Hawks home underdogs
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Losing at Qwest Field wasn’t an option for the Seattle Seahawks last season.
Today it’s expected. Oddsmakers favor the San Diego Chargers to hand Seattle its second consecutive home loss and third defeat in eight home games this season. The official line: Chargers by 4 1/2.
A sign of disrespect? More like a sign of the times.
“I would expect that,” Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “We’ve been struggling lately, and they’ve been playing great. This game could be anywhere and I think they’d be favored.”
The Seahawks had not been a home underdog since the 2002 season, according to oddsmakers at bodog.com.
Seattle had won 10 in a row at home, all as the favorite, before losing 31-13 to Minnesota on Oct. 22.
“This will be sort of like a must win,” Seahawks linebacker Julian Peterson said. “For us to get a little two-game win streak before the playoffs start, it’d be great for us and the momentum for the postseason. We’re looking forward to this game right here.”
The Chargers have won eight consecutive games, exceeding 30 points in five of those games. Their 12-2 record leads the AFC.
The Seahawks had won 10 in a row at this point last season, topping 30 points in six of those games. This season? Seattle has lost two in a row and its offense has failed to exceed 24 points in 10 of 14 games.
The Seahawks have fallen from 4-1 to 8-6. They can win a third consecutive NFC West title if San Francisco loses once or Seattle wins at least one of its final two games.
“We are still in this position to win our division,” Hasselbeck said. “A few years ago, that would’ve been awesome. I don’t think it’s as doom and gloom as it (seems to) be necessarily.
“We still have an opportunity to take care of business, accomplish one of our goals this year, and really accomplish all of our goals.”
A modest goal today: sustaining offensive production past the first quarter.
The Seahawks are averaging nearly one touchdown per game in first quarters, a slight improvement over last season.
But in averaging fewer than eight points per game across the second and third quarters, down from nearly 17 last season, the Seahawks are putting extra pressure on their defense late in games.
Most recently, that meant watching San Francisco’s Frank Gore carry 12 times for 106 yards in the fourth quarter during the 49ers’ 24-14 victory at Qwest Field.
Gore carried 17 times for 38 yards in the first three quarters, but Seattle’s lead was only 7-3 entering the fourth. More production from the Seahawks offense might have made it harder for the 49ers to stick with what they do best: run the ball.
The Chargers present Seattle with much greater challenges in all phases of the game.
LaDainian Tomlinson leads the NFL in rushing. He has scored more touchdowns in 14 games than any player has managed in 16. He has 53 receptions, more than all but one Seattle receiver.
One way to slow the Chargers, at least in theory, is to load up against Tomlinson and hope first-year starter Philip Rivers makes mistakes at quarterback. Sometimes, that isn’t enough. The Chargers beat Kansas City last week even though Rivers finished with a 12.5 passer rating (158.3 is the maximum).
San Diego won because Tomlinson carried 25 times for 199 yards, and because the Chargers held the Chiefs without a touchdown. The Chargers sacked Chiefs quarterback Trent Green six times. The Seahawks have allowed 42 sacks this season, up from 27 last season. The Chargers have three players with at least seven sacks: linebacker Shawne Merriman (12 1/2), linebacker Shaun Philips (11 1/2) and defensive end Luis Castillo (seven).
“The thing you must do (against San Diego) is protect the quarterback,” Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. “Of the many things they do pretty well, the thing that jumps out at you is they really put pressure on the passer.”
The Chargers’ defense ranks sixth in rushing yards allowed and 18th in yards per carry. Until recently, injuries and Merriman’s four-game steroids suspension were keeping key defenders off the field.
“(Our defense) starts with Jamal Williams,” Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer said of his 348-pound nose tackle. “You have to be able to defend the run in this league, and it all starts in the 3-4 with the nose tackle, and he does a great job of gathering up blockers and freeing linebackers up to make plays.
“From the overall standpoint, I think our secondary has improved considerably, and then of course as you’re able to put pressure on the quarterback, that helps the secondary in their play, certainly. I’ve been pleased with their development.”