(Getty)
Beast Mode is back.
After missing the last eight games with an abdomen injury, Marshawn Lynch is expected to return when the Seattle Seahawks travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers Sunday.
Many thought that was the case last week after Lynch practiced in full, but he ultimately didn’t make the trip to Minnesota. This week, though, he’s being listed as probable:
Head coach Pete Carroll confirmed the optimistic outlook:
Although Christine Michael has run well in his stead, Lynch figures to step back in as starter in the Seattle backfield. Just how many carries he receives, or how effective he is with those carries, are different questions entirely.
Lynch battled injuries for most of the season, struggling to 3.8 yards per carry and just three touchdowns in seven games. By contrast, he averaged 4.5 yards per tote and found pay dirt 56 times in his four previous seasons with Seattle.
When he’s at full strength, the 29-year-old bruiser is one of the most difficult ball-carriers in the NFL to take down. He thrives on doling out punishment, always breaking tackles and picking up yards after contact. His physical running style has been the identity of this Seahawks offense for several years.
While Lynch has run over most everyone in this league, though, he has mostly been stifled by Carolina since the Panthers drafted Luke Kuechly in 2012. Since that time, Lynch has carried the ball 62 times for 218 yards (3.5 YPC) and one touchdown in four games vs. the Panthers, never surpassing 62 yards in a single contest.
Combine the Panthers’ stout run defense with Lynch’s two-month absence and the fact Russell Wilson and the passing game have been deadly efficient (8.42 yards per pass, 29.25 points per game in Lynch’s stead), and Seattle may still choose to attack heavily through the air.
Nevertheless, it’s still good to have Beast Mode back for the most important game of the season.