Plenty has been made of the fact that Russell Wilson is undefeated against the best quarterbacks in the league over his first two-plus seasons: Aaron Rodgers (twice), Drew Brees (twice), Peyton Manning, Tom Brady.

But who is largely responsible for him beating those quarterbacks? Seattle’s defense, of course.

The Hawks, who beat Brees, Colin Kaepernick and Manning last postseason as they claimed the first Super Bowl title in franchise history, face a trio of the best QBs to start this season as well: Rodgers, Philip Rivers and Manning.

Rodgers, Manning and Rivers are the three top-rated active quarterbacks in the NFL (Brady and Brees are fourth and sixth), and they are 1-2-4 in NFL history (Steve Young ranks third, ahead of Rivers). These guys are so good they basically run their offenses, calling plays in their fast-paced, no-huddle schemes.

“If you look at it from what we saw last week, this week and next week against Denver, we’re seeing very similar expertise,” coach Pete Carroll said. “The guys really understand the game to such great depth that their coaches have recognized that and given them the opportunity to run the game at the line of scrimmage.

“They get to utilize their strengths by seeing what they want to see, changing what they need to change,” Carroll said, “so I think we’re as challenged as you can get by the level of play by these guys. There is no drop-off and it’s amazing that we see three terrific quarterbacks right in a row.”

The Hawks handled Rodgers in the opener, limiting him to 189 yards and one touchdown pass even as he completed 69.7 percent of his passes (23 of 33). They shut him down partly because the Packers limited themselves to throwing to one side of the field.

Now the Hawks head to San Diego, where second-year coach Mike McCoy has given Rivers the same freedom Manning had under McCoy in Denver in 2012 and seemingly forever in Indianapolis.

“It’s the NFL. You go from Rivers to Manning — that’s the league,” cornerback Richard Sherman said. “That’s the league we live in. That’s what we like. As competitors, you want the highest challenge you can get.”

Among the league’s elite active QBs, Rivers sits in the top five in career rating, touchdowns, completion percentage and yards per attempt. He may have an unorthodox, shot-putty throwing technique, but he has been accurate and largely productive over his 10-year career.

Like Rodgers and Manning, Rivers runs a no-huddle attack, and he likes it because it means his offense is dictating to the defense.

“I think the pressure and the threat that we can go as fast as we want keeps the defense having to be ready,” he told Seattle reporters. “Even in the game in Arizona, there were a few times after plays where we did line up and snap it and there couldn’t be less than 30 seconds on the play clock. We were going as fast as we could, so I think the threat is that that’s always in play. And, at the same time, we can take our time. It’s just our team, our personnel and it’s something that we’re very comfortable with.”

That surely doesn’t faze Seattle’s defense, which plays the same way no matter the opponent and has blown out up-tempo offenses in the past two games — the Broncos in the Super Bowl and the Packers in the opener. The Hawks won those games by a combined score of 79-24.

In the Chargers’ 18-17 loss at Arizona, Rivers did not have his best day. He completed 21 of 36 passes (58.3 percent) for 238 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

The Cardinals do not have the same defense they did in 2013, when they ranked sixth in yards and seventh in points, but their beleaguered unit managed to put the clamps on Rivers. And he wasn’t even avoiding Arizona’s No. 1 cornerback, Patrick Peterson, the way Rodgers avoided Sherman.

“I just don’t believe you can completely eliminate a side of the field,” Rivers said. “From my standpoint, from a passer’s point of view … I think it’s hard to just play on one side and be real successful.”

That has to be good news for Sherman.

“Philip is a gunslinger. He’s an elite quarterback in this league,” Sherman said. “We are happy to play him. We are happy to have that kind of challenge. We know he will challenge us, and we will challenge him back. That’s the kind of ballgame you want to play.”

And, if all goes well, the defense will help Wilson notch another win against one of the league’s top quarterbacks.