Since Seattle running back Chris Carson suffered a broken leg against the Indianapolis Colts on Oct. 1, the Seahawks have run for 199 yards in three games. Carson remains the team's leading rusher despite playing in only four of Seattle's seven games. Last week, the Seahawks had 33 rushing yards -- 30 by quarterback Russell Wilson.

Despite the lack of production, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll thinks Seattle has a fine collection of running backs.

"We've got one of the biggest running backs in the league, and we've got quickness and speed when you go all the way to C.J. (Prosise) and what (J.D.) McKissic can do," Carroll said. "So we've got real versatility and real style in those guys."

So why don't they have real rushing yards to show for it? Carroll said the versatility might be the problem. The Seahawks have used too many backs to match too many situations.

"I don't feel like we've been in rhythm," Carroll said. "I think I've held them back a little bit by spreading it around quite a bit trying to figure that out. So as we zero in here heading into the second half, I'm hoping we're going to make some real headway."

When the Seahawks play the Washington Redskins on Sunday, the plan is to stick with a running back long enough for him to work up a good sweat.

The running back getting the first shot? Former Alabama standout Eddie Lacy, who's coming off a game in which he netted zero yards on six carries.

"We need to improve in the running game, obviously," Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. "There's a lot of things that we're continuing to work on -- obviously, just being able to block up front and be able to cover guys up so we can get back to the line of scrimmage.

"I know that we're going to start with Eddie and kind of let him go a little bit and then see where it goes from there."

Asked at his Wednesday press conference if Lacy would become the Seahawks' feature back, Carroll answered: "We'll see. I'd love for that to happen."

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After spending his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, including a pair of 1,000-yard campaigns, Lacy signed as a free agent with the Seahawks in March.

Thomas Rawls was considered Lacy's top competition for carries in offseason projections, with both players returning from injury-shortened seasons. But it was Carson, a seventh-round rookie, who emerged as the Seahawks' only dependable runner.

Carson had 208 yards on 49 carries before his injury. Lacy has 108 yards on 42 carries and Rawls 59 yards on 30 carries in 2017. McKissic, a former prep star at Central in Phenix City, didn't get to play until Prosise got hurt three games into the season and has produced 54 yards on 13 carries. He owns the only rushing touchdown by a Seahawks' running back this season.

Seattle offensive-line coach Tom Cable said the idea is to block better and let one running back get a feel for the game.

"We want to get cleaner blocking it, first and foremost, and get a runner established," Cable said.

Lacy has done his best work this season in the two games when he received 11 carries. In those two games, he had 22 carries for 86 yards. In the other games, Lacy has 20 carries for 22 yards.

"Eddie's going to run heavy," Cable said. "I don't mean that as a weight thing. He runs as a big man. He makes contact, he falls forward, he moves the pile, moves people. My want is to see him as the finisher in the second half going forward where he can establish that size and that strength that he has -- the power. What does he bring? He brings power. He brings a guy who's done it. He has a ton of carries in this league.

"I just think sometimes those backs, they've got to see it enough to really get kind of wired in."

Seattle moved to help Lacy and the rest of its running backs by swinging a trade this week with the Houston Texans for three-time Pro Bowler Duane Brown, who's expected to step in at left tackle on the Seahawks' offensive line.

"He's going to be a big help," Bevell said.

The Redskins and Seahawks will kick off at 3:05 p.m. CST Sunday in Seattle. The Seahawks have a 5-2 record, and Washington has a 3-4 mark.

The Redskins rank 13th among the NFL's 32 teams in rushing defense this season, yielding an average of 105.1 yards per game.

Washington's first-round draft choice out of Alabama, Jonathan Allen, suffered a foot injury in the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 15 that required surgery. In the two games that he's missed, the Redskins have given up 127 rushing yards to the Philadelphia Eagles and 169 rushing yards to the Dallas Cowboys.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.