Scouting Report
PLAYER MATCHUPS
Passing PC-PA Yds. TD Int.
Rick Mirer, Seattle 31-62 457 2 0
Steve Bono, K.C. 35-56 444 5 0
Rushing Att. Yds. Avg. TD
Chris Warren, Seattle 26 60 2.3 1
Lamar Smith, Seattle 24 173 7.2 1
Marcus Allen, K.C. 12 28 2.3 0
Greg Hill, K.C. 26 49 1.9 2
Receiving Rec. Yds. Avg. TD
Brian Blades, Seattle 2 27 13.5 0
Joey Galloway, Seattle 8 168 21.0 2
Keith Cash, K.C. 8 85 10.6 1
Lake Dawson, K.C. 7 122 17.4 0
Injuries
Seahawks: T Ray Roberts (ankle) is out. RB Lamar Smith (ankle-knee) and LB Dean Wells (hamstring) are questionable.
Chiefs: LB Jaime Fields (arm) and CB Jay Taylor (calf) are out. WR Chris Penn (ankle) is questionable. T Jeff Criswell (shoulder), LB Anthony Davis (shoulder), QB Rich Gannon (ribs) and S William White (ankle) are probable.
Notable
Despite two straight season-opening wins, the Hawks still have the worst record in openers (5-14) in the AFC.
That’s not a good precedent for coach Dennis Erickson’s debut, as interim coach Mike McCormack is the only Hawks leader to win his opener. Chuck Knox, in fact, dropped a 17-13 decision to Kansas City in his 1983 debut.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, lead the NFL with a five-game winning streak in openers.
The Chiefs went 3-1 in the preseason, losing only to Arizona, while the Hawks were 2-2.
Seattle’s 10-9 defeat of the Chiefs at home in November snapped a seven-game win streak for K.C. over the Seahawks.
No other back has had the extended success against Seattle that Marcus Allen has. In 23 regular-season games, Allen has gained 1,217 rushing yards and scored 13 touchdowns vs. Seattle.
Linebacker Derrick Thomas, meanwhile, has notched 16 quarterback sacks in 14 games against the Hawks.
Neither team threw an interception in the preseason, while the Chiefs were a remarkable plus-11 in turnovertakeaways in four exhibition games.
Analysis
Most observers are expecting K.C. to be down this season, leaving this a pick-‘em game.
The key for Seattle will be easy to identify. If the offensive line can’t find a way to slow down Neil Smith, Derrick Thomas, Dan Saleamua, Joe Phillips and Darren Mickell, the opener will not be a happy one for the Kingdome crowd.
Look for the Hawks to leave a back in the backfield on occasion, or keep tight ends out of the pass pattern to help keep quarterback Rick Mirer from becoming a first-game casualty.
K.C. corners are already worried about having to keep up with Joey Galloway, whose two deep TDs in preseason will earn him a nice cushion from defenders - one he should be able to exploit on shorter routes.
The Chiefs defense has been vulnerable to good rushing teams that pound it up the middle, though, placing a burden on Chris Warren.
Simply put, the extent to which the line protects Mirer will determine whether the Hawks can open the Erickson Era with a victory.
, DataTimes