Seattle Seahawks injury report: Lynch out vs Steelers
By Keith Myers
When the Seattle Seahawks take the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, they’ll do so without three of their most dynamic players.
The “Marshawn Lynch watch” earlier this week meant that at least one item on the Seattle Seahawks injury report this week was expected. Lynch had sports hernia surgery Wednesday, and will miss at least the next four games.
Thomas Rawls will carry the load for Seattle’s running game in Lynch’s place. Rawls is on the injury report with a sore knee, but he should not be limited in any way.
Also out for Seattle is Paul Richardson. Richardson injured him hamstring against the Arizona Cardinals, and he will be unavailable again this week.
Bruce Irvin is listed as doubtful with an MCL sprain. He was expected to miss at least the next 2 games, so it is a bit surprising that he isn’t listed as out along with Richardson and Lynch.
With Irvin out, Mike Morgan will get the start. That doesn’t mean that Morgan will get all of Irvin’s playing time though. Kevin Pierre-Louis will also see extensive playing time at linebacker. Frank Clark will get many of Irvin’s allotment of pass-rushing snaps.
The one unknown at this point in the status of starting center Patrick Lewis. He is questionable with an ankle injury suffered last week. If he cannot go, Lemuel Jeanpierre will get the start in his place.
The rest of Seattle’s injured players are listed as probable and will play. This includes Doug Baldwin (ankle), Gary Gilliam (ankle), and J.R. Sweezy (shoulder).
It is interesting to note that three of the Seahawks’ five starting offensive linemen are banged up heading into this game. Seattle may choose to keep an extra offensive linemen on the active roster this week as a precaution.
Pittsburgh is coming off their bye week and thus are relatively healthy.They have two players that are listed as questionable (LB Ryan Shazier and TE Matt Spaeth), but both are expected to play.