National Football League

Seattle's league-best run D now faces top back

Published Oct. 8, 2014 8:28 p.m. ET

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RENTON, Wash. (AP) For all the attention heaped on Seattle's talented secondary, right now it's the Seahawks' ability to stop the run that's standing out.

Seattle leads the league giving up just 62.3 yards per game on the ground and is the only team giving up less than 3 yards per rush. But that early success is about to get a major test facing DeMarco Murray when Dallas comes to town on Sunday.

''The whole group is functioning really well,'' Seattle coach Pete Carroll said. ''We're not doing a lot of special stuff. We're just trying to base really good base defense and good technique and play really solid ball there. I just think it's a continuation a little bit. We'll see how it goes. We're just a few weeks into it.''

Some of the success is opponent driven. The Seahawks opened the season with the passing trio of Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning. But each of those teams also wanted to try to establish balance in their offense and couldn't. Green Bay's Eddie Lacy was held to 34 yards rushing. San Diego's Ryan Mathews had just 31 and Denver's Montee Ball was held to 38.

And last Monday against Washington, Alfred Morris was limited to 29 yards on 13 carries. It was the second-fewest yards rushing for Morris in his three seasons.

But Seattle has yet to see a running back on a roll like Murray is on to start the season. Murray is the first running back to rush for at least 100 yards in each of the first five games of the season since O.J. Simpson in 1975. He can become the first with six straight to start a season since Jim Brown in 1958 if he can solve Seattle's front.

''I think Demarco has always been running at a high level,'' Dallas quarterback Tony Romo said. ''I think sometimes what you find in such a team-orientated league and once you get some complementary players who play at a pretty high level around you, you really get to see how good certain guys are.''

If Murray can reach the 100-yard mark, he'll join a rare fraternity. Only five players have rushed for 100 yards in Seattle since the start of Carroll's tenure in 2010: Jamaal Charles in 2010 (179 yards), Roy Helu in 2011 (108 yards), Adrian Peterson in 2012 (182 yards), Mike James in 2013 (158) and Colin Kaepernick (130 yards) in the 2013 playoffs.

''Keep him under 100. That's the challenge,'' linebacker Bobby Wagner said. ''It's a fun challenge though. I look forward to it. He's a great running back and has been on a roll and I'm going to try and be the person to stop that.''

Dallas has committed to the run in a similar way as Seattle. The teams rank Nos. 1 and 2 in yards rushing - Seattle at 167.3, Dallas at 160.0. The Cowboys are tied for the league lead in rushing attempts per game (32.6) while the Seahawks aren't far behind at 30.8.

But Dallas' run defense is giving up almost double what the Seahawks are allowing.

Last season, Seattle had the best overall defense in the NFL on the strength of its secondary. The Seahawks run defense slumped for a short stretch in the middle of the season but rebounded to be the seventh-best run defense in the league by the end of the year.

Whether Seattle could match what it did defensively last season was in question after defensive linemen Red Bryant and Chris Clemons were released during the offseason. Bryant was the big-bodied defensive tackle moved to defensive end to help hold the edge against the run, while Clemons had proven to be an every-down defensive end capable of rushing the passer and playing the run.

''That's my best friend,'' Seattle defensive tackle Brandon Mebane said of Bryant. ''I definitely miss my best friend but I knew we still had talented guys on the defensive line, linebackers, secondary. Things like that in this business happen, but you've got to continue doing your job to keep your job.''

NOTES: CB Richard Sherman said one dreadlock got pulled out when it was yanked by Washington WR Pierre Garcon in Monday's game. Sherman said it's the first time he can remember one of his dreadlocks getting pulled. ... C Max Unger is day-to-day after suffering a strained foot late in Seattle's win in Washington. Unger did not practice this week. ... In case Unger is unable to go this week, Seattle signed C Patrick Lewis and released CB Josh Thomas on Wednesday. Lewis was with Seattle late in the preseason.