Pump the brakes: 3 things we learned from Seattle Seahawks Week 1 loss to the Rams

The running game might be better than the passing attack.

We've done a lot of talking about the potential with all the weapons Geno Smith will have this season, between the receivers, the tight ends, and some improved pass protection as Charles Cross and Abe Lucas continue to develop. But if there was anything to take away from the offense yesterday, it was how the running game might turn this offense into a throwback West Coast unit.

Ken Walker, in particular, looked really sharp running behind the revamped offensive interior, cutting back every which way for a yards per carry average north of 5. He also looked more consistent and patient in his reads, picking up positive yardage with regularity.

It's fair to wonder how much of the ground game had to do with the Rams' exodus of talent from their defense over the last few seasons — they did sell the farm for their Super Bowl rings two years ago, after all. But even if Zach Charbonnet doesn't get going the way Walker did in the first half on Sunday, that's still going to be a game-changing off-speed pitch for the Seahawks to have in their arsenal.

Just as curious to note is that Charbonnet only had three carries to his name this week. Of course, given that the Seahawks only possessed the ball for 20 minutes and Walker got the main workload out of the backfield, I suppose that's not a surprise. But it also leaves me wondering if the plan is to use Charbonnet as a second-half hammer the same way Seattle used Chris Carson in tandem with Rashaad Penny when they had the luxury of both back being healthy.

If that's the way they intend to use the ground attack, we could very well see the Seahawks do to other teams what the Rams did to them with the benefit of some healthy tackles.