SEATTLE — Just in time for the playoffs, the Seahawks of the past roared back to life in a 26-6 NFC wild-card playoff victory against the Detroit Lions on Saturday night at CenturyLink Field.

Using a formula seen so often in playoff runs of the past, the Seahawks first ran through the Lions — a postseason record 161 rushing yards by Thomas Rawls, breaking the previous mark of 157 set by of Marshawn Lynch against Green Bay in the 2015 NFC title game.

Then they passed over them — circus catches by Paul Richardson and Doug Baldwin that helped Russell Wilson throw for 181 yards after halftime.

And throughout they simply stymied Detroit, never letting it get past the 33-yard line.

It is the fifth consecutive year the Seahawks have won a playoff game, improving to 8-3 in the postseason with Wilson and 9-4 since Pete Carroll became coach in 2010. Seattle has won at least one playoff game in six of Carroll’s seven seasons as coach.

The Seahawks will play the Falcons next Saturday in the divisional round at Atlanta.

Rawls had 107 yards in the first half as Seattle took a 10-3 halftime lead thanks to a remarkable touchdown catch by Richardson on fourth-and-goal at the 2.

The Seahawks then used a big fourth quarter from Baldwin — and another one-hand circus catch from Richardson — to cruise to the win.

Two consecutive passes from Wilson to Baldwin keyed the drive that put Seattle ahead comfortably

First, Wilson hit Baldwin for 12 yards to convert a third-and-5 to the Seattle 35.

On the next play, Baldwin lined up in man coverage on Tavon Wilson — the same Detroit safety beaten for the Richardson touchdown. Baldwin broke past Wilson at the line and caught a teardrop of a throw from Russell Wilson for 42 yards to the Lions’ 23.

That set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Rawls that made it 19-6 with 8:53 remaining and pretty much ended the suspense.

On the next drive, another one-handed catch by Richardson — and then a even more incredible juggling act by Baldwin to pin the ball to his, uh, backside as he fell to the ground — set up a 13-yard Wilson-to-Baldwin TD that put the game away for good.

Fourth downs were critical in allowing Seattle to take a 10-3 halftime lead, with the Seahawks’ defense stopping one and the Seattle offense converting on another, on what was the most memorable play of the game.

With the game scoreless midway through the second quarter, Seattle decided to for it on fourth and goal from the 2.

Russell Wilson lofted the ball into the end zone to Richardson. The throw was a little short, and Richardson had to reach back for it, colliding with Tavon Wilson as he did. Tavon Wilson was called for interference. No matter. Richardson reached out and grabbed the ball with one hand as both players fell to the turf, a score that put the Seahawks ahead 7-0 with 7:07 left in the first half.

It was Seattle’s running game that got the Seahawks into position for the score, though. Seattle ran the ball 11 times on the 14-play drive with Rawls gaining 49 on nine attempts.

A 26-yard run by Rawls on the next drive got Seattle in position for a 43-yard field goal by Stephen Hauschka that made it 10-0. The drive ended disappointingly, though, when Wilson underthrew an open Tanner McEvoy near the goal line on third down.

The game was scoreless at the end of a lackluster first quarter in which each team punted twice.

The second quarter began with the key defensive play of the first half, if not the game, as the Lions decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the Seattle 38.

A play-action pass from Matthew Stafford to backup tight end Matthew Mulligan was easily sniffed out by Seattle linebackers K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner for a two-yard loss.

Seattle took over at its 40 and drove for the Richardson touchdown.

Rawls had 107 yards on 15 carries in the first half, and Wilson was 6 of 10 for 45 yards and was sacked twice on back-to-back plays in the first quarter on second and third down to kill a promising drive.

A 53-yard field goal by Matt Prater cut Seattle’s lead to 10-6 with 4:03 left in the third quarter.

But a Hauschka field goal then made it 13-6 with 14:15 to play, setting up the onslaught that was to come.