National Football League

Lynch still struggling to find room to run

Published Oct. 7, 2011 11:16 p.m. ET

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Pete Carroll wants the Seattle Seahawks to be able to run the football, knowing that an effective ground game is what makes play-action passing successful.

But through four games, Seattle has the fewest rushing attempts of any team in the league and fewer yards gained on the ground than everyone expect the Tennessee Titans. Leading rusher Marshawn Lynch has only 141 yards rushing and one touchdown going into the Seahawks' game Sunday at the New York Giants.

''I think we're just still learning,'' Carroll said. ''We're still working at it. We're not as consistent as we need to be.''

The Seahawks knew there would be some growing pains. Seattle is starting a second-year left tackle in Russell Okung, a third-year center in Max Unger that missed 15 games last year on injured reserve and two rookies on the right side in John Moffitt and first-round pick James Carpenter.

Robert Gallery, the only veteran of the group, has only played in one game due to knee and groin injuries.

Carroll has seen improvement from his offensive line, but recognizes it's still a work in progress.

''There's so much improvement occurring,'' Carroll said. ''It's going to be a big challenge to continue that growth because these guys are really talented, but it's going to affect everything we're doing.''

Lynch realizes it's going to take time and more repetitions to get the running game going. There isn't a quick fix.

''If there was a cheat code we wouldn't be having this conversation right now,'' Lynch said.

The Seahawks have trailed at halftime of all four games this year, forcing them to go away from the run game in the second half.

''We've been having to play a lot of catch-up in the second half,'' Lynch said. ''I don't think it's a problem with our run game. I think we just don't get to run it enough in order for it to be as effective as we like.''

Seattle has been forced to go to a no-huddle offense in the second half in its last two games to try and spark the offense.

''We haven't had a lot of rhythm and being able to stay on the field play after play so that cuts it down a little bit,'' offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. ''Then you get behind, so you start throwing the ball. I thought last week in the second half, even when we were in our no-huddle, those were some of the best runs that we've had. We were pushing in there eight, six yards. So I thought we were starting to do some good things, starting to find some rhythm there.''

Lynch says he's seen a big jump in play from the offensive line since the beginning of the regular season and expects things to get better.

''I don't see it being like this for much longer,'' Lynch said. ''With those guys getting the confidence they got and the running backs believing in them and them believing in themselves we'll be good.''

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