Seahawks' Zach Charbonnet temporarily silences critics with early TD vs. Texans

Embattled Seattle Seahawks' running back Zach Charbonnet scored an early touchdown to help his team to an early 14-0 lead over the Texans on Monday night.

Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Zach Charbonnet certainly has his critics. But right off the bat Monday night - at least temporarily - the Seattle Seahawks' running back silenced his haters.

With the 12s in an uproar over a seemingly bogus non-safety call that robbed their team of an early two points, Charbonnet - with three unlikely assists from rookie teammate Elijah Arroyo - gave the Seahawks a 7-0 lead in their primetime showdown against the Houston Texans at Lumen Field.

MORE: Seahawks robbed of early score vs. Texans on ludicrous NFL rule

Seattle seemed to take a 2-0 lead when Uchenna Nwosu sacked Texans' quarterback C.J. Stroud in the end zone on Houston's first offensive series. But referees ruled "first contact" came at the 1-yard line and didn't let Mike Macdonald challenge the ruling.

+6️⃣. Just like that.

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— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 21, 2025

With Lumen Field in a mad frenzy, the offense quickly went to work after Houston's punt. Quarterback Sam Darnold hit Arroyo for a 27-yard completion to Houston's 12-yard line. It was only the backup tight end's eighth catch of the season. His ninth came two plays later, an 8-yard catch to the 1.

On the next snap Charbonnet bulldozed into the end zone over left guard, shoved in for the touchdown by several teammates including Arroyo.

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Charbonnet has received intense criticism this week by Seahawks fans perturbed that he gets too many of Kenneth Walker's carries. He came in averaging only 2.6 yards per carry, worst in the NFL among running backs with at least 30 carries.

But to give Seattle an early lead in this one, he only needed to gain one tough yard.

The Seahawks increased their lead to 14-0 on an 11-yard touchdown catch by NFL leading receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

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