I had NWCN on as background noise this morning and something came on that gave me pause. You see, they had Holmgren on for an interview and he said something very interesting. He claimed that he wanted to get Marshawn here, before Pete was coach, of course, but it was vetoed by the front office. It got me wondering. Why would Mike want Beast Mode on his WCO, pass oriented team?
Then it hit me. Marshawn is an underrated receiver out of the backfield. We kind of know that here in Seattle, because we've seen him catch and run for some serious gains over the years he's been here. In fact, I think he could actually do well in a passing offense, given that he was used properly. In Pete/Bevell's offense, that doesn't happen often....but it does happen.
So, could this be the wrinkle Pete is planning to foist on BB this Sunday? Perhaps we'll see ML on some wheel routes and screens. We know what he can do when he gets up a head of steam in the open field. Sure, he's a beast between the tackles, but he does his real damage juking and running over DBs. Generally, ML only gets a couple of pass opportunities per game. Maybe we'll see 5 or 6 attempts where ML is the primary target. If nothing else, it could open up down field opportunities for Baldie and Kearse.
My bold prediction: Marshawn Lynch 5 catches for 60+ yards in addition to his rushing yardage.