Scouting Report

HAWKS VS. OILERS

The game

1 p.m. at Kingdome, Seattle

Coaches

Seattle - Dennis Erickson, 11-13, second season.

Houston - Jeff Fisher, 13-17, third season.

The records

Seattle is 3-5. Houston is 5-3.

The series

Seattle leads 5-4.

Last week

Seattle pounded injury-plagued San Diego 32-13. Houston physically pounded injury-plagued San Francisco, sending Steve Young to the sidelines, but still lost 10-9.

The line

Pick ‘em.

On the air

Television: NBC, with Dan Hicks and Bob Golic.

Radio: KXLY (920 AM) with Steve Thomas and Steve Raible.

Player matchups

Passing PC-PA Yds. TD Int.

John Friesz, Seattle 66-122 895 5 2

Chris Chandler, Houston 127-221 1,465 11 5

Steve McNair, Houston 11-20 121 0 1

Rushing Att. Yds. Avg. TD

Chris Warren, Seattle 116 477 4.1 3

Lamar Smith, Seattle 40 227 5.7 3

Eddie George, Houston 162 717 4.4 3

Rodney Thomas, Hou. 25 80 3.2 0

Receiving Rec. Yds. AVG. TD

Brian Blades, Seattle 33 432 13.1 2

Chris Warren, Seattle 27 219 8.1 0

Frank Wycheck, Houston 31 273 8.8 3

Willie Davis, Houston 24 304 12.7 5

Injuries

Seahawks: Out: DT Glenn Montgomery (shoulder); Doubtful: CB Dexter Seigler (hamstring); Questionable: DE Matt LaBounty (knee).

Oilers: Questionable: QB Chris Chandler (groin), KR Mel Gray (back), T Brad Hopkins (ankle), LB Terry Killens (hamstring).

Analysis

Hold that applause if you’re a Hawks fan who thinks Houston is in trouble because it’s starting Steve McNair at quarterback instead of the injured Chris Chandler.

McNair was 2-0 as a starter last year, and the Oilers score more often this season with him under center (44 percent of its possessions) than with Chandler (39).

McNair is mobile, bazooka-armed and comprehends the offense after summer-school tutoring from offensive coordinator Jerry Rhome.

But McNair is in just his second NFL season. Which means, in a ritual as old as the game itself, he must experience growing pains - by getting cold-cocked by mammoth, angry defensive linemen. Seattle’s, for example.

Can’t wait to see if Hawks’ Joe Nash, who was a ballboy at the NFL’s inaugural game, will lay a lick on the kid. Odds are the crafty Nash will, even though McNair would lap him in a 40-yard dash.

Don’t look now but Seattle is closing in on .500. Houston’s a good, young, physical team, but Hawks defense looked loads better - and brutish - with Terry Wooden back in the lineup last week against San Diego.

Seattle rattles McNair just enough to win a hard-hitting, low-scoring game by a couple field goals.

, DataTimes