Kenneth Walker starting, Al Woods out. Follow the TNT’s live updates from Seahawks-49ers
The Seahawks got back one but not both of their key guys to beating the 49ers.
Kenneth Walker started at running back Thursday night at Lumen Field, four days after he missed a game because of an ankle injury. The rookie second-round draft choice entered the pivotal test against division-leading San Francisco with nine touchdowns in 7 1/2 games played since Rashaad Penny’s season-ending broken leg in early October.
But Al Woods, one Seattle’s better run-stopping defensive tackles, in not playing against a 49ers team that ran 45 times in these teams’ first meeting in September. San Francisco won that game 27-7 in week two. Woods is inactive because of an Achilles injury he got in the first half of the Seahawks’ 30-24 home loss to Carolina just four days earlier than Thursday’s game.
Shelby Harris also missed that game, while ill. Harris was back at end for a Seahawks defense that entered the Niners game allowing 160.5 yards rusher per game. Only three Seattle defenses have been worse against the run, all in the first five years of the franchise’s existence: 1976, ‘77 and ‘81.
The Seahawks’ other inactive players Thursday: running backs DeeJay Dallas (ankle injury) and Tony Jones, cornerbacks Artie Burns and Tre Brown (illness) plus offensive tackle Jake Curhan.
The Niners started banged-up quarterback Brock Purdy. Despite pain in his oblique muscle and ribs, the rookie seventh-round pick made his first NFL road start and second start of his short career. He’s playing because Jimmy Garoppolo has a broken foot.
San Francisco was without dynamo wide receiver Deebo Samuel, also out injured.
Follow The News Tribune’s live updates from Lumen Field here:
