K.J. Wright has gone up against a lot of talented rushing attacks during his six years in the NFL. But according to the Seahawks linebacker, the running back tandem of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, which he'll see this weekend at the Georgia Dome, could be the most talented duo he's ever faced.
"They might be the best 1-2 running back combo I've played probably in my career," Wright told Pro Football Talk. "Those two guys are really good together. They complement each other well. They both can do some dangerous things running and catching the ball."
Wright's assessment of their versatility is on point. Freeman finished the regular season with 1,079 rushing yards, the ninth-most in the NFL, along with 462 as a receiver, placing him seventh in total yards from scrimmage. Coleman chipped in 941 yards of offense – 520 on the ground, 421 through the air. Combined, the two scored 24 touchdowns.
Wright has also noticed the many ways Kyle Shanahan utilizes them. In addition to taking handoffs and catching screens, Freeman and Coleman are capable of being split out wide, and each is capable of running a variety of routes.
"Jailbreak screens. They run these guys on verticals, running backs screens. They're just really good out of the backfield," Wright said. "Really shifty guys too. We know that and we just got to make sure that wherever they are on the field you got to be ready for them."
