OWINGS MILLS – Marshawn Lynch bulldozed the Dallas Cowboys’ defense a week ago, running roughshod over their front seven with a series of bruising runs.

The Baltimore Ravens are taking measures to ensure the Seattle Seahawks’ veteran running back doesn’t punish them in a similar manner.

Despite missing three games this year due to injuries, Lynch leads the Seahawks with 398 rushing yards and four touchdowns. And the former Cal star is coming off his top performance of the season when he rushed for a 135 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

Lynch commands respect in the Ravens’ locker room. Just ask All-Pro middle linebacker Ray Lewis.

“He’s quick, he’s fast, but Marshawn Lynch is a complete football player,” said Lewis, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He has every ability to make any run, any cut. I think the exciting part about him is that he plays with a certain passion.

“He always plays with a chip on his shoulder. He’s just one of those guys. We understand the challenge that we have this week.”

Statistically, the Seahawks’ running game looks overmatched against the Ravens’ second-ranked run defense.

The Seahawks are averaging only 88.3 rushing yards per contest and rank 30th in the league while the Ravens are allowing only 86.8 rushing yards per game.

The recent emergence of Lynch as a more important component of the offense has changed the equation for the reeling Seahawks (2-6) heading into Sunday’s game against the Ravens (6-2) at CenturyLink Field

Against the New York Giants last month, Lynch rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.

And it was Lynch who steamrolled the New Orleans Saints during the playoffs last season, expelling them from the postseason in an upset win as he rushed for 131 yards on 19 carries. He punctuated the win last January with a 67-yard touchdown run where he busted through the majority of the Saints defense and delivered a powerful stiff-arm to cornerback Tracy Porter on his way to the end zone.

“Marshawn Lynch is one of the premier backs in the National Football League,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s a violent runner, he can make you miss, he’s elusive. He took over the game last year in the playoff game against the Saints.

“He absolutely took the game over. He’s capable of doing that in any game, especially out there with that crowd. So, we’ll have our hands full with him and their offense.”

The Seahawks don’t have much of an offense, mustering fewer points (28) than penalties (29) during the past three games.

Now, they are beginning to emphasize the run more with Lynch operating as the focal point.

“He’s our guy, you know?” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said during a conference call with Baltimore reporters. “He’s got a great attitude that he brings every day, great spirit about him. Plays hard, plays tough, wants to be great. He’s had to be patient as we’ve had our struggles putting this thing together, with the new guys, but he’s hung in there.

“He’s a hard guy to get down. He’s got great shake and bake, an elusive ability, and he runs tough, too. So, he’s a good football player, and hopefully we’ll grow with him. We are finally feeling it. We are seeing some more consistent movement forward, and we are getting more aggressive.”

Traded to the Seahawks last year after falling out of favor with the Buffalo Bills and being replaced by Fred Jackson, Lynch hasn’t rushed for 1,000 yards since gaining 1,036 yards during his second season in the NFL in 2008.

Lynch’s best season was as a rookie in Buffalo when he finished with 1,115 yards and seven touchdowns.

That was the year he rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries during a 19-14 win over the Ravens in Buffalo.

“He’s a downhill guy, runs extremely hard,” linebacker Jarret Johnson said. “We competed our ass off against him and he just kept bringing it. He’s definitely an elite back.”

Lynch runs with a physical style, choosing his path decisively and attacking linebackers.

“He is a big, strong, physical guy,” defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said. “We have to do a great job of setting the edge with him like always and stopping the run.”

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew is the lone running back to hit the century mark against Baltimore this season, rushing for 105 yards on 30 carries And Arizona Cardinals runner Beanie Wells gained 82 yards and scored one touchdown against Baltimore.

The Ravens limited Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall to 45 and 52 yards while sweeping the season series, Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson to 53 yards, St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson to 23 yards, New York Jets running back Shonn Greene to 23 yards and Houston Texans running back Arian Foster to 52 yards.

The Ravens are zeroing in on another target for Sunday as they’ll clash with Lynch with thoughts of how he dismantled the Saints in their minds.

“That’s kind of my point about defining him as a complete running back,” Lewis said “ He’s just one of those guys who is never going to quit. He’s always going to fight until the end. He’s also one of those running backs who likes to finish on the other side. He doesn’t like you to hit him, he likes to hit you.”