Off-Topic » SEATTLE (AP) — By the time December rolls around

Bobby Wagner Color Rush Jersey , the Seattle Seahawks may have more regret than they currently do about what transpired the first two weeks of the regular season.Because in hindsight, those first two games appear such outliers from where the Seahawks are headed based on the way they’ve played for the past month.“I’ll never not be frustrated by the way we started this season, but we’re moving,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. “This is kind of how we’ve done it over the years and we got a chance to be a really nice team.”The Seahawks sit at 3-3 going into their bye week, but a .500 record doesn’t fully tell the story of what Seattle has shown through six games.For two weeks, the Seahawks were lost in trying to discover their identity. No matter how much they said during the offseason they were committed to running the ball, relying on field position and defense, putting that mission statement into practice when the regular season began proved difficult.That’s why Seattle seemed so out of whack offensively during season-opening losses to Denver and Chicago. It was counter to everything Carroll and his staff preached leading into the opener.And it’s why a reset before Week 3 has proved the difference in putting the Seahawks in position to be part of the playoff conversation as the season progresses.The reset Seattle made offensively before facing Dallas in Week 3 involved two key aspects. The first happened on the offensive line. D.J. Fluker returned from injury and was slotted in at right guard, sliding veteran J.R. Sweezy over to left guard. The shuffling on the line instantly made Seattle a significantly better run-blocking team. Fluker has put together his own personal highlight tape of flattening defenders in recent weeks, while Sweezy’s demeanor and style is akin to the Seattle teams he played for several years ago when the Seahawks were making Super Bowls.The second came with Seattle’s stable of running backs. Rather than trying to be equitable Justin Coleman Color Rush Jersey , as the Seahawks were through the first two weeks, the decision was made to make Chris Carson the primary ball carrier. No more splitting carries just for the sake of doing so. Only when Carson needed a break would another back get the chance.The results for the past four games — when the Seahawks have gone 3-1 — have completely changed the course of Seattle’s season. In those four games combined, Seattle is one of three teams to have rushed for more than 600 yards, along with the Rams and Cowboys. The Seahawks’ 180 total rushing attempts are second only to the Rams. In the past four games, Seattle has 142 rushes, the most of any team during that span.And the Seahawks are getting these yards with only limited contribution from Russell Wilson as a running threat a year after he was Seattle’s leading rusher.At a time the league is going wild with passing and scoring, the Seahawks are bucking the offensive trend in the other direction with a formula that appears to be working.“This is winning football,” Seattle wide receiver Doug Baldwin said. “You run the ball, you convert on third down in passing game when you have to. You play stifling defense and stopping the run, and you don’t turn the ball over. Usually you win the games when you do that.”The most telling stat comes from looking at Wilson’s numbers. In the first two games Russell Wilson Color Rush Jersey , he was sacked 12 times, completed just 59.4 percent of his throws and had a passer rating of 89.3. In the four games since, Wilson is completing 67 percent while attempting significantly fewer throws; has a passer rating of 116; and has been sacked seven times.Just as eye opening is his lack of runs: Wilson has just 17 rushes for 62 yards through six games. Last year, Wilson had already run 32 times.“Russell’s doing more than he’s ever done before. He’s orchestrating and controlling the play calling, the adjustments at the line of scrimmage when he can,” Carroll said. “He’s just been brought to a different level of responsibility and he’s doing a nice job with it. He’s putting us in position to run the ball effectively now as well as in the passing game, so he’s grown, yeah he’s improved.”Whether that formula is capable of keeping Seattle in the playoff race will be tested when it returns from the bye. The Seahawks face a challenging five-week stretch in which four of the five opponents have above-.500 records. Three of those games — at Detroit, vs. Green Bay, at Carolina — come against teams Seattle could end up competing against for a wild-card berth.