The Seahawks beat the Chargers 37-23 in Week 7 to continue their surprisingly fast start to the 2022 NFL season.
And 4-3 Seattle can thank one of its fastest playmakers, Kenneth Walker, for helping it to dispatch Los Angeles.
Walker, a second-round rookie, was Seattle's best player Sunday. He ran for a career-high 168 yards and two touchdowns, and he effectively iced the game with his second score.
There was 7:08 remaining in the game when the Seahawks got the ball at their 26. Seattle, nursing a 14-point lead, figured to run time off the clock with a lengthy drive.
Instead, the drive took just 12 seconds as Walker ripped off a 74-yard touchdown run.
KENNETH. WALKER. TO. THE. HOUSE. 🏠
— NFL (@NFL) October 23, 2022
📺: #SEAvsLAC on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/HyjkGpXIek pic.twitter.com/znsicu868r
MORE: DK Metcalf ruled out after suffering knee injury vs. Chargers
That run was not only impressive because it effectively clinched a Seahawks win, it also happened to be the fastest play (in terms of running speed) by an NFL player this season.
Just how fast is Walker? Here's a look at his athletic profile and 40-yard dash time.
How fast did Kenneth Walker run on his second TD vs. the Chargers?
Walker reached a top speed of 22.09 mph on the run. According to Next Gen Stats, that is the fastest time logged by a ball carrier this season.
Kenneth Walker reached a top speed of 22.09 mph on his 74-yard TD run, the fastest speed reached by a ball carrier this season.@Seahawks | #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/BhFliV18v7
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 23, 2022
Prior to Walker's run, another rookie running back, Breece Hall of the Jets, had the season's fastest play. He reached a top speed of 21.87 mph on a 62-yard touchdown earlier in the day.
MORE: Breece Hall out after knee injury vs. Broncos
The 10 fastest plays to date in the 2022 NFL season, per Next Gen Stats.
| Player | Team | Top speed (mph) | Week | Play event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Walker | Seahawks | 22.09 | 7 | 74-yard rushing TD |
| Breece Hall | Jets | 21.87 | 7 | 62-yard rushing TD |
| Devin Duvernay | Ravens | 21.6 | 2 | 103-yard kickoff return TD |
| Tariq Woolen | Seahawks | 21.58 | 4 | 40-yard interception return TD |
| Rashod Bateman | Ravens | 21.48 | 2 | 75-yard receiving TD |
| Tutu Atwell | Rams | 21.46 | 5 | 53-yard reception |
| Chase Claypool | Steelers | 21.46 | 1 | 12-yard rush |
| Rashaad Penny | Seahawks | 21.44 | 5 | 32-yard rush |
| Jalen Reagor | Vikings | 21.25 | 6 | 25-yard punt return |
| Rashid Shaheed | Saints | 21.13 | 7 | 53-yard receiving TD |
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What is Kenneth Walker's 40 time?
Walker clocked a 4.38-second time in the 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine. That was tied for the third-fastest among running backs with Ty Chandler (Vikings).
Only Pierre Strong (Patriots) and Isiah Pacheco (Chiefs) clocked a faster time than Walker at the position. They each ran the 40 in 4.37 seconds. Hall, the only running back drafted ahead of Walker, clocked a 4.39-second 40 time.
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Kenneth Walker stats
Walker had a bit of a slow start to his NFL career. He missed Week 1 with a sports hernia and was stuck behind Rashaad Penny. But his speed has helped him rack up plenty of yardage since returning and taking over as the team's starter.
Walker now has more than 400 rushing yards, most of which have come during his starts in Weeks 6 and 7. His numbers as the season's halfway point draws nearer:
| Stat | Total |
| Carries | 67 |
| Rushing yards | 411 |
| Rushing TDs | 4 |
| Yards per carry | 6.1 |
| Receptions | 8 |
| Receiving yards | 27 |
Only two running backs with more than 50 carries have an average of 6.1 yards per carry or better: the Bears' Khalil Herbert (6.4) and Penny (6.1). If he continues to produce at that clip, Walker will likely place himself among the league's top runners this season.
Walker is on pace to rush for 1,096 yards based on his season-long numbers, but considering that he has averaged 132.5 rushing yards in two starts, that pace could quickly increase.