Seattle Seahawks: 5 Players to watch vs. Bears in Week 2

Rashaad Penny

Penny’s Week 1 performance was less than invigorating. The rookie carried the ball seven times, but only managed to gain eight yards. Granted he did catch four of the five passes Wilson threw him for 35 yards, but Seattle needs to establish the run game.

Teams can’t just win with pass catchers, they need to be able to run too. And since Marshawn Lynch seems preoccupied in Oakland, obviously Seahawks fans are looking to the first-round pick to resurrect the team’s once dominant run game.

It’s not just on Penny, though — Carroll needs to let his young back take snaps; lots of snaps. Seven a game won’t be enough for Penny to establish a flow and it won’t provide enough tape for him to watch back and study. Expect to see Penny get an increase in carries on Monday, especially if starter Chris Carson struggles.

While the Seahawks have moved away from the running game in recent years, they can’t stay away forever. Eventually Carson and Penny will have to get more carries. Even if that doesn’t happen in Week 2 though, expect to see even more of Penny catching passes out fo the backfield. He’s a weapon and the Seahawks will get him involved as much as possible.