San Diego offense vs. Seattle defense

	CHARGERS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	30
	Pass	16
	Tot. Yds.	27
	Scoring	23
	Int's allowed	20
	Sacks allowed	33
	SEAHAWKS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	20
	vs. Pass	22
	Total yds. allowed	24
	# of Ints.	22
	# of Sacks	17
	Turnover differential	+1

Three weeks ago at home against the Chicago, San Diego coach Mike Riley attempted to breathe life into his offensive unit by implementing a no-huddle package. Since then, the Chargers have had their three most productive weeks of football offensively.

Natrone Means will return this week in the wake of the Chargers first 100-yard rushing performance last week against Cleveland. Riley is aware that even though the Chargers moved the ball with a running back-by-committee approach last week against Cleveland, Means is the guy against Seattle. The only thing that may keep Means from full go will be his own fear of returning from injury on the hard turf of the Kingdome.

The offensive line of the Chargers has been a concern throughout this year, and with good reason. San Diego's running game is ranked 30th in the NFL, however, last week's game against Cleveland saw an inspired unit make strides blocking in the run game.

The Seahawk defensive line is aggressive and athletic, but has had trouble stopping the run this season, ranking 20th in the NFL. Seattle's veteran defensive line has suffered from fatigue in the game's latter stages and half-baked stunts in the third and fourth quarter have led to gaping holes, resulting in opponents dictating tempo down the stretch. Seattle's front will get help from LB's Simmons, Brown and Smith, crowding the box to take some of the load off Kennedy and the Seahawk front.

Seattle CB Shawn Springs has been shutting down opposing wide receivers and completely removing them from their offensive gameplans. But coach Mike Holmgren hasn't been assigning Springs to the No. 1 receiver on a regular basis, this only occurs when a team boasts a receiver with a significantly high level of productivity. That is exactly why Springs will be draped on Charger WR Jeff Graham on Sunday. Graham has been playing exceptionally well, using his hands and natural athletic ability to get a clean release and beat corners off the line of scrimmage.

In order to stop the Charger receiver, Springs will line up on the inside shoulder of Graham and eliminate the crossing route, one of Harbaugh' favorite routes . Springs will rely on his speed, bump and run prowess, and some help from the boundary, where he'll try to force Graham and take advantage of lining up inside of the receiver.

The matchups up front could be a problem for San Diego, a unit that has surrendered 34 sacks this season. The Seahawks have had a relaxed pass rush the past few weeks and last week's lackluster performance gave Raider QB Rich Gannon ample time in the pocket and cost Seattle the ball game. Look for Chad Brown to come hard off the corner over RT Vaughn Parker who is too slow off the ball.

The Seahawks offense is ranked near the bottom of the NFL at 21st, producing just over 310 yards a game. That being noted, it is the Seahawks' balance, not their overall production, that has them vying for the AFC West Crown, passing the ball 28 times a game against 30 running attempts.

After a slow start, Ricky Watters is coming on at the right time. Waters has amassed 927 yards on the ground, the better part of which has come in the season's second half. Ricky Watters is the type of back who cannot get into a rhythm until he touches the ball ten to twelve times, when he begins to wear down a defensive front.

Early in the year Watters was getting plenty of carries, but he wasn't getting them early enough in the game. That has changed. With Watters' wheels moving at top speed, the Chargers will activate their front to stop him, stunting DT's Jamal Williams and John Parella, both of whom are adept shutting down the rush and can move well.

Seattle OC Chris Gray doesn't matchup well against either Parella or Williams and will be the weak link on the Seahawk OL in the face of the stunting duo. Gray is mobile but lacks the communication that injured center Kevin Glover had with his OL. San Diego may not have to commit their LB's to the box or blitz if the attacking DT's can disrupt the Seahawk blocking patterns.

Jon Kitna's play hinges on Watters' productivity. If Watters can establish himself on the ground on Sunday this will bait the San Diego LBs and secondary towards the LOS and give Kitna the chance to take advantage of the injury-riddled Charger DBs.

Kitna has thrown seven interceptions in the past two games, games in which Watters has averaged 57 yards on the ground. San Diego is expecting Seau to play, but if he does he won't be 100%, which leaves run-stuffing ILB Eric Hill and OLB Lewis Bush, who is more of a coverage backer than pass rushing threat, to aid the San Diego front in blitzing Kitna.

It will be up to the Charger defensive front to put heat on Kitna. If they don't, Seattle WRs Joey Galloway and Sean Dawkins should not have much trouble setting up underneath and behind the depleted San Diego secondary.