Seahawks are 2-1 and have solid run game with Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet

Pete Carroll has always loved the idea of having two running backs with separate styles to feature in his offense. Early in his Seattle tenure, it wasn’t needed with Marshawn Lynch carrying the load. But as years progressed, finding that one-two punch of styles has remained a want that’s been fulfilled at times and elusive at others.

Sunday’s 37-27 win over Carolina was the first glimpse of what the next attempt at finding that kind of duo could lead to for the Seahawks.

Kenneth Walker III rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns, and caught another three passes for 59 yards. Zach Charbonnet, in his first extended work of the season, had nine carries for 46 yards and one punishing run where he sent Carolina safety Sam Franklin Jr. flying backward along the sideline.

It was the kind of mix and balance Carroll would like to see more of moving forward. “If you mix your guys and feel confident about rotating them some to keep them fresh and to keep them really on their game sometimes you just see that things go one way or the other,” Carroll said.

“And I always thought that was a real positive and made us more dynamic in that regard.” Geno Smith had another solid performance in the pass game and DK Metcalf was a force catching the ball with another 100-yard day. But it was Seattle running for 146 yards behind a makeshift offensive line that was the biggest plus moving forward.

For all Smith has shown the past two seasons, the Seahawks offense still operates at its best when the run game is producing. Seattle had rushed for just 85 and 82 yards in the first two games.