Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Russell Wilson threw for two touchdowns in the first half, Chris Carson added a 5-yard TD run in early in the fourth quarter, and the Seattle Seahawks avoided a 0-3 start with a 24-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Wilson hit Jaron Brown on an 18-yard touchdown early in the second quarter, and later hit Tyler Lockett streaking up the sideline on a 52-yard scoring pass as Seattle (1-2) built a 17-3 halftime lead and cruised past the Cowboys.

The duo of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott didn't have the answers against a Seattle defense that had safety Earl Thomas on the field and welcomed back Bobby Wagner after the Seahawks' defensive leader missed Week 2 with a groin injury. Prescott was intercepted twice by Thomas , including with 3:09 remaining at the Seattle 15 on a deflected pass, with Thomas bowing to the Dallas sideline at the end of the play.

Prescott was sacked five times and Dallas (1-2) had just 58 net yards passing entering the fourth quarter. Elliott had momentary flashes, busting off a few long runs, but they were too infrequent for Dallas' stagnant offense.

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Thomas' second interception was one of two turnovers forced by Seattle in the fourth quarter. Elliott broke free for a 26-yard run to the Seattle 19 earlier in the quarter, but had the ball punched free from behind by Bradley McDougald and recovered by the Seahawks.

Prescott finished 19 of 34 for 168 yards and a 3-yard shovel pass TD to Tavon Austin with 7:11 remaining. Dallas failed to pass for 200 yards for the ninth time in the past 11 games dating back to last season. Elliott had 127 yards on 16 carries.

Meanwhile, Wilson had the kind of protection that's been absent most of the season. After being sacked 12 times in the first two games, Wilson was 16 of 26 for 192 yards and sacked twice by Dallas' defense that was second in the league in sacks. Despite missing starting center Justin Britt, the offensive line gave Wilson enough time for a few big plays in the passing game.

Wilson's 16-yard strike to Brown gave Seattle a 7-0 lead and he took advantage of the absence of safety Jeff Heath when he found Lockett on a 52-yard TD late in the second quarter. Heath departed with a left ankle injury earlier in the drive and Wilson found Lockett streaking up the sideline. Heath's replacement, Kavon Frazier, was late to rotate over and Lockett went untouched, high-stepping the final few yards for a 14-3 lead.

Carson's TD run was the first by a Seahawks running back since J.D. McKissic found the end zone on a 31-yard run in Week 4 of the 2017 season. Seattle went 14 games without a running back finding the end zone until Carson bulled his way in with 12:54 remaining.

Carson finished with 102 yards, the first Seattle running back to top 100 yards since late in the 2016 season.

THOMAS DRAMA

Following a week of drama surrounding Thomas, the former All-Pro safety started and almost immediately made his presence known. Thomas missed two days of practice for personal reasons which coach Pete Carroll provided only vague answers as to why, and left open the possibility Thomas wouldn't play.

He was on the field as usual, and it took less than a quarter before Thomas was making a remarkable interception, pinning a deflected pass against his shin.

FREE POINTS

Seattle was gifted three points at the end of the half when Randy Gregory was baited into a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, smacking Seattle's Joey Hunt in the facemask. The penalty put Seattle in range for Sebastian Janikowski's 47-yard field goal and a 17-3 lead at the half.

INJURIES

Dallas also played a large portion of the second half without linebacker Sean Lee due to a hamstring injury. Lee had been listed as questionable for that problem.

UP NEXT

Cowboys: Dallas returns home to host Detroit next Sunday.

Seahawks: Seattle is at division rival Arizona next Sunday.

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