Seattle’s ground game guts Detroit

Rawls sets club’s postseason mark with 161 yards.

SEATTLE — Just in time for the playoffs, the Seahawks of the past roared back to life in a 26-6 NFC wild-card victory against the Detroit Lions on Saturday night at CenturyLink Field in the wild-card round.

Using a formula seen so often in playoff runs of the past, the Seahawks first ran through the Lions — a postseason record 161 rushing yards by Thomas Rawls, breaking the previous mark of 157 set by Marshawn Lynch against Green Bay in the 2015 NFC title game.

Then they passed over them — circus catches by Paul Richardson and Doug Baldwin that helped Russell Wilson throw for 181 yards after halftime.

And throughout they simply stymied Detroit, never letting it get past the 33-yard line.

It is the fifth consecutive year the Seahawks have won a playoff game, improving to 8-3 in the postseason with Wilson and 9-4 since Pete Carroll became coach in 2010. Seattle has won at least one playoff game in six of Carroll’s seven seasons as coach.

The Seahawks will play the Falcons Saturday in the divisional round at Atlanta.

Rawls had 107 yards in the first half as Seattle took a 10-3 halftime lead thanks to a remarkable touchdown catch by Richardson on fourthand-goal at the 2.

The Seahawks then used a big fourth quarter from Baldwin — and another one-hand circus catch from Richardson — to cruise to the win.

Two consecutive passes from Wilson to Baldwin keyed the drive that put Seattle ahead comfortably

First, Wilson hit Baldwin for 12 yards to convert a thirdand-5 to the Seattle 35.

On the next play, Baldwin lined up in man coverage on Tavon Wilson —t he same Detroit safety beaten for the Richardson touchdown. Baldwin broke past Wilson at the line and caught a teardrop of a throw from Russell Wilson for 42 yards to the Lions’ 23.

That set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Rawls that made it 19-6 with 8:53 remaining and pretty much ended the suspense.

On the next drive, another one-handed catch by Richardson — and then a even more incredible juggling act by Baldwin to pin the ball to his, uh, backside as he fell to the ground — set up a 13-yard Wilson-to-Baldwin TD that put the game away for good.

Fourth downs were critical in allowing Seattle to take a 10-3 halftime lead, with the Seahawks’ defense stopping one and the Seattle offense converting on another, on what was the most memorable play of the game.

With the game scoreless midway through the second quarter, Seattle decided to for it on fourth and goal from the 2.

Russell Wilson lofted the ball into the end zone to Richardson. The throw was a little short, and Richardson had to reach back for it, colliding with Tavon Wilson as he did. Tavon Wilson was called for interference. No matter. Richardson reached out and grabbed the ball with one hand as both players fell to the turf, a score that put the Seahawks ahead 7-0.

It was Seattle’s running game that positioned the score, though. Seattle ran the ball 11 times on the 14-play drive with Rawls gaining 49 on nine attempts.