Quarterback Lamar Jackson has tailed off from his hot start. In Sunday’s 23-17 win over the Bengals, he completed 21 of 33 for 236 yards but ended the day frustrated with the Ravens’ inability to finish drives in the end zone. Jackson’s top deep threat, Marquise Brown, missed the Bengals game with an ankle injury and did not practice Wednesday. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the rookie is day to day. In Brown’s absence, Jackson struggled to find downfield targets.

Quarterback Russell Wilson is at the front of the MVP race with 14 touchdown passes, zero interceptions and a 124.7 passer rating through six games. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he’s never seen Wilson play better, which is saying something considering the eight-year veteran was already a Hall of Fame candidate. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett leads the team with 35 catches for 454 yards, and rookie speed burner D.K. Metcalf is averaging 21 yards per catch.

The Ravens piled up 269 rushing yards and averaged 6.3 yards per attempt against a porous Bengals run defense. They lead the league with averages of 205 yards per game and 5.5 yards per attempt. With Cincinnati plugging the middle, the Ravens relied heavily on designed runs for Jackson, who gained a career-high 152 yards on 19 carries. Both Jackson and Mark Ingram II are on pace to exceed 1,000 yards.

Running back Chris Carson has been a productive if unspectacular runner, averaging 84 yards per game and 4.3 yards per carry. Wilson isn’t running as often or as productively as he did five years ago but remains a significant threat on the ground with 151 yards and three touchdowns through six games. The Seahawks rank ninth in the NFL in rushing but just 17th in yards per carry.

After rough outings in Weeks 3 and 4, the Ravens have returned to their run-stuffing ways, holding their last two opponents to a combined 110 yards. They held Bengals running back Joe Mixon to 10 yards on eight carries. The Ravens rank fourth in the league in rushing defense, and opponents have mostly avoided testing them, with just 110 attempts through six games.

The Seahawks rank 11th in the NFL in run defense but have allowed opponents to average 4.7 yards per carry, eighth-worst in the league. Linebacker Bobby Wagner leads the Seahawks in tackles and grades as one of the best run defenders at his position, according to Pro Football Focus. His inside partner, K.J. Wright, ranks second on the team in tackles but missed practice Wednesday because of a knee injury.

The Ravens held Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton to a 61.4 passer rating despite playing with a patchwork secondary. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey was particularly impressive against Cincinnati’s top receiver, Tyler Boyd, holding him to 10 yards on three catches. The Ravens could look substantially different after trading for cornerback Marcus Peters, a leading playmaker at his position, on Tuesday.

This has been a weakness as Seattle ranks 23rd in the league in pass defense and has allowed opponents to average 7.9 yards per attempt. Shaquill Griffin grades as one of the NFL’s top cover cornerbacks, but his partner, Tre Flowers, has not held up his end of the bargain. The Seahawks linebackers have also been vulnerable in coverage. Seattle ranks 28th in the league in sacks per pass play.

Justin Tucker has won AFC Special Teams Player of the Week each of the last two weeks and has made all 13 of his field-goal attempts this season. Sam Koch has put nine of his 15 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. The Ravens suffered a rare lapse in coverage Sunday, allowing the Bengals to return their opening kickoff for a touchdown, but they still hold a significant net advantage on punts.

Kicker Jason Myers has made five of his seven field-goal attempts and 18 of 19 extra-point tries. Michael Dickson has been a below-average punter with a net average of 39.4 yards, and just 11 of his 28 punts have ended up inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. The Seahawks have also fared poorly in the return game, with significant net-yardage disadvantages on both punts and kickoffs.

The Ravens are 2-1 on the road this season and stayed competitive in their toughest away date against the Kansas City Chiefs. They certainly won’t look past this game given Earl Thomas’ Seattle homecoming and their desire to finish strong heading into their bye week. But the Ravens are still sorting through a significant personnel shuffle on defense, with Peters the latest new addition.

The Seahawks have won three straight and are tied for the second-best record in the NFL at 5-1. Like the Ravens, they’ve dominated at home over the last decade. Carroll has become an institution atop the organization. Wilson gives the Seahawks confidence they can pull out any game, even though their defense bears little resemblance to the “Legion of Boom” crew from a few years ago.

The Ravens always seem to get up for talented opponents on the road. As usual, their greatest advantage will be their running attack. Their under-construction defense will struggle to contain Wilson, and Seattle’s homefield advantage can’t be ignored. But the Ravens will control the clock and eke out a key upset going into their bye week.Ravens 30, Seahawks 27.