CHARLOTTE, N.C. — DeMarcus Lawrence’s contributions to the Seattle Seahawks’ defense are both impactful and inspiring.

The 33-year-old edge rusher is one of the best players on one of the league’s top defenses. He’s also one of the hardest workers, with a nonstop motor. The former allows him to shift games the way he did in Seattle’s 27-10 triumph over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The latter reinforces to his teammates, particularly the younger ones, what the standard is on defense.

“He’s just phenomenal,” safety Ty Okada said of his veteran teammate. “You turn the film on, and he’s running, he’s always around the ball. Obviously, he’s a freak and has incredible ability, but what really sets him apart is his effort. I see the way he plays, and I try to follow his lead. He’s an incredible leader on this team, and we’re extremely thankful to have him as a Seahawk.”

On Wednesday, after being named to his fifth Pro Bowl, Lawrence joked about his offseason thought process for choosing to sign with a Seahawks team he viewed as a Super Bowl contender.

“Great head coach, a stacked defense and was just missing a couple of key weapons,” Lawrence said. “A quarterback. Me …”

Lawrence quickly added he was just kidding, but there’s some truth in that punch line. It was on display Sunday at Bank of America Stadium. The Seahawks held the NFC South-leading Panthers (8-8) to 139 yards of offense. Quarterback Bryce Young had just 54 passing yards, the fewest of his career as a starter, and Carolina’s two running backs combined for only 71 rushing yards.

The Seahawks (13-3) have the best defense in the NFC and the second-best in the league behind the Houston Texans by points per drive and EPA per play (all stats provided by TruMedia). Head coach Mike Macdonald’s defense is one of the main reasons Seattle has 13 wins for only the third time in franchise history. With one game remaining against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18, the Seahawks have a chance to secure home-field advantage in the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Seattle made the Super Bowl that season and would have a great shot to get there again if it clinches the No. 1 seed.

“It feels good to be here,” Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba said of the team’s 13 wins. “This was one of our goals. We’re just stacking wins week by week, and we’re going to be ready for next week.”

This offseason, Seattle brought back nearly all of its starters and key rotational players from what was a top-five defense in 2024, except for Lawrence replacing Dre’Mont Jones. Games like Sunday’s demonstrate the importance of that swap.

Seattle’s offense slogged through another first half. The game was tied 3-3 at halftime in part because Sam Darnold was stripped in the pocket while attempting a pass on third-and-5 in the second quarter, setting the Panthers up on Seattle’s 26-yard line. Carolina gained 9 yards on first down, and nothing more on the next two snaps.