Seahawks vs Chargers: Previewing San Diego's Preseason Week 3 Matchup

The San Diego Chargers are one of three teams in the AFC West still perfect through the first two weeks of the preseason, and the Bolts will try to make it three in a row against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Chargers claimed a 22-19 victory over the Arizona Cardinals last week in Glendale. Rookie kicker Josh Lambo nailed a 47-yard field goal as time expired to break the tie, one of three field goals he had on the night. Running backs Branden Oliver and Dreamius Smith had one rushing touchdown apiece in the win.

The Seahawks are still winless in the preseason following last week's 14-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Linebacker Bobby Wagner had a pick-six, and kicker Steven Hauschka netted a pair of field goals, but Seattle's offense came up empty-handed on its final four drives of the game.

San Diego was blown out by Seattle a year ago in the preseason, 41-14, and the Seahawks rolled for 243 rushing yards to go along with five touchdowns. Let's hope this one is a bit more competitive.

Here is this week's preview for Seahawks-Chargers.

Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

Time: 5 p.m. PDT

TV: CBS

Preseason Week 2 Results and Recap

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego's offense got off to a slow start against the Cardinals, punting on its first four drives, but once quarterbacks Kellen Clemens and Brad Sorensen started to settle down, it started to produce.

After a Kavell Conner interception that was returned deep into Cardinals territory, Oliver needed just two carries to plow his way into the end zone for the Chargers' first touchdown of the game. Clemens drove them 45 yards in nine plays just before halftime to set up a 53-yard field goal from Lambo, tying the game 9-9.

Sorensen threw an interception on his first series to begin the second half, but after a missed field goal from Arizona's Chandler Catanzaro, the San Diego quarterback led the offense on a 15-play, 72-yard drive that was capped off by Smith's 1-yard plunge.

Tied 19-19 with 2:51 remaining, Sorensen led another long drive, converting a pair of third downs through the air. Lambo then came on to hit the game-winning field goal from 47 yards out.

Defensively, the Chargers put an enormous amount of pressure on Cardinals quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton. Palmer was taken down for two sacks, and Stanton was dropped for four more.

News and Notes

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Rivers, Gordon to Play vs. Seahawks

Running back Melvin Gordon was held out of last week's contest against the Cardinals with a minor ankle injury, but according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the rookie is expected to play Saturday and see an ample workload. Gordon did not look sharp in his debut two weeks ago against the Dallas Cowboys, but he will hopefully settle in with more touches compared to the six carries he got in Week 1.

Quarterback Philip Rivers was also a no-go over the weekend but not for concern over an injury. The decision to sit Rivers, along with a handful of starters, was that of head coach Mike McCoy, who seems intent on keeping his key players well rested and free from injury before the regular-season opener. However, ESPN.com's Eric Williams reports that McCoy said Rivers would play against the Seahawks, as the third preseason game typically serves as a dress rehearsal to the regular season.

Lambo's Big Night Stirs Up Kicking Controversy

According to Gehlken, Lambo insists he's no camp leg for the Chargers, and the goal for the former MLS draftee is to land a job on the active roster. After watching him kick last Saturday, I'd say he did well to make his case stick. Not only has he managed touchbacks on three of his five kickoffs, but he's also a perfect 3-for-3 on field goal attempts.

Nick Novak is statistically one of the most accurate kickers in team history, but his short kickoffs make him a liability on kick returns. As McCoy hinted at Monday: "We've got two more weeks to figure it out."

Ingram on Fire Early

Outside linebacker Melvin Ingram has looked unstoppable at times during the preseason, showcasing elite pass-rushing moves that few would have guessed he's capable of given his injury-riddled past. The 26-year-old former first first-round pick looks poised to break out this season and become that star pass-rusher his team hoped he'd be.

Ingram totaled two sacks in extensive playing time against the Cardinals, and I'm curious to see if he can keep this momentum going not just into next week, but also into the start of the regular season. 

Latest Injury News

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Player	Position	Injury
Manti Te'o	ILB	Undisclosed
Dontrelle Inman	WR	Concussion
Chris Davis	CB	Concussion
Tourek Williams	OLB	Foot
Johnnie Troutman	G	Arm
Greg Ducre	CB	Leg

Te'o missed a second straight day of practice Wednesday, and come Saturday he may be a spectator for San Diego's exhibition game against Seattle. Coach McCoy did not provide information on the health status of the 24-year-old linebacker, but as has been the case with several starters in the preseason, this may be part of the conservation plan to keep players healthy ahead of the regular season.

It's also worth noting Te'o has suffered injuries to both feet in preseason games against the Seahawks since his rookie year in 2013, so McCoy may be hoping to avoid a developing trend by keeping him out.

Inman and Davis, both dealing with concussions, also did not practice Wednesday, per San Diego Union-Tribune's Tom Krasovic, and must complete protocol before resuming football activities.

Key Matchups

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Chargers' Special Teams vs. Seahawks' KR Tyler Lockett

Lockett, a top performer in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine (4.4), brings a healthy dose of speed to Seattle's return game, as evidenced by the 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown he had in his rookie debut against the Denver Broncos. Through just two preseason games, he's over 200 yards in kick returns.

The best way to avoid Lockett in the kicking game is to do just that by putting the ball in the back of the end zone where he can't get to it.

Chargers' Pass Rush vs. Seahawks' Offensive Line

Seattle's offensive line bid farewell to two starters in the offseason, center Max Unger and guard James Carpenter, and in the first preseason game since losing them, quarterback Russell Wilson was harassed by the Broncos pass rush and taken down for two sacks.

The O-line improved the following week against the Chiefs, even though Wilson was still forced outside the pocket on a couple of occasions, but how will the starting five react to San Diego's pass rush, which garnered six first-half sacks against the Cardinals?

Pay close attention to the happenings on the right side of Seattle's line, where Garry Gilliam is still learning to play tackle after converting from tight end.

Matchup X-Factors

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Chargers X-Factor of the Week: Tyrell Williams

Williams was targeted eight times by Sorensen in the second half against the Cardinals, and the 6'4" receiver was able to bring in three for 36 yards—one of which he converted on a pivotal 3rd-and-12 to keep the drive alive in the final moments of the game.

The standout from Western Oregon had a nice training camp, and with Inman still dealing with a concussion, this next game against the Seahawks could be his ticket to making the final 53.

Fellow receiver Austin Pettis is also worth mentioning, having caught all four of his targets for 30 yards, which included the conversion of a 3rd-and-4 that helped set up the game-winning field goal.

Prediction: Chargers 30, Seahawks 13

Norm Hall/Getty Images

The Seahawks have just one offensive touchdown in the preseason, and it seems the loss of backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has had a lot to do with the recent struggles.

Former Canadian Football League and Arena Football League quarterback R.J. Archer has been sacked six times in the last two games, and under his lead the offense hasn't been able to do much of anything.

Meanwhile, the Chargers offense is beginning to see improvements, especially under center where both Clemens and Sorensen showed poise in the game against the Cardinals. More importantly, the defense has looked dominant in the first two games, holding opponents to an average of 13 points.

Starters are likely to get more playing time in the third preseason game, so we should see more scoring from both sides, but it looks as if San Diego's more experienced duo at quarterback will be the difference on offense.