RENTON, Wash. -- When the New England Patriots lined up for one of the decisive plays of the Seattle Seahawks' 23-20 win Sunday, Tyrel Dodson had an idea of what was coming.
Earlier in the week, outside linebackers coach Chris Partridge had shown the defense a clip of what New England might go to in a short-yardage, must-have situation. The moment arrived on the first possession of overtime -- a third-and-1 from the Patriots' 39 -- and so did the look that Partridge had presented.
After Leonard Williams' penetration into the backfield forced Rhamondre Stevenson into the C gap, Dodson was there to meet him, stopping the running back for no gain with help from Jarran Reed. After a punt, a Geno Smith drive and Jason Myers field goal, the Seahawks were 2-0.
When coach Mike Macdonald gave Dodson a game ball for helping close out the win, the sixth-year middle linebacker tossed it to Partridge in appreciation of his midweek assist.
"I know that if he shows something, it's real," Dodson said. "I just trusted myself, the D-line made some great push up front and I made a big play for my team."
The tackle that helped key Seattle's win was a bright spot on an otherwise rough day for its run defense, which allowed 185 yards on 36 attempts (5.1 average). Those struggles remain in focus with the Seahawks set to host the Miami Dolphins, who will be starting backup quarterback Skylar Thompson on Sunday at Lumen Field and figure to rely on coach Mike McDaniel's touted running game in Tua Tagovailoa's absence.
"I'm not happy about last week, to be honest with you," Dodson said. "The run game, that's how you make your bread and butter in the NFL. Making the offense one-dimensional, you've got to do that by stopping the run. ... No more runs on us. That's like the most disrespectful thing, in my opinion, is an offense running the ball on you. So we've got to get that fixed, and it starts with me. I've got to up my game in run defense. I'm ready to do that this week."
The Seahawks were preparing for a heavy dose of the run last week against a Patriots offense with a bridge quarterback in Jacoby Brissett and an inexperienced group of wide receivers, and they still struggled to stop it. Seattle had held Denver's running backs to 2.6 yards per carry in Week 1.
"All of the things that showed up in the first game that was positive, I thought we took a step back this game," Macdonald said on his Seattle Sports 710-AM radio show. "I think we ended up with like 10 missed tackles, the ball getting out on our edge. ... You never make it in this league. It's always week to week, prove it to me. That has to be the mentality. ... A hundred and eighty yards, it makes you sick to your stomach."
Macdonald said he was at fault as much as anyone for aspects of their preparation and a game plan that put the defense in difficult positions. But he also noted the fundamental errors independent of that, like how they were playing the edge, taking on blocks and handling run fits. They missed three tackles on a 45-yard fourth-quarter run by Antonio Gibson, who slipped out of Boye Mafe's grasp in the backfield, turning what should have been a loss into a long gain.
Macdonald steered blame away from Seattle's defensive linemen, noting that his scheme usually calls for them to take on blocks as opposed to penetrate on early downs. That approach is supposed to set up the second-level defenders to make the plays.
"It's an unselfish job," he said. "Those guys, they're doing a great job. I know the run stats right now don't really [show it], but you can't put it on those guys. I think they're doing a great job."
Mafe went down in the fourth quarter with a knee contusion. Jerome Baker left in the first half with a hamstring injury, which pressed rookie Tyrice Knight into action at weakside linebacker for the remainder of the game. The fourth-round pick had gotten plenty of offseason reps while Baker and Dodson were sidelined, but only played special teams in Week 1. He finished with seven tackles on 44 snaps against New England.
"He made a couple of tackles in the run game," Macdonald said. "Him along with the rest of the front seven, there's a couple other ones where he can be a little faster to diagnose, a little bit cleaner in his alignments, but overall he made a couple impressive stops as well. So good foundation to build off of."
The Seahawks will likely need Knight to step in again Sunday with Baker listed as doubtful. Mafe is listed as questionable, though Macdonald said he's trending in the right direction toward playing. Mafe's availability takes on added significance with fellow outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (knee) ruled out again and a Miami run game that, as Macdonald explains, puts stress on edge defenders. Whereas New England favors a down-hill run game with the powerful Stevenson, the Dolphins tend to attack the perimeter with the speedy De'Von Achane. They also have the NFL's fastest wide receiver duo in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
The Dolphins ranked sixth in rushing last season while leading the league with a 5.1 yards-per-carry average. Their 220 rushing yards and 3.7 YPC through two games this season rank 21st and 24th, respectively. Miami's offense scored only 10 points in a loss last week to the Buffalo Bills, struggling even before Tagovailoa went down in the third quarter.
"They've got a lot of speed," said Dodson, who joined Seattle on a one-year deal in March after spending his first five seasons with the Bills. "I've got a lot of respect for those guys coming from the AFC East. Speed, speed. So guys better be drinking their water and better put their track shoes on because of their speed. A lot of misdirection, they just try to mess up your eyes. So you stay fundamentally sound, I think we'll be alright."