This might not normally seem like the type of week to expect big things from certain offensive players, but the Bucs need a throwback performance from running back Doug Martin.

The fifth-year pro has already missed six games with a hamstring injury. The four he’s played in haven’t been remarkable. Martin recorded season-highs in carries and yards last week in Kansas City, but those numbers were only 24 and 63, respectively.

Bucs RB Doug Martin – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

If the Bucs could ever use 2015, contract-year Doug Martin, it’s Sunday against the visiting Seattle Seahawks. Asking for that against one of the NFL’s best defenses over the past five years or so may seem like a tall order, but it’s a perfect time to strike.

Over the first five games of the season, Seattle held opponents to 74.6 yards rushing per game. In the five games since, that stat’s ballooned to 122.2 yards per game.

Further improving Tampa Bay’s potential to establish the run is its healed-up offensive line and Seattle’s banged-up defense. The Bucs are getting left guard Kevin Pamphile back in action and will operate with their season-opening line after playing the past two games with replacement pieces. Seattle will be without former Buccaneer defensive end Michael Bennett and free safety Earl Thomas, and starting outside linebacker Brock Coyle is listed as doubtful.

Despite struggling to find room to run last week in Kansas City, Martin was still able to combine with two other running backs and quarterback Jameis Winston and rush for 116 yards. Martin affected the passing attack by catching three passes for 42 yards.

Sunday might be too soon, but there’s a chance Tampa Bay also adds Jacquizz Rodgers back into to the mix. Still the team’s leading rusher – 393 yards and a touchdown on 88 attempts in just six games and three starts – Rodgers has sat out the past three weeks with a foot injury. He was limited at practice Wednesday and Thursday, but bumped up to a full participant Friday. The team listed Rodgers as questionable on the official injury report.

Assuming it’s mainly up to Martin and backups Peyton Barber and Mike James to carry the load, the more the Bucs can rely on handing the ball off, the less they have to worry about Seahawks pass rushers coming after Winston. Seattle’s tied with the Buffalo Bills for the league lead in sacks, with 31. Winston’s been sacked 23 times and the 77 hits he’s absorbed, according to NFL.com stats, are fourth most in the league.

“Doug makes our offense go,” Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said this week. “All you’ve got to do is look at all the tape from last year. We spin a lot of stuff off of how Doug plays and it was great to have him out there, even though he wasn’t breaking as many long ones as maybe we’re used to seeing [from] him. I think that will come as he plays more and that makes everybody else around him better.”

When Martin finished as the league’s second-leading rusher last year, he picked up his 1,402 yards by averaging 4.9 per carry. That’s the Doug Martin the Bucs need Sunday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium to notch their second massive victory in a row.