Ravens’ run of close games ends in 35-6 rout by Seahawks

Seattle rookie running back Thomas Rawls broke his left ankle in the first quarter of a game against the Ravens and is out for the season, coach Pete Carroll said.

Despite an early injury to starting running back Thomas Rawls, the Seattle Seahawks maintained the team’s impressive hot streak going with a dominating win against the Baltimore Ravens. Not efficient (only 3.4 yards per carry), but they still rushed for 123 yards, and it’ll be interesting to see whether Lynch suddenly comes back from his abdomen injury now that Rawls isn’t going to play anymore this season.

But the rookie, who gained 47 yards on his first five carries against the Ravens on Sunday, was injured on his sixth when he was pushed back by Baltimore’s defence and twisted awkwardly as he went to the turf. He has been getting extended playing time as the replacement for injured Marshawn Lynch.

The 24-year-old Brown has 1,004 career yards rushing after two full seasons with the Eagles in 2012 and ’13 behind LeSean McCoy and seven games last year with current Seahawks runner Fred Jackson in Buffalo.

Wilson passed for 292 yards and five touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, with three more touchdowns to Doug Baldwin and two to Tyler Lockett. Wilson and Newton improved their numbers when the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers won on December 13, but those updated quarterback ratings have not yet been revealed by the league. But neither is a viable option in the backfield if the 8-5 Seahawks, who are now clinging to a Wild Card spot, have any hope of defending their NFC Championship this postseason. He has two catches for 12 yards this season.

“It’s the best that we’ve seen for both guys”, Carroll said of Wilson and Baldwin. Lynch returned to Seattle last week to continue his rehab after abdominal surgery and Carroll said the team’s medical staff still needs to establish a timetable. “We watch a lot of film together and he helps me out”. Lynch’s good friend has 24 catches with two touchdowns receiving this season but has looked every bit his 34 years while rushing 24 times for 89 yards.

“[They are] a very good football team”, head coach John Harbaugh said of the Seahawks.

The Ravens announced Jimmy Clausen as the starter on Sunday morning, making it the second time this season that Clausen had to face the Seahawks … having also done so for the Bears in a Week 3 shutout. “We got some stuff to do here and figure some things out”. “We liked the work that he did”.

Tackle Russell Okung cited the quick release of Wilson’s passes as helping their protection. “They executed. Bottom line was the big plays, especially in the passing game – touchdown passes – that was the key. We thought going in he had bruised ribs”. His fumble on Sunday hurts his stock right now, but he can still get some yards for this Seahawks team that is showcasing an efficient passing game. “He has really been a great asset to us this year and we love the way he has played”. Then the knee injury to Jimmy Graham that ended his first season with Seattle prematurely. Harris, however, lost a fumble just inside the Ravens’ 5-yard line that stalled a potential long-scoring drive.

“Can’t we all just see Richard Sherman lecturing us at the end of December”, wrote Orr, “reminding us all ‘I told you so?'”