“There’s a real style about it where we can sense now. It’s one week at a time Brandon Marshall Color Rush Jersey , we just need to keep riding that and see how far it takes us,” Carroll said. RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Considering the past history, it probably should have been expected the Seattle Seahawks‘ season opener was going to be kind of ugly.They always seem to be that way under Pete Carroll. Closer than most expect. Not a whole lot of points scored. And usually Seattle figuring out a way to come out on top.Seattle’s 21-20 win over Cincinnati in Week 1 fit the description of those previous years perfectly. Seattle was outplayed. It struggled to protect the highest-paid player in the NFL as Russell Wilson was sacked four times. The best run team in the NFL last year was held to 72 yards rushing. Seattle went three-and-out on six of 12 possessions that didn’t involve a kneel-down.All that goes without mentioning a defense that debuted Jadeveon Clowney — who was disruptive early on — but ended up watching Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton throw for a career-high 418 yards. Although Seattle countered the big day through the air by shutting down Joe Mixon and the Bengals’ run game.But like previous unsightly opening wins over Miami (12-10 in 2016) and Carolina (12-7 in 2013), the Seahawks figured out a way. Seattle took the lead on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Tyler Lockett on the first play of the fourth quarter, and escaped from an afternoon most expected to be a blowout.“There is a lot of stuff for us to get better at,” Carroll said Monday. “We were fortunate to get the win. … Thrilled to get off to that start with so much to gain and improve in all areas really.”WHAT’S WORKINGChris Carson carried the load offensively in the opener. His rushing numbers were down, finishing with only 46 yards rushing on 15 carries, but he broke off a 21-yard run on a key third-and-1 late in the fourth quarter. Carson was also Seattle’s top pass catcher with six receptions for 35 yards and a highlight-worthy 10-yard touchdown catch-and-run in the first period.Seattle was intent on getting Carson more involved in the pass game and he had 21 touches on Seattle’s 49 offensive plays.“That was part of the offseason to involve him and it jumped up. … It’s clear why we’re trying,” Carroll said.WHAT NEEDS HELPCarroll implied Seattle was arrogant in believing it could run through the Bengals’ defensive line and control the game on the ground. The plan didn’t work as Seattle’s offensive line was bullied by a heavy front from the Bengals. Carson’s big carry late made the numbers look adequate Cortez Kennedy Color Rush Jersey , but Seattle had just 51 yards rushing on its other 24 carries.“We wanted to try knock them off the football and see if we could get that done so we stayed with it. But with the limited amount of plays it felt like we could have done better,” Carroll said.STOCK UPAs if the hype train needed any more fuel, Seattle got the dynamic punch it was looking for from rookie wide receiver DK Metcalf. He had four receptions for 89 yards and was Wilson’s favorite threat down the field. Cincinnati rolled coverage toward Tyler Lockett, allowing Metcalf a chance to win a couple of important one-on-one matchups.STOCK DOWNFree safety Tedric Thompson had a forgettable opener. His worst moment was misjudging a deep pass from Dalton in the closing seconds of the first half, whiffing on the attempt to deflect the pass and watching it fall into Ross’s hands for a 55-yard touchdown. The uncertainty is if Seattle has a better option. Lano Hill has struggled with staying healthy throughout his young career and rookie Marquise Blair likely isn’t ready to take over the responsibility. Thompson will continue to get tested with Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees on the docket the next two weeks.“I thought he over-tried,” Carroll said of Thompson. “He was trying so hard he was flying around and overran a few things. Just mistimed his jump on the big play. He’ll play better. It wasn’t because he wasn’t working hard or trying hard or knowing his assignments. He was going for it.”INJURIESThere is some concern about the severity of a hamstring injury to cornerback and special teams standout Neiko Thorpe, and a calf strain suffered by starting defensive tackle Poona Ford. Carroll also brought up a shoulder injury to rookie Ugo Amadi that was not known about after the game. Amadi started as Seattle’s nickel cornerback and left briefly after a big collision with teammate Bradley McDougald, but returned to the game.Carroll also said they must wait and see about defensive end Ziggy Ansah after soreness in his shoulder kept him out of the opener.KEY NUMBER6-0 — The Seahawks are 6-0 under Carroll when an opposing quarterback throws for at least 400 yards.NEXT STEPSSeattle doesn’t often venture to Pittsburgh and its limited trips there in the past have been mostly unsuccessful. The Seahawks are 2-7 all time in Pittsburgh and have been outscored 45-0 in their last two trips — in 2007 and 2011. But the Steelers looked awful in an opening loss at New England and the chance to be 2-0 before facing New Orleans would be a huge boost for Seattle.