Seahawks have stepped up, says in-form Marshawn Lynch

SEATTLE, Washington // What impresses Marshawn Lynch is not his streak of nine successive NFL games with a touchdown or another 100-yard performance.

It is that the Seattle Seahawks offensive line has not missed a beat despite season-ending injuries to three starters over the last month.

"I see those guys come in every week and they strain, they put it upon themselves to make sure they know what they've got going on and what they need to be doing," Lynch said after running for 115 yards and a touchdown in Seattle's 30-13 win over St Louis on Monday night.

Lynch topped 100 yards rushing for the fifth time in the last six games as Seattle (6-7) kept their slim play-off hopes alive.

The Seahawks have stretched their line depth to the limit. So far, they have been able to fill holes with players that have been with Seattle all season. The luxury of that depth is now gone, and the team is counting on the line to continue its production despite the attrition.

"We got new guys coming in and that's not really an excuse," Max Unger, the centre, said. "You've got to have the same guys step up that have been together for a while now. It's coming together."

Lynch did not get the spotlight all to himself. Doug Baldwin, the undrafted rookie, had his best game with seven catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, plus several big plays on special teams.

"He just continues to do stuff. Every chance you give him, he does something," Pete Carroll, the Seattle coach, said. "He's just such a battler.

"He's a great competitor and I've said it before, he's got a chip on his shoulder that drives him to be a tough guy and a playmaker."