SEATTLE -- Behind Thomas Rawls bouncing off and through tacklers and a big-play punch from Tyler Lockett, the Seattle Seahawks rediscovered their offensive star power on Sunday night.It came at a significant cost to their defense.Rawls ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, Lockett took a reverse 75 yards for a score to open the second half and the Seahawks routed the Carolina Panthers 40-7 on Sunday night.The victory was clouded by the loss of standout safety Earl Thomas for the rest of the regular season at least to a broken tibia in the first half. While coach Pete Carroll did not have a timeline, he expected the injury to be six weeks at the minimum.Earls been a fixture here for a long time. Hes missed two games in his life playing football in the last couple of weeks. Were going to miss him enormously, Carroll said.Another prime-time game in Seattle was provided with odd story lines right from the outset when Carolina quarterback Cam Newton was benched for the first play, only to watch backup Derek Anderson throw an interception . It was the start of miserable night for Carolina (4-8) and a laugher that moved Seattle (8-3-1) one step closer to the NFC West title.I think there was a lack of communication on my part. I think I have to be accountable to know certain things, Newton said.Rawls and the run game set the tone for Seattle, gashing the second-best run defense in the NFL for 240 yards. Carolina entered the week giving up less than 80 yards per game on the ground.Rawls finished with 106 yards on 15 carries, quiet in the second half after briefly being checked for a concussion. He was just the second 100-yard rusher for the Seahawks, who have struggled on the ground this season. Rawls 8-yard run gave Seattle an early 10-0 lead and his 45-yard sprint early in the second quarter pushed it to 17-7.I have to let it come to me and then take it after I get past those big boys, Rawls said. The guys up front did a tremendous job. They were phenomenal.Russell Wilson was 26 of 36 for 277 yards and a 1-yard scoring pass to Jimmy Graham in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks rolled up a season-high 534 yards and kept a three-game lead over Arizona in the division with four games remaining.Thomas broke the bone in a first-half collision with teammate Kam Chancellor while trying to intercept Newtons pass. Thomas hobbled off, putting no weight on the leg, and X-rays revealed the fracture.You cant really tell where people are. We were both trying to make a play, Chancellor said. Its hard to see your brother go down like that.On the play after Thomas injury, Newton hit Ted Ginn Jr. on a 55-yard touchdown pass to pull the Panthers to 10-7. It would be the only highlight for Carolina.Rawls immediately answered, darting through the Carolina defense for a 45-yard touchdown run and a 17-7 lead. Steven Hauschka added two more field goals before halftime and Lockett raced 75 yards on a reverse on the first play of the second half. In less than 10 minutes of game time, Seattle extended the lead to 30-7.I think I finally got to hit that extra gear that Ive been waiting on, Lockett said.Newtons benching was for a dress code violation -- he did not have a necktie for the team flight -- and the single play he missed could not have gone worse. Anderson rolled out to throw a pass to Mike Tolbert. It bounced off Tolberts hands and into the arms of Mike Morgan, a disastrous result for that only added to questions about coach Ron Riveras intention with the punishment.Newton finished 14 of 32 for 182 yards.I treat him like I do all the other players on the team and he didnt start, Rivera said.LOPSIDED RESULTIt was seventh meeting in the past five years between the Seahawks and Panthers, playoffs included. It was the first time of the seven the game was decided by more than 14 points. Five of the previous six were decided by seven points or fewer. The biggest win during the stretch was Seattles 31-17 win in the 2014 playoffs.BATTERED PANTHERSCarolinas injury list grew again.The Panthers were already without starters Kurt Coleman and Luke Kuechly (concussions) and defensive end Mario Addison (foot) on defense, and right tackle Daryl Williams (ankle) on offense. Carolina then lost cornerback Daryl Worley and linebacker David Mayo to concussions against the Seahawks.THOMAS TWEETSOne of the most emotional players on Seattles roster, Thomas hinted at retirement in a tweet sent just before halftime.This game has been so good to me no regrets. A lot is running through my mind including retirement thanks for all the prayers, Thomas tweeted from the Seattle locker room.Thomas missed the first game of his career last week at Tampa Bay due to a hamstring injury.UP NEXTPanthers: Carolina returns home and hosts San Diego.Seahawks: Seattle travels to Green Bay.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Mookie Betts Jersey . -- Arizona knocked off some quality opponents, rolled over a few overmatched ones and grinded out victories even when things didnt go so well. Wade Boggs Jersey . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. https://www.cheapredsox.com/1111z-ted-williams-jersey-red-sox.html . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Fred Lynn Red Sox Jersey . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. Josh Taylor Red Sox Jersey . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. The same week Tennessee State cracked the STATS FCS Top 25, its biggest challenge of the season awaits.Sitting 25th in the poll, the Tigers make the three-mile trip to face Vanderbilt on Saturday.Theyll throw a lot more bodies at us than well be able to throw at them, Tennessee State coach Rod Reed said in regards to the SEC squads advantage in terms of depth and scholarship numbers. Weve been finding a way, and were going to get in there and were going to compete and keep it close and see what happens in the fourth quarter.The Tigers last started 6-1 in 2013, and were a missed field goal away at Eastern Illinois on Oct. 8 from perhaps being undefeated heading into this contest. Despite losing starting quarterback OShay Ackerman-Carter to a season-ending knee injury in the third game, Tennessee State ranks 18th in the FCS averaging 36.3 points and among the leaders with a turnover margin of plus-1.67.Senior backup quarterback Ronald Butler has thrown for 707 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions and rushed for three scores over the last three games.Weve done it really short-handedly, Reed said. Butler has done a very admirable job of running this football team. Were still short-handed a little bit, but our guys keep finding ways to win and thats what I like about this football team.Reed, however, is smart enough to know the task thats at hand against a FBS program -- even one thats 3-4. The Commodores are 1/3 in the SEC, but have allowed 62 points in those games and are coming off a 17-16 win at Georgia last weekend.Im just hoping they are still partying and celebrating that win, Reed joked.ddddddddddddVanderbilt has failed to score more than 17 points in all but two games this season, but Tennessee State has yielded an average of 28.6 since opening with a 44-0 rout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The Tigers are also likely to again be without talented defensive lineman Ebenezer Ogundeko, who began his college career at Clemson.That doesnt bode well for a defense thats allowed 455 rushing yards in the last two games. Theyll need to buckle down in order to stop Vanderbilts Ralph Webb, who posted back-to-back rushing games of at least 100 yards before being held to 48 on 19 carries against Georgia. Webb needs 350 yards to break Zac Stacys school record of 3,143.Though Tennessee State has its defensive issues, it ranks among the national leaders in both subdivisions with 12 interceptions. Senior cornerback and Michigan State transfer Ezra Robinson was named the Ohio Valley Conferences defensive player of the week after recording two of his four interceptions -- one returned 93 yards for a touchdown -- in last weekends 35-28 win over Eastern Kentucky.These guys fully understand what TSU brings to the table, Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. Rod Reed has done a good job assembling talent. Defensively, theyve got guys on that side of the ball that make plays. We actually respect everybody. We prepare the same way for everybody we play.The Tigers fell 38-9 in their only other meeting with Vanderbilt in 2006. ' ' '