Field Gulls
The Seattle Seahawks’ rushing attack finally showed signs of life against the Carolina Panthers — but the film tells a more nuanced story than the box score suggests. While the second half felt like a breakthrough, the run game still battled consistency issues early. That contrast is exactly what made this performance so fascinating to break down on the latest Hawks Film Lab, co-hosted by myself and Dan Viens.
Through the first half, Seattle’s run game was uneven. There were positive gains mixed with stalled series, missed landmarks, and runs that never quite got going. Some of that came down to timing — combo blocks that came off too early, tight ends losing leverage on the edge, and linebackers beating Seattle to their fits. The intent was there, but the execution wasn’t consistently synced up.
Then the second half happened — and the shift was unmistakable.
Seattle began pressing downhill with more conviction, trusting the design and staying on schedule. The offensive line played with better pad level and angles, particularly on interior concepts that allowed double teams to generate movement. The blocking didn’t suddenly become perfect, but it became decisive, and that made all the difference.
That’s where Zach Charbonnet took over. Charbonnet put together one of his most complete outings as a pro, especially after halftime, finishing with over 100 yards and two touchdowns. His vision improved as the game went on, and his ability to finish runs began to wear down the Panthers’ front. He consistently fell forward, punished arm tackles, and turned modest gains into chain-moving runs. It wasn’t flashy — it was physical, controlled football.
What stood out on film was how the run game began to build momentum. Seattle stayed committed even after modest early returns, and that patience paid off. The Panthers were forced to tighten their alignments, which opened up cleaner lanes and allowed Charbonnet to press the line with confidence.
On Hawks Film Lab, Dan and I walk through the key clips that explain both sides of this performance — the early inconsistencies and the second-half progress. We break down why this game shouldn’t be viewed as a finished product, but rather a step in the right direction for the Seattle Seahawks offense.
If you want to understand why the run game finally found traction — and what still needs cleaning up — the film tells the full story. And that story is best seen, not just read.
