Since the Chargers game, it’s been mostly a slog for Ken Walker and Seattle’s running game.

Walker has just 203 yards on 68 carries in the four games since the win over the Chargers — 2.9 per attempt.

That includes 43 yards on 24 carries in losses the last two games against the Bucs in Munich and Sunday against the Raiders at Lumen Field, all of which has brought his yards-per-carry down to 4.5.

“He’s trying,” Carroll said Monday. “He’s really going for it. He’s going to find more consistency for us. And there are times when he is looking to bust something when we could maybe hit it up in there. But we have to let him use his instincts because they are phenomenal. He’s going to scorch just like he did on the first touchdown play (a 12-yard TD Sunday), which was a phenomenal play. We just need to be more consistent. Probably more runs will help him. We had 20-something (23 as a team); we would like to get more. We need to balance the run and the pass better than we did over the last two weeks.”

Certainly, the Seahawks have to figure out something, While the run defense may be the bigger issue plaguing them right now, the inability to run on offense and sustain long drives hasn’t helped.

Seattle was 4 of 18 on third downs the past two games with the Bucs and Raiders running a combined 38 more plays than the Seahawks.

And a lot of that was due to an inability to run it well on first down, resulting in an inordinate amount of third-and-longs. Seattle converted on all three of its third downs of 4 yards or shorter Sunday, but failed on all six of 5 yards or longer.

Nine of Walker’s 14 rushes came on first-and-10, and five resulted in a gain of three or less, with a total of 19 (though one of his first-and-10 runs was his 14-yard TD in the third quarter).

And the tasks don’t necessarily get easier as Seattle heads into the final six games of the season.

Four of Seattle’s final six opponents rank seventh or better in the NFL in yards allowed per carry — the 49ers (first, 3.3), Rams, whom Seattle plays twice (fourth, 3.9) and Jets (seventh, 4.1). The Chiefs also rank 14th at 4.3, essentially tied with the Raiders (12th at 4.3).

The only team left on Seattle’s schedule not to rank in the top half of the NFL in fewest yards allowed per rush is Carolina, which is 21st at 4.6. The Panthers, though, two weeks ago held a Ravens team that ranks third in the NFL in yards per carry at 5.3 to just 115 on 30 attempts.

Seattle may catch a break against LA with star tackle Aaron Donald dealing with a high ankle sprain and possibly out for Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium.

Still, a Rams defense led by former Seahawk Bobby Wagner figures to present a stiff challenge against the run, having just held the Chiefs to no run of longer than 9 yards in 26 attempts from its running backs.

But while Walker may have had little room to run against the Raiders, to what Carroll felt was Walker’s immense credit, Walker shouldered his share of the blame.

“I just feel like we haven’t been executing well,” Walker said. “The running backs, myself included, we just haven’t executed well in the run game.”

And to Carroll, that comment spoke volumes.

“He’s really team oriented; he holds himself accountable,” Carroll said. “There’s an illustration of that. He’s not going to try to duck and dodge anything. He is going to take it right on, straight up. It’s going to accelerate the process. He’s not going to be ducking and dodging the issues. He’s going to be going right at it, and give you everything that he’s got, and he won’t back away.”

Things did seem pretty easy for Walker after taking over for Rashaad Penny. HC Pete Carroll put the blame mostly on the O-line. Walker had touchdown runs of 14 and 12 yards — and a combined zero yards on his other 12 attempts this past week, the story pointed out. However, the story said Carroll did point to Walker, saying Carroll indicated at times Walker maybe has to be content with taking a shorter — but surer — gain instead of aiming to break a big one. Unfortunately things don't get easier. The only team left on Seattle’s schedule not to rank in the top half of the NFL in fewest yards allowed per rush is Carolina, which is 21st at 4.6. The Panthers, though, two weeks ago held a Ravens team that ranks third in the NFL in yards per carry at 5.3 to just 115 on 30 attempts, the story said.

