It’s become as clear as Mount Rainier is tall that Chris Carson and D.J. Fluker are indispensable to the Seahawks’ offense, to how it can perform best as constructed for this season.
Seattle is 0-3 this season when Carson, the starting running back, doesn’t get at least 10 carries.
The Seahawks are 0-3 this season when Fluker misses time because of an injury. The huge, starting right guard was out the first two games with a strained hamstring, and Seattle barely ran the ball without him in the losses at Denver and Chicago.
So Carson’s injured hip and groin plus the right guard’s calf injury have become the most important issues for Sunday’s game at the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams (8-1) — heck, for the final eight games of the regular season for Seattle (4-4).