The Seattle Seahawks needed Emanuel Wilson to handle a heftier workload Sunday.
They received two touchdowns, 120 yards from scrimmage and an honest postgame take of the block he nearly botched.
Wilson stepped into the lead role one day after Seattle placed Jadarian Price on injured reserve with a chest injury that will sideline him for at least four games. He responded with 81 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries while catching three passes for 39 yards and another score in a 30-23 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The production came with a contribution that won’t appear in Wilson’s box score. On Rashid Shaheed’s 28-yard touchdown run, Wilson threw a block despite realizing he had targeted the wrong defender.
“Actually, it was the wrong block, but I got it done, and Sheed got around it,” Wilson said during a postgame interview shared by ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
Here was Wilson postgame:
It was a fitting description of the afternoon. Seattle’s undermanned backfield didn’t produce a perfect performance, but Wilson repeatedly found ways to make plays.
Wilson Makes Most of Sudden Seahawks Promotion
Price’s move to injured reserve left Seattle without two of its primary running backs. Zach Charbonnet returned to practice during the week but remained on the physically unable to perform list, putting Wilson and George Holani in position to carry the ground game.
Wilson rapidly displayed he could handle the promotion. Sam Darnold found him on a screen for a 23-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Wilson later scored on an 8-yard run, giving him rushing and receiving touchdowns in the same game for the first time since high school.
The Seahawks’ official recap credited Wilson with helping stabilize a backfield that had health questions. His 24 touches led the offense, and his physical approach earned recognition from teammates.
“He put his head down and he ran like a badass,” Abraham Lucas said, according to the team website.
Wilson stood out in this situation before.
During his first NFL start with the Green Bay Packers in 2025, he recorded 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries against the Minnesota Vikings.
Seahawks Receivers Clear the Way for 2 Touchdowns
Wilson handled the bulk of Seattle’s backfield work, although the effort extended past its running backs and offensive line.
On Wilson’s screen touchdown, Cooper Kupp sustained a block downfield as Wilson attempted to hurdle the final defender. Wilson described the lane as looking like “Moses parting the Red Sea” and approved of Kupp’s willingness to contribute without the ball.
The receivers appeared in a good way again on Shaheed’s scoring run. Wilson helped near the beginning of the play, even if he admitted his assignment was wrong. Jaxon Smith-Njigba then hit the signature block, driving Chargers safety Tony Jefferson to the turf and giving Shaheed an open route to the end zone.
Shaheed finished with 33 yards on two carries as Seattle accumulated 132 rushing yards and two scores on 33 attempts. Mike Macdonald acknowledged the group effort afterward, noting contributions from the backs, blockers and position coaches.
Wilson is the central figure because of how much responsibility he absorbed on short notice. He carried the ball 21 times, plus his receiver contribution, and found a way to help Shaheed score despite initially getting it wrong.
With Price required to miss at least four games, Seattle may need more afternoons like this from Wilson.
Seahawks’ Breakout RB Admits Mistake on Big Play in 30-23 Victory