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A couple flashes of brilliance adds some shine to a lackluster Seahawks season

In this Nov. 22, 2015 photo, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett catches a pass for a touchdown in front of San Francisco 49ers strong safety Jimmie Ward. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
In this Nov. 22, 2015 photo, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett catches a pass for a touchdown in front of San Francisco 49ers strong safety Jimmie Ward. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)

A GRIP ON SPORTS • You like silver linings? Well, if you do, we have a couple for you in this disappointing Seahawks season. Read on.

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• Thomas Rawls and Tyler Lockett. How’s that for silver linings on the darks clouds of the Hawks’ year? If you watched Seattle’s 29-13 win over San Francisco yesterday – and I’m betting less than usual of you did that, what with the weather outside and the Hawks’ lackluster efforts thus far this year – you saw two rookies light up the field. One was expected after the draft, one wasn’t. But it was Rawls, the undrafted running back from Michigan via Central Michigan, who really shined. His 209 yards rushing was extraordinary. His receiving touchdown was special. But more than anything, he brought some Beast Mode-like presence to the offense. What’s that? An ability to deliver a blow, to turn a 3-yard loss into a 1-yard gain. A physical presence. It’s what Marshawn Lynch has brought to the Hawks for years, but has been missing due to age and/or injury. With Lynch out again, Seattle needed a boost against the lowly 49ers. Rawls supplied it. Yes, the offensive line, despite a series of injuries throughout the game, did what it can do well, run block. But there are times when someone whiffs, and Rawls did his best Lynch impression by making those whiffs immaterial, battling his way back to the line of scrimmage and beyond. Second-and-8 is so much better for the Seahawk offense – any offense, really – than second-and-12, though those hidden yards don’t show up in the stat sheet. Lynch has saved the Hawks a mile or two in losses over the past few years, oftentimes making the difference between a win and a loss. Rawls took up the torch yesterday and showed he’s got a chance to supply the same fire. Is it any wonder Russell Wilson had his best game of the season? Of course, playing a seemingly disinterested 49er defense helped too. But Rawls’ running loosened the line of scrimmage. And Lockett’s ability to get behind the defense stretched the secondary. It was a symbiotic relationship. One that helped Wilson find open receivers all game. Lockett was expected to bring some lightning to the Seattle return game and he’s done that. But the rookie’s ability to explode down the field has added a dimension to the offense that’s been sorely needed. Paul Richardson was drafted a couple years ago to do just that. But he’s been unable to stay healthy. So the Hawks tried again with Lockett. Bingo. His first touchdown yesterday – he teamed with Wilson for two – was just what Seattle wanted. Man-to-man defense. A “go” route. He went. Right past the safeties and into the end zone. Someone earlier this season described Lockett as Percy Harvin without the baggage but he’s even more than that. He can score on kickoff returns. He can score on punt returns. And he can stretch the field. Look, this hasn’t been Seattle’s best season. It may not end up as fans’ hoped, in another Super Bowl with a chance at redemption. But the emergence of these two young pups is heartening at the least. And a silver lining in a stormy year.

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• WSU: There probably won’t be any storybook, silver-lining ending for Luke Falk this week. The quarterback reportedly suffered a concussion Saturday, which, as Jacob Thorpe writes today, will preclude him from playing Friday against the Huskies. Fine. If anyone has anything but the young man’s long-term health at the top of their list, then they need to take a long look in the mirror. Nothing is more important, especially not winning a football game. Not even a rivalry game. ... Jacob has a lot of other items on the blog, including the Cougars’ latest rankings from AP and in the coaches’ poll. He also has a morning post with all your Apple Cup links, allowing us to concentrate on other Pac-12-related items here. The game will probably be Peyton Bender's (pictured) first career start. ... The polls are important, sure, with the Pac-12 North reasserting itself in them and everyone’s power rankings. The Cougars are still No. 1 in at least one power ranking. And they are looking forward to their bowl berth, as are a lot of Pac-12 schools. ... The WSU women won another basketball game yesterday. ... The Oregon and Utah men picked up basketball wins yesterday.

• Gonzaga: The Bulldog women are in the midst of three home games in three days. They began the stretch yesterday with a 62-57 win over West Virginia. Colin Mulvany has a photo report. ... Saint Mary’s men pounded Stanford in Moraga, 78-61. ... Portland also had an easy home win.

• EWU: The FCS football playoff field was announced yesterday and, as expected, the Eagles were not invited. Three Big Sky teams were, including Big Sky champion Southern Utah and Montana. Portland State earned a bye. ... On the basketball court, former Post Falls High star Marcus Colbert led Montana State past Wyoming 83-82. Portland State also picked up a victory.

• Seahawks: There were more storylines than the two rookies, of course, including a change in the secondary mid-game that a lot of fans have been clamoring for recently. ... It was just the 49ers, right, one of the NFL’s downtrodden franchises these days? So what does the win mean? More than anything, it means the Hawks are back to .500, with one more home game next week (against Pittsburgh) and then a road trip to another NFC wild-card contender, Minnesota, looming. ... The Hawks graded out pretty well while San Francisco is still flunking each of its tests. But the 49ers had their silver lining as well.

• Sounders: Portland dominated FC Dallas at home yesterday in the first leg of its two-match MLS playoff series. The 3-1 win gives the Timbers a leg up heading into Dallas.

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• The week begins. Thanksgiving week. Apple Cup week. A meaningful Apple Cup week, probably even more so for the 5-6 Huskies than the 20th-ranked Cougars. But every Apple Cup is meaningful in its own way. Until later ...



Vince Grippi
Vince Grippi is a freelance local sports blogger for spokesman.com. He also contributes to the SportsLink Blog.

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