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Kenneth Walker III, a former Seattle Seahawks running back now with the Kansas City Chiefs, had been on a tear, rushing for over 100 yards in each of his first five games. However, he met his match on Sunday when the Seahawks' league-leading defense held him to a mere 36 rushing yards on 14 carries in a 20-3 victory.
Seattle's primary focus was stopping Walker, and they executed their plan to perfection. "We [had] to play in waves, because he's still going to break tackles," Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said after the game. "I'm sure he broke a host of tackles, because that's what he does. So, we had to get people to the football, and that gave us the best chance. I felt the guys play like that; I felt like we played great team defense today."
Walker came into the contest with six rushing touchdowns and an average of 133 rushing yards per game. The Seahawks had not allowed a 100-yard rusher in 25 games, a streak dating back to the middle of the 2024 season. The former second-round pick had been unstoppable, but the Chiefs had yet to face a truly elite defense this season. Seattle's run defense is not just good; it may be the best in the NFL.
Defense prevailed. Walker turned 14 carries into just 36 rushing yards and added four catches for 21 yards. Neither Walker nor the Chiefs found the end zone the entire game. "Just getting after him, man," Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV said of how they stopped Walker. "We knew, I mean, of course he's been here. We know what type of running back was coming in here. But we don't allow people to run through our defense, and that's just us, and we were able to execute against a really good running back today and hold him to minimal yards in that category."
On the other side, Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson had his best game of the season with 24 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown (4.2 yards per carry). Wilson had averaged just 3.5 yards per carry on 87 carries coming into the game. The Seahawks defense proved it could completely nullify their former teammate, who is currently an Offensive Player of the Year and MVP candidate, and the offense showed that they didn't need to keep him to win games.
Those are major victories for this Seahawks team after snapping a two-game losing streak. Seattle's defense was still playing great during the losing streak, but this is another performance their confidence can fall back on as they reach the middle of the season. "We can play. We can play. We go out there, and that's our goal: shut you down, shut your lights out," Jones said of the defense. "So, I think that's big ups to the defense today. We came out there, executed, and we were able to go out there and stop a real good offense."
Key Analysis
The Seahawks' defensive performance against Walker III underscores their dominance and could signal a turning point in their season. By shutting down a former teammate and one of the league's most productive running backs, Seattle demonstrated that its defense is not only elite but also capable of carrying the team. The victory also highlighted the emergence of Emanuel Wilson, who stepped up in the running game. As the season progresses, this game may be remembered as the moment the Seahawks' defense announced itself as a force to be reckoned with.