RENTON Chuma Edoga Jersey , Wash. (AP) — Jordan Simmons was basically an unknown when the Seattle Seahawks claimed him off waivers from the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 2.He’d barely played in college at USC due to injuries. His NFL tape was limited. But Seattle offensive line coach Mike Solari saw tools he could work with. Solari saw strength and footwork that created a good foundation, and knew the rest could be taught and developed.Solari has done a lot of teaching this year and it’s paying off. After several seasons of Seattle’s offensive line being a major problem, it’s become a solid position group that is clearly not the weakness it’s been in the past. And the line’s overall performance is part of the reason Seattle’s on the cusp of a postseason berth heading into Sunday’s game at San Francisco.“It’s the whole unit working together as one,” Solari said. “They’re just getting better. It’s exciting how they are coming along and come together functioning as one.”At times in previous seasons, Seattle couldn’t run the ball effectively. Other times, the Seahawks couldn’t adequately protect Russell Wilson. Too often it was a case of both happening in the same game.That has changed. Seattle is the No. 1 running team in the NFL. The Seahawks have the most carries and are the only team to reach the 2,000-yard mark — exactly — after 13 games. They’ve also done an adequate job of protecting Wilson outside of the first two weeks, when he was sacked six times each by Denver and Chicago. Since the start of Week 3, Seattle has allowed just 27 sacks, tied for 13th best in the NFL. And while that’s not an astounding number, consider that during the same stretch Wilson has the second-highest passer rating of any quarterback in the league.“They all can play and carry their own,” coach Pete Carroll said. “They’re smart, they know what’s going on and it’s a credit to the job that Mike (Solari) has done with these guys but it’s a very positive outlook for this group for the coming years http://www.newyorkjetsteamonline.com/trevon-wesco-jersey , too.”Simmons is a small part of Seattle’s success, but he speaks to the improvement of the entire unit. The two times Simmons has been thrust into starting this season — Week 10 against the Los Angeles Rams and last week against Minnesota — there was no fall off in the performance of the offensive line. It may just be coincidence but those two games Simmons has played were the two best running games by the Seahawks all season.The improvement in the run game has really highlighted how much better Seattle has been along the offensive line. The additions of D.J. Fluker and J.R. Sweezy at the guard positions and a much better season by right tackle Germain Ifedi has led to the massive jump.A year ago, Seattle ranked 23rd in the league, averaging 101.8 yards per game. A huge chunk of those yards came from Wilson’s legs. This season, Seattle is averaging 153.8 yards per game. And in the two games Fluker missed due to injury and Simmons started, Seattle ran for 273 yards against the Rams and 214 against the Vikings.“I think it’s good I can come up and not miss a heartbeat from what we’ve been doing,” Simmons said. “But that goes to the four other guys on the line, not just me. I think with all of us being able to do the run game and get numbers like that is pretty big.”Solari has gotten the bulk of the credit for improving a unit that had stagnated under previous offensive line coach Tom Cable.But there’s been a stronger commitment to staying with the run by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, better options at running back with Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and Mike Davis, and some creative ideas about how to make a run-first offense function. A perfect example has been the use of tackle George Fant reporting eligible as a tight end for several games and getting another big body on the line — and last week catching his first pass.“It’s a group that’s worked so hard on and off the field. They do a great job in the classroom. They do a great job in being accountable to each other and they take pride in their work,” Solari said. “It doesn’t matter who is in there. They’re working as one and it’s a credit to them.” From the New York Yankees on Sept. 21, 2001 to the Boston Red Sox on April 20 Alexander Mattison Jersey , 2013, sports franchises have always been there in the wake of tragedy to help people realize the often obfuscated bond shared between a community. Regardless of name, rank or serial number, at the end of the day, people are people.The Los Angeles Rams, too, understand this and on November 26, they will help rebuild that bond.After the Rams upcoming Monday Night clash against the Kansas City Chiefs was moved from Mexico City to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum because of unsafe field conditions, the team took swift action to assure those responsible for protecting the community were taken care of.Just days after the fatal shootings in nearby Thousand Oaks and while the Woolsey and Sierra Fires continue to ravage communities across Southern California, the Rams will be providing thousands of complimentary tickets to first responders who “are bravely protecting the greater Los Angeles community, as well as people who have been impacted by our community’s recent tragedies,” the team announced.According to US News, The Woolsey Fire http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/dru-samia-jersey , as of Tuesday evening, had burned 97,114 acres and was 40 percent contained. There have been two fatalities and 435 structures have been destroyed, while the Sierra Fire has burned through nearly 150 acres as well.In addition to the team’s donation, many players–including several who have been evacuated from their own homes and live in Thousand Oaks– are taking matters into their own hands.Offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth made national attention by donating his game check from Sunday’s game to the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Conejo Valley Victims Fund. The more than $500K will go to the families of the 12 victims who lost their lives in a Nov. 10 shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks. The Borderline is 45 miles from the Los Angeles Coliseum, but only a five-minute drive from the Rams’ practice facility.Punter Johnny Hekker has also became very involved, visiting first responders battling the fire and supplying food and other resources.Other professional sports teams in Los Angeles have also joined together to bring attention to the unnecessary violence impacting their community. The Clippers, Lakers, LA Kings and Ducks have all united to create the “Enough” movement and are donating proceeds from purchased merchandise to the Ventura County Community Foundation as well.Just like in New York and Boston, it won’t be today or tomorrow, but sports will help Los Angeles heal.Let Los Angeles be the last city to have to heal.