Seahawks lead RB Kenneth Walker III against 49ers

RENTON, WA – The Seattle Seahawks are getting stronger Kenneth Walker III He returned from an ankle injury in Thursday night’s NFC West showdown with the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field.

He had no match rating in his final injury report, indicating he was expected to play.

Walker missed the Seahawks’ loss to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday as well as the second half of their victory over the Los Angeles Rams the previous week after spraining his ankle.

Coach Pete Carroll did not announce that Walker would play against the 49ers when he met with reporters Wednesday afternoon, but said the second-round rookie pick “ended the week well” in practice.

The Seahawks rated Walker as a limited participant on Monday, when they pitched a round, and listed him as a full participant on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“It was a really good performance,” Carroll said. “I was really happy, and he seemed really quick here.”

The Seahawks lists one of Walker’s backups, Deejay DallasDoubtful with an ankle injury of his own. Defensive tackle Al Woodssafety Ryan NealBackup Corner Trey Brown and backup safety Joey Blount It is also questionable. Dallas Woods and Neil were listed as non-participants for the week.

Walker leads all rookies with nine rushing yards and ranks second with 449 yards (4.7-yard average). The Seahawks’ running game has been held to less than 70 yards in three of the team’s past four games, including just 46 against the Panthers while both Walker and Dallas were sidelined.

Seattle’s run defense was also problematic, allowing at least 150 yards in four consecutive games. Woods, who was one of the Seahawks’ best defensemen, missed the second half against Carolina after injuring his Achilles tendon, while Neal played due to a knee injury. Carroll said Wednesday that he would like the new safe Jonathan Abram For playing the most four defensive hits he earned in a game for the Panthers.

The 49ers dropped their all-star receiver Debo Samuel Midfielder list Brooke Purdy Doubtful. Veteran quarterback Josh Johnsonsigned by the 49ers yet Jimmy Garoppolo Injuring his foot, he would start if Purdy missed the game. The Seahawks had Johnson on a free agent visit in 2018.

“We went through it, and Josh was all over it,” Carroll said. “We’ve seen him play for a number of teams. He’s always been a really brilliant vet. He’s a great kid, really complementary to your program. So, if they go this way, he’ll draw on his experience and he’s sure I’ll play smart and run this team well.”

After losing three out of their previous four games, the Seahawks are two games behind the 49ers in the NFC West and are also down from the Washington Commanders and New York Giants in the race for a sweet spot.

They need to win on Thursday night to keep any hope of winning the division alive. The 49ers beat the Seahawks 27-7 in Week 2 and would claim the NFC West division title with their win.

“These guys have been in first place … in our league and are playing great,” Carroll said. “If you’re going to have a good year, you have to win games like this. You have to win them. You have to find your way through great challenges… They’ve had a great run. What was really impressive about it was that they did With different players. They’ve got some players, and they’ve really managed to keep their level of play up. … This is just a really good team. That’s what it takes. It’s a great game.”