RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks (6-4) head to Levi's Stadium on Sunday looking to extend their winning streak over the San Francisco 49ers (1-9) to eight games, nine if you include the NFC Championship Game four seasons ago.

More importantly, the Seahawks can avoid losing any ground and potentially gain some in the NFC playoff race after falling out of the No. 6 spot with their loss to Atlanta on Monday night.

Here's a closer look at the game from Seattle's perspective, starting with one of the key matchups:

Seattle's run defense vs. Carlos Hyde

It made for an unexpected early-season storyline when Seattle was gashed for a pair of long runs in consecutive weeks. Carlos Hyde went for 61 yards in Seattle's win over the 49ers in Week 2, then DeMarco Murray helped Tennessee pull away from the Seahawks when he ripped off a 75-yard touchdown run the following week.

"That wasn't like us," defensive end Frank Clark said this week.

Indeed it hadn't been. From 2014-16, the Seahawks defense allowed 3.4, 3.6 and 3.4 yards per carry, finishing those respective seasons ranked second, fourth and first in that category. But largely because of those two long runs, Seattle ranked dead last through three games at 5.3 YPC allowed.

That seems like a long time ago based on how Seattle's defense has gotten back on track heading into the rematch with San Francisco. Since Week 4, the Seahawks have allowed 80 rushing yards per game and 3.2 per carry. According to ESPN charting, those averages rank third and second in the NFL in that span, respectively.

Since Hyde (124) and Murray (115) topped 100 yards against Seattle, Lamar Miller's 54 yards in Week 8 are the most the Seahawks have allowed to a running back. Seattle's run defense turned in a masterful performance in Week 10 vs. Arizona, holding Adrian Peterson to 29 yards on 21 carries. The Cardinals managed 34 as a team, the fewest vs. Seattle this season.

"We've been a little more disciplined, and I think we're playing a little more gap-sound," middle linebacker Bobby Wagner said of the difference since Seattle's early-season struggles.

Coach Pete Carroll said the same thing. "It starts with the discipline of the scheme," he said. "If you're jumping around scheme-wise, you're lucking out. So we've been committed for a long time to be really consistent there and it’s generally worked out. That's why it's so hard for us to stomach the thought that we gave up four or five plays a game that are explosive run plays or whatever. We've just been really committed to it, and for the most part, it's worked out."

The Seahawks will likely have an important part of their run defense back Sunday with defensive tackle Jarran Reed expected to play after missing most of the last two games with a hamstring injury.

By the numbers

199. Passing yards that Russell Wilson needs to become the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 3,000 yards in each of his first six seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The three QBs who have accomplished that feat are Peyton Manning, Cam Newton and Andy Dalton. Wilson is averaging 280 passing yards per game this season, third-most in the league, so there's a good chance he joins that group Sunday.

133.5. Rushing yards per game that San Francisco's defense has allowed this season, which is the worst average in the NFL. Seattle's inability to mount a consistent rushing attack has been well covered here. If the Seahawks can't get things going Sunday against a poor run defense and with Luke Joeckel back at left guard, when will they?

4. Consecutive games in which the 49ers have committed at least two turnovers. It's the first time they've done that since 2009, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The current streak coincides with C.J. Beathard taking over as the 49ers' starting quarterback. In those four games, he's thrown three touchdowns to four interceptions and has lost two fumbles. He'll remain the starter Sunday over Jimmy Garoppolo. Winning the turnover battle is a fairly reliable formula for victory for the Seahawks. Since Carroll took over in 2010, they're 48-10 -- including 4-0 this season -- when they take the ball away more times than they turn it over.

Injury outlook: Joeckel will be back after missing the last five games while recovering from knee surgery. Seattle will again be without strong safety Kam Chancellor (neck) along with cornerback Shaquill Griffin (concussion) and right guard Oday Aboushi (shoulder). Byron Maxwell will start at right cornerback for Griffin after replacing him two plays into Monday night's game. Seattle's coaches like what they've seen from Maxwell since he was brought back last week. Carroll wouldn't reveal if Ethan Pocic or Mark Glowinski will start at right guard, but the guess here is it'll be Pocic. Mike Davis (groin) is doubtful, so Seattle's available tailbacks will be Thomas Rawls, Eddie Lacy and J.D. McKissic. Asked this week what Rawls needs to do Sunday, offensive line coach Tom Cable said: "Don't try so damn hard."

Getting a grip: The Sunday forecast for Santa Clara calls for an 85 percent chance of rain at kickoff, according to Weather.com. That may explain why Wilson was seen wearing a glove on each hand during the early portion of Friday's practice, which was open to the media. Wilson has occasionally practiced in gloves and he wore one on his left, non-throwing hand during a rainy divisional-round playoff game vs. New Orleans in January 2014, but he's never worn one on his throwing hand in an NFL game.

Prediction: The 49ers are catching the Seahawks in a potentially vulnerable state, with injuries piling up in their secondary and elsewhere. Also working against the Seahawks is they're playing on the road on a short week against a team coming off its bye. Those factors should only keep the game closer than it otherwise would be. The Seahawks may not be as dominant as they were with all the star power they're missing, but they still have a significant enough talent edge over San Francisco that it's hard to imagine them losing this game -- especially with their margin for error in the NFC playoff race already reduced. Seahawks 24, 49ers 18.