Scouting Report

Hawks vs. Chargers

The game

1 p.m. at Kingdome, Seattle

Coaches

Seattle - Dennis Erickson, 10-13, second season. San Diego - Bobby Ross, 43-28, fifth season.

The records

Seattle is 2-5. San Diego is 4-3.

The series

San Diego leads 20-15.

Last week

Seattle took one its bi-annual drubbings from Kansas City, 34-17. San Diego slipped 23-14 to the Raiders on Monday night.

The line

Chargers by 1-1/2.

On the air

Television: NBC, with Jim Lampley and Bob Golic. Radio: KXLY (920 AM) with Steve Thomas and Steve Raible.

Player matchups Passing PC-PA Yds. TD Int. John Friesz, Seattle 50-89 689 5 2 Sean Salisbury, S.D. 26-42 273 2 2

Rushing Att. Yds. Avg. TD Chris Warren, Seattle 97 331 3.4 2 Lamar Smith, Seattle 29 173 6.0 2 Leonard Russell, S.D. 95 291 3.1 3 Aaron Hayden, S.D. 45 159 3.5 0

Receiving Rec. Yds. AVG. TD Brian Blades, Seattle 29 366 12.6 2 Joey Galloway, Seattle 23 438 19.0 3 Tony Martin, San Diego 42 503 12.0 9 T. Fletcher, San Diego 30 189 6.3 2

Injuries

Seahawks: Out: RB Reggie Brown (knee); Doubtful: DE Matt LaBounty (knee); Probable: LB Terry Wooden (hamstring).

Chargers: Out: C Courtney Hall (shoulder-knee), CB Dwayne Harper (hamstring), QB Stan Humphries (shoulder), G Troy Sienkiewicz (neck); Questionable: C David Binn (groin), LB Dwayne Gordon (ankle), TE Alfred Pupunu (groin), LB Junior Seau (knee), LB Glen Young (calf).

Analysis

The Seahawks expanded their playbook last week against the Chiefs to include left hooks, body slams and the obligatory ‘Say Uncle’ hold. They still lost.

So this week Seattle will try another new wrinkle that’s been missing most of the season - playing good football.

This game couldn’t be set up better for Seattle. San Diego will be without four starters because of injury - including quarterback Stan Humphries. That leaves the controls to Sean Salisbury, a blip on the Hawks’ radar back in 1986.

Linebacker Junior Seau (sprained knees) is doubtful and San Diego is coming off a Monday night loss so preparation and healing time is limited.

Seattle, though, is quite capable of pushing aside those positives if its defense jumps offsides five times and loses its composure - misgivings that occurred against the Chiefs.

If Seattle is to tread back into the crowded pool of NFL mediocrity, it better paddle at least two of its next three opponents - San Diego, Houston, Minnesota, all in the Dome - because there are no gimmes left on the schedule.

The guess here: Seattle by seven against a shell of a Chargers team.

, DataTimes