RADIO
Marshawn Lynch has been one of the most consistent running backs in all of football since joining the Seattle Seahawks in the 2010 season. Since playing his first full season in Seattle in 2011, Lynch has rushed for at least 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns in every season with the club. This year though, Beast Mode has been anything but.
A hamstring injury has forced him to miss the team's last two matchups. His backup, Thomas Rawls, who joined the Seahawks as an undrafted free-agent this year, has completely balled out in his absence, rushing for 169 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's Week 5 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. Though it seems almost blasphemous to ask this question, especially with the way he has performed over the past few seasons, it seems like it's time to ask: Is this the end of Marshawn Lynch?
Though Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has said that he plans on Lynch playing in Week 6, his performance to date has been far from stellar. Lynch has rushed for a total of 128 yards and has yet to tally a touchdown in the three games he has played in this year. He is approaching that infamous 30-year-old mark, when running backs have been known to decrease in their production.
With Rawls playing so well, and with Lynch coming off a hamstring injury, it is unlikely that Lynch will continue to be the bellcow running back that we have come to expect over the years. Rawls will almost undoubtedly cut into Lynch's carries, which will cut into his normal RB1 production. Lynch may be an RB2 these days.
