On any given Sunday in the NFL, any team can rise up and beat the other. When time allows, I will look at both how Seahawks loss and Seahawks win might play out in the upcoming game. Let’s start by exploring a potential loss.
It is not hard to imagine Philip Rivers and the Chargers rolling into Qwest field and duplicating, or bettering, the performance Kyle Orton just turned in against the Hawks. The success of the Seahawks defense over the last few years has been highly dependent on the QB they play. Throw out a rookie QB, and we can shut you down. Put in a competent vet, and you’ve likely got at least 21 points. It would be easy to come to the conclusion that the trend is continuing this year after the first two weeks. The common thread is generally pass rush. If Rivers is given ample opportunity to stand in the pocket, the Chargers are going to put up a lot of points. This, more than any other factor, will determine if this game is competitive. Keep in mind that the Chargers finished 31st in the NFL in rushing last season, but still were an explosive offense.
Defensively, the Chargers usually only need to keep an opposing offense under 24 points to win. What has led to so many victories over the past few years is that their defense usually does much better than that. They don’t have the same feared pass rush it once did, or the massive presence of NT Jamal Williams, but they are making plays, as evidenced by the 4 picks they have through 2 games. Even if the Seahawks slow down the Chargers offense, this defense can hold down the Seahawks offense enough to win.
In other words, the Chargers are better on both sides of the ball, and the gap is large enough that there are a variety of ways for them to leave Qwest with a victory.