Carroll says Lynch won’t return to Seahawks practice this week

That’s what coach Pete Carroll said Monday, a day after Seattle (9-5) won its fifth consecutive game, 30-13 over Cleveland, to clinch a wild-card playoff berth.

So it will be a combination of Christine Michael and Bryce Brown again as the Seahawks’ co-lead running backs Sunday against St. Louis.

Asked if Lynch would practice this week, Carroll said “uh no. I don’t think that’s what’s going on”.

Lynch has been rehabbing after abdominal surgery away from the team the last few weeks and Jay Glazer of FOX Sports reported on Sunday that he’s been working with an MMA trainer in San Francisco.

Michael looked strong against Cleveland, running with more power and explosiveness than Brown, leaving Carroll to say that the enigmatic back, re-signed last week, “cherishes this opportunity more than he ever has”, per Gregg Bell of The News Tribune. “I know he’s going for it, so that’s what’s important”. Lynch has been out since week 10 of the current National Football League season.

Two regular-season games remain for Seattle: next week at home against St. Louis (6-8) and January 3 at likely NFC West-champion Arizona (11-2 entering Sunday night’s game at Philadelphia).

“It’s really been great to watch and everybody has enjoyed the heck out of it, and everybody’s play has been elevated by it. It takes everybody to do things like that”, Carroll said. And the Seattle Seahawks (9-5) are back on their customary, late-season roll that’s propelled them into the last two Super Bowls.

Carroll said he could see that in Michael’s running against Cleveland.

While Derrick Coleman got the start for Seattle, it was Michael and Brown that received the most opportunities.

Michael led the way with 84 yards on 16 carries, and Brown had 43 yards on nine carries.

-RUN DEFENSE: A-minus. Cleveland managed just 94 total rushing yards against the Seahawks with 39 yards coming on one rush in the second half.

Brown said he was nervous and anxious before Sunday’s game, his first in a real game in a year since Buffalo in the preseason and then Seattle in November released him. Case Keenum completed 14 of 17 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Carroll said LT Russell Okung has a very sore calf but tests revealed no major structural damage. Carroll said when the team chose to re-sign Michael last week he could tell there was an understanding this could be his final shot.