Seahawks rookie RB Rawls suffers season-ending broken ankle

Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls was lost for the season after suffering a broken left ankle in Sunday's 35-6 win over the Baltimore Ravens.

Rawls, making his first career start in place of an injured Marshawn Lynch, was hurt on Seattle's opening possession after picking up 44 yards on six carries. Rawls also suffered torn ligaments in the ankle, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters after the game.  

"Thomas has had a fantastic rookie season," Carroll said. "Just exemplifies what we are all about: toughness and hard-nosed and committed and grit. ... We love the guy and we're really going to miss him."

Carroll added that he had no timetable for the return of Lynch, who sat out his fourth straight game and is recuperating from surgery to repair an abdominal injury on Nov. 25. 

Lynch initially was expected to miss three to four weeks, but Carroll told reporters last week that those estimates were "way off."

The 5-foot-9, 215-pound Rawls had rushed for 391 yards and three touchdowns in his previous three games - all Seattle victories. His 712 rushing yards in his first six starts were the most by any undrafted free agent since the NFL merger in 1970.