Lynch the Great

by Mario "The Game" Granata
Tough-nosed running backs in the Pacific Northwest?  Seems to be a common theme for the Seattle Seahawks, and they have been privy to two of the most punishing runners the game has seen in a while.  See how Shaun Alexander stacks up against Marshawn Lynch.

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Going through the archives, and through history in general, I started to see the type of player that Marshawn Lynch is, and not so much his running style, but the type of back he is, and there were some remarkable similarities that I started to notice.  The great thing about researching about Marshawn Lynch to find a back to compare him to, I didn’t even have to leave the city of Seattle.  Shaun Alexander played for 8 years in the Pacific Northwest, and was a staple for the Seahawks and ushered in the 21st century with Seattle on a very positive note.  Fitting that Lynch’s office is called Century Link, because just looking at both of these two, you don’t have to look far to find one.  True, Lynch has only been in Seattle for 4 years, but the stats per year of these two will spin your head around. Both have earned 3 Pro Bowls with Seattle (Lynch has another with Buffalo) and from a numbers standpoint, you can see how they measure up. 

Marshawn Lynch 

 14.8

266.5

1156

10.3

27

215.5

1

1371.5

3.8

Avg Per Year

Games

Attempts

Yards

Rush TDs

Receptions

Yards

Rec TDs

Yds From Scrim

Fumbles

Shaun Alexander

14.9

272

1178.6

12.5

26.8

188.9

1.5

1367.5

3.9

Looking at both of these players, they were both bruising backs, who would make you pay if you were to attempt to bring them down, and while one might be on his way to Canton, the book on Lynch isn’t finished yet.  Who is the better back?  Maybe we should ask Curt Warner.