This was, sadly, the expected report, and Rashaad Penny is officially out for the season.

Related Players: Ken Walker, DeeJay Dallas

Once Penny was carted off, the running back workload was split up between Ken Walker (early downs) and DeeJay Dallas (third down role). Walker did run a season-high 13 routes on Sunday, but it's more likely that he would be eased into that role. Either way, the rookie becomes an immediate must-roster regardless of league size.

Rookie Ken Walker will receive the first NFL snaps of his career on Sunday against the 49ers.

Related Players: Rashaad Penny

Rashaad Penny received almost all of the backfield usage in Week 1 with Walker sidelined but still finished as the RB36 with his 7.7 half-PPR points. Things are going to get murky quickly in Seattle, and it's going to be challenging to start either option with any sort of confidence in San Fransico in Week 2. Penny will be designated as more of a Flex play than an RB2 play, with the rookie set to share a piece of the pie.

Pete Carroll says on radio show Seattle Sports that Ken Walker III will return this week. Says, "Kenny Walker is going to be out there this week for us to add to that.''

Related players: Rashaad Penny

The return of Walker will likely cut into Penny's workload at least to some extent in Week 2. Penny rushed 12 times for 60 yards in Week 1 and Travis Homer was the only other back to get a rushing attempt. Penny caught two balls for seven yards as well. Walker may not jump right into the fire in Week 2, but his workload should at least slowly start to build.

Seahawks RB Ken Walker is questionable for Monday night against the Broncos with a hernia.

Walker did not practice at all this week but Pete Carroll is still perhaps holding out some hope that Walker can suit up on Monday. Even if he does, he'll be extremely limited and behind Rashaad Penny in the pecking order. Your best bet is to keep Walker on the bench for now, especially being that the game is Monday.

Per the tweet, Ken Walker has "had an excellent camp and exceeded expectations, but there's no reason to rush him."

Related Players: Rashaad Penny

This equals all-wheels-up mode for Rashaad Penny on Monday Night Football, as he will operate as the team's RB1. With a questionable offensive line —and offense in general— it's unlikely that he will match his six-plus yards per carry clip that he hit at the end of last season, but he will garner a vast majority of the team's RB touches to kick off the season.

Ken Walker III's chances of returning for Week 1 from his hernia procedure still sound up in the air. Rashaad Penny (COVID) was back today.

Carroll said of Walker: "He feels way better. He’s moving around. He was throwing the football around today. It’s just going to be one day at a time." Per Henderson in the past, Penny is “in the driver’s seat” to be the team’s starting back, but Penny has missed 28 of a possible 65 games in his four-year career, so durability just hasn’t been there. He led the league in yards after contact per attempt and was 15th in broken tackles per attempt. He will probably begin the season as the starter, but Walker is waiting in the wings.

Carroll: RB Ken Walker is still tender after hernia surgery and there's no timetable for his return.

Related players: Rashaad Penny, Travis Homer, DeeJay Dallas

As the tweet went on to say, and as we reported after the surgery, Carroll previously said he expected Walker back for Week 1, so that seems like a potentially significant update that doesn't sound great for fantasy owners. Walker is missing valuable time with the team and so it looks like Penny will have much of the lead back work with Homer and Dallas serving as change of pace or passing down backs.

Pete Carroll says Ken Walker III had a procedure done.

Related players: Rashaad Penny

There wasn't any other details other than it wasn't a sports hernia surgery, as reports yesterday indicated he had a hernia issue. The good news is Carroll would add, "we've got a chance to get him back quickly." Walker is missing key time in camp, however, so Penny will likely take a bulk of the work with the first team.

Carroll says Ken Walker III dealing with a hernia issue. Says he doesn’t know yet what that means.

Related players: Rashaad Penny

The hope is Walker will be ready to go for Week 1 the team said via other reports. But, Walker will miss valuable time in camp going forward. Penny is back to full strength so at this point he looks like the leader in the backfield, at least until Walker is up to speed.