Marshawn Lynch ruled out for Sunday’s Wild Card game

Marshawn Lynch did not travel with the team and will not play for Seattle against the Vikings on Sunday.

Despite practicing all week and appearing ready to go for Seattle’s Wild Card playoff game in Minnesota, the second-best running back in the NFL has been ruled out for Sunday.

Marshawn Lynch last played in week 10 against Arizona. He was reportedly recovered from surgery to repair a core muscle problem but Seattle abruptly announced that he would not travel with the team to Minnesota.

The Seawhawks played the Vikings in Minnesota without Lynch in week 13 and won 38-7. It should be noted that Minnesota was without Linval Joseph in that game, and lost Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith to first quarter injuries.

The abruptness of the Lynch announcement after his week of practice has led some to wonder whether Pete Carroll wasn’t trying to pull some hanky-panky by forcing the Vikings to prepare for Lynch even though he was never actually going to play.

Pete Carroll pull a trick on the Vikings? I’m shocked.

It’s also possible that Lynch is ready to play but the Seahawks, feeling they could beat Minnesota without him, decided to hold him back for one more week.

Or maybe Seattle just prefers to continue without Lynch, given how successful their offense has been in the weeks since he went out.

With Lynch out, Russell Wilson has become the focal point of the Seahawks offense and both he and the team have thrived.

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Perhaps Seattle decided if they were going to limit Lynch’s carries or outright bench him they were better off leaving him home rather than bringing him to Minnesota and letting him be disruptive.

Christine Michael will get the start at running back for Seattle. He did not play the last time the Seahawks and Vikings met. Thomas Rawls got the start in game one between the two teams and ran for 101 yards on 19 carries.