Another big stage for Lynch, 'Hawks

| December 12, 2011 8:00 PM

SEATTLE (AP) - It took a national television audience, a couple of electric touchdown runs and the second-best game of Marshawn Lynch's career for his fascination with a certain fruit-flavored candy to get attention.

Truth is, ever since he was a kid, Lynch had been rewarded for touchdowns with candy, his favorite being Skittles.

"Any kind of candy really," Lynch said.

And if his performance over the last month keeps up during the final four weeks, he could be looking at a different type of reward in the offseason.

Dollars, lots of them.

Lynch gets another national stage tonight (5:30 p.m., ESPN, ESPN 700, 94.5 FM) when the Seahawks (5-7) host the St. Louis Rams (2-10). Two recent appearances on national TV made quite an impact, from his astonishing 67-yard TD run in the NFC playoffs last year against New Orleans to his 15-yard escape for a score last week against Philadelphia.

It's all adding up to potential big pay day for Lynch, who is quickly becoming the face of the Seahawks, and will be a free agent after the season.

"It's fun to watch after putting in so much hard work to start to see it pay off," Lynch said. "The guys are ready to work a little bit harder to see if we can get it better."