SEATTLE _ Maybe the Seahawks looked like a team in disarray as kickoff neared Sunday following a week of questions about offense's fit with Russell Wilson's talents and then Earl Thomas' mysterious asking out of practices.
Certainly those who bet on games thought so as the line shifted from Seattle being favored by three points early in the week to Dallas being favored by one as game time approached.
But as they so often have in the past, the Seahawks thrived in the face of apparent adversity Sunday, using a tried-and-true formula to beat Dallas 24-13 in front of 69,047 in their home opener at CenturyLink Field.
A Seattle defense led by two remaining standouts from the Super Bowl era _ Thomas, who indeed started after a morning of rumors about his future, and middle linebacker Bobby Wagner _ held the Cowboys offense in check throughout.
And Seattle finally made good on its promise to run it and run it some more, with Chris Carson getting a whopping 32 carries and the team's first 100-yard game since the 2016 season, finishing with 102 yards and a touchdown.
The productive running game seemed to do Wilson a world of good as he turned in his best game of the season, completing 16 of 26 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and only two sacks.
Wilson threw both touchdown passes in the second quarter as Seattle opened up a 17-3 lead. Then the Seahawks relied on their running game in the second half to power a 72-yard drive that ended in a 5-yard touchdown by Carson that put Seattle up 24-6.
The rushing touchdown was the first for a Seattle tailback in 357 days, since J.D. McKissic scored against the Colts in the fourth game of the 2017 season.
Seattle improved to 1-2 on the season and avoided an 0-3 start that, given NFL precedent, would have been just about a death knell for the team's playoff hopes.
The game kicked off with the fans already at fever pitch following the raising of the 12th Man flag by Kam Chancellor, who has likely played his last NFL game. Chancellor revealed during a pre-game radio interview that he has spinal stenosis and bone spurs in his neck and back.
The first quarter featured little action for either team with the two teams combining for as many first downs as punts _ five of each.
But the Seahawks turned in their best offensive quarter of the season in the second, driving 64 and 75 yards for touchdowns, with a solid mix of a quick passing game, one timely deep shot and just enough of a running attack.
Wilson, who was not sacked in the first half, was 9-13 in the second quarter for 130 yards and two touchdowns _ a 16-yarder to Jaron Brown that made it 7-0 and then a 52-yarder late in the half to Tyler Lockett that made it 14-3.
The Brown touchdown came on a hurry-up snap following a 19-yard pass to Carson, who converted a third down.
On the Lockett pass, Dallas rushed just four and Wilson plenty of time to find Lockett, who broke past Dallas cornerback Chidobe Awuzie down the right sideline, catching the pass and walking into the end zone.
Seattle finally delivered on its promise to re-establish the run game, with the Seahawks running it on 18 of 38 first-half plays, gaining 57 yards. Carson had 50 yards on 14 carries _ one more carry than he had the first two weeks combined.
Dallas scored on a 3-yard pass from Prescott to Tavon Austin to cut the lead to 24-13 with 7:11 left
Dallas then forced a three-and-out and drove to the Cowboys' 19.
But on a play that typified the game, a first down pass from Prescott into traffic was tipped by Wagner _ and then batted by Dallas' Blake Jarwin _ with Thomas diving to make an interception at the 15.
Thomas received a penalty for taunting, but by that point, who really cared?
If nothing else, Seattle fans had to like the passion Thomas showed after a week of questions about his commitment to the Seahawks.
And then came a play that may have delighted Pete Carroll more than any other.
Facing a third-and-11 at their own 7, the Seahawks handed the ball to Carson, who fought through traffic to gain just enough yards for a first down that essentially sealed the win.
The Seahawks caught some breaks as the Cowboys committed a slew of untimely penalties.
Dallas appeared to have a touchdown on a 31-yard pass from Prescott to Elliott late in the second quarter against a Seattle defense that appeared confused at the snap and left Elliott wide open.
But Elliott stepped just out of bounds before he caught the pass and was penalized for an illegal touchdown, negating the score.
Dallas had to settle for a field goal.
Then as the first half ended, Seattle was at its own 44 following an incomplete pass on third down when Dallas' Randy Gregory hit Seattle center Joey Hunt in the face. The 15-yard penalty allowed Sebastian Janikowski to rather easily hit a 47-yard field goal to make it 17-3 at halftime.
Still, Seattle dominated the first half, outgaining Dallas 202-92 and holding the Cowboys to just 23 yards passing. Prescott was 6-13 for 40 yards and a passer rating of just 21.3.
