For the first time under coach Mike McCoy the Chargers won their first two preseason games and they are 2-0 ATS. San Diego looks to continue that perfect record against the Seahawks Saturday on CBS. Seattle will get an influx of starters who skipped a majority of time during the preseason in an attempt to win its first exhibition game.
ODDS
The opening line shows us how important having starters is. The Seahawks are expected to play a number of theirs after they missing significant time earlier in the preseason, positioning Seattle as a 1-point road favorite. The total surfaced at 42.
QUARTERBACK ROTATION
The Seahawks have only two healthy quarterbacks on their roster following the release of Jake Waters, whose time with the club ended after one uneventful week. He didn’t play in the team’s preseason game last week in Kansas City and didn’t get many reps in practice. While Tarvaris Jackson nurses a high ankle sprain, R.J. Archer is the only healthy quarterback behind Russell Wilson. Pete Carroll shrunk the playbook with Russell the first two weeks, playing behind a patched together offensive line and without running back Marshawn Lynch. We should see things open up a bit more as Russell is scheduled to play into the third quarter. Archer, who completed 9 of 14 passes last week, will finish up.
Philip Rivers is set to be back under center after coach Mike McCoy gave him the night off last week in Arizona. Kellen Clemens started and played the first half going 9 of 15 for 88 yards. Brad Sorensen was 13 of 25 for 122 yards playing the second half. Clemens has the top backup role sewn up and will get some reps while Sorensen continues to learn the position from a pair of veterans that each have 10 years of experience in the league.
COACHES' MOTIVATION
The Chargers always seem to be mentioned in preseason playoff talk, and rightfully so. They’ve had just one losing season in the last 11 and a string of four straight postseason trips ended following the 2009 campaign. San Diego has been back just once since then. The Chargers win games they aren’t supposed to, giving everyone hope. Then they lose games they shouldn’t, crushing those dreams. Now in his third season after a pair of 9-7 finishes, McCoy is ready for more. “I love the intensity and effort,” the coach said following his team’s win in Arizona last week, without Rivers and running back Melvin Gordon. They have perhaps the best collection of talent in McCoy’s time and polishing their play is a point of emphasis. “We’ve got a lot of competition on the football team right now,” he said.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“I know that it’s a difficult time both for the organization and for him. Gotta get through it. It’s part of what this team is. It’s the price of success. You have so much talent here, so many guys that want to get paid, that need to get paid. It’s just the price of success.” – Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin talking about teammate Kam Chancellor’s holdout
POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH
Kevin Pierre-Louis has been so impressive in training camp that coach Carroll says he might have to find a way to get the outside linebacker defensive snaps this season, even if all three starters are healthy. Teams generally don’t rotate linebackers, and the Seahawks have a very talented starting group in Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright and Bruce Irvin. But as good as Pierre-Louis has been, he might convince his coaches to give one of those starters an occasional series off. The Seahawks feel like they have more starters than positions available, thanks to Pierre-Louis, Brock Coyle and Mike Morgan.
INJURIES
Seattle’s defensive secondary will be missing one of its regulars. Safety Kam Chancellor remains locked in a contract dispute and still hasn’t reported to camp. Corner Earl Thomas is progressing from offseason shoulder surgery but is still unlikely to play.
Chargers linebacker Manti Te’o has not been practicing due to an undisclosed injury. At least we think it’s an injury. The good news is that it doesn’t appear to be the bothersome foot that hobbled him last season. Te’o likely sits against the Seahwaks.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
I really like the Chargers and if Gordon can improve their running game, they have a chance to make some noise in the AFC. McCoy is playing the preseason like a seasoned coach, distributing snaps to players he wants to get a longer look at, while resting the guys that’ll do the heavy lifting. Some shifting along the line will make the offense stronger and the defensive secondary is better. They still have some issues along the D-line that Wilson and Marshawn Lynch can exploit. This has the makings of a close, exciting game.
San Diego 26, Seattle 24
The NFL online odds for this Saturday game were first available at BookMaker sportsbook. The Seahawks were pegged as 1-point chalk while the total opened at 42. Gamble on the game between every commercial break with BookMaker’s live betting feature. Along with an adjusted in-game moneyline, you can wager on what will happen on the next play or how many points will be scored in the next quarter. Live betting is the most exciting way to play!
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