunt. Carson's talent could be as good as any of them. Can't wait to week 10 when after Rawls/Lacy underwhelm and get hurt Pete wakes up and starts Carson.

 

[Cyrus12]

imo he is not the starter here...he is behind Lacy and Carson. He will have to earn it back but i suspect he will be on IR by that time.

 

[scutterhawk]

Serious question, what has he done lately that merits him that role? I was on the rawls bandwagon back in 2015 but hes done very little since then. Always injured, underwhelming in most games he played since. Had a good game against the panthers last year.

But to me he didnt deserve it over carson, carson did all thats needed to get a starting spot. Was consistent and always producing in the presseason. I never even saw rawls play in the preseason, and hes been hit or miss when he plays anyway. To me it should have been Lacy and carson.

Games like the playoff game against Detroit is "why". 27 carries, 161 yds, a TD...and he dominated. 5.96 ypc.

They love his potential.

As for Carson, he has ZERO regular season snaps. Fans want to anoint him already, but we need to see what he can do in the very limited chances he will get.

I see that, but hes so inconsistent. They need consistency. Thats the problem with rawls, he can do nothing for like 5-6 games and then have one great game and all of sudden they just keep riding with him after that.

He had a slew of great games in 2015 since then hes really been underwhelming to me other than the panthers and detroit game. he was also a non factor against the falcons and is always injured.

In a round about way, you're answering your own question; IF Rawls is given the proper time to get back to full health, maybe, just maybe he can return to his former peak play, if he's thrown back into the fray TOO QUICKLY he runs an UNNECESSARY risks for re-injury.
You're feature RB's seldom ever play in meaningless preseason games, nor should they.
Carson and a couple others, were being given the opportunities to show their stuff, trying to make the team roster.
Some have suggested that Carson should start over Rawls, and he's yet to play even one snap in a regular season game against Defenses that are bent on hammering him into the ground .......I'm not saying that Carson won't prove to be the best of the bunch, but, I doubt that he should be anointed the #1 spot just because that's what some of us fans want.

 

[Seymour]

It's amusing how many people put total faith in Rawls somehow recapturing his 2015 form. Broken leg, high ankle sprain and a poor season last year later but they still expect him to shine. Except for Detroit and Carolina last year, he was a subpar back with a poor season.

Also peculiar how so many are completely against a rookie RB "unproven" like Carson from starting. Glad Rawls had so much experience when he got the nod 2 years ago. RB is the one position rookies can have a significant impact immediately. Just look at some rookies starting this year: Fournette, Cook, McCaffrey, Hunt. Carson's talent could be as good as any of them. Can't wait to week 10 when after Rawls/Lacy underwhelm and get hurt Pete wakes up and starts Carson.

I don't have "total faith" he will recapture 2015 form myself. I have hope he will be close. Yes, the broken leg and ankle were issues, but not something that limits most players down the road. As far as 2016 drop offs go, I'm willing to write that off as massively due to poor oline play.

Bottom line for me. He deserves his last shot to see what he can do, and should have a short leash with the strength behind him.

 

[quadsas]

If you were watching last year's games, you'd know that Rawls had to juke out 3 defenders to get to the line of scrimmage most of the time.

 

[Seafan]

His production against the Lions in the playoffs was nice and he earned raves with his OTA/ early training camp performances. He brings it. He was the Hawks leading rusher during Beast Mode's final season here, as a rookie.

Sprained ligaments and broken bones will kind of slow you down.

 

[scutterhawk]

Carson hype train is officially insane.

I'm sorry, he has looked like a good punishing back in pre season but talk of him being the starter ahead of Rawls is ..... well just baffling.

Rawls has been wrapped up in cotton wool, fresh and ready to go. Guy looked like the 2015 against the Panthers and the Lions last year, this is the truck I want getting the most carries. Run them over Thomas...if you get injured at somepoint then we have good depth backing you up.

He won't have to be the workhorse this year, with Lacy getting the short yardage and spelling him on 1st/2nd down, with Procise 3rd down specialist.

Keep him fresh will hopefully avoid him missing much time with injury problems.

This ^^^^^. Pete likes to give his D-Line players Rest-Rotation, so as to keep them fresh.
That's exactly why the RB by committee makes the most sense to me.
Folks saying that a RB needs a lot of reps, aren't taking fatigue into account......Like I said before...."Imagine Having a HEALTHY T. Rawls, Prosise & Carson running a Defense out of gas, and then having a FRESH E. Lacey exploiting them in the end zone. :drool:

 

[Optimus25]

My question is... Is cj healthy?

If he's healthy he should start and i don't think it's even close.