Dim Sum for Chargers, Seattle : Pro football: Both offenses are hungry for points after coming up empty several times.
Look at the Chargers, and you see the Seattle Seahawks: A great defense, a spectacular defender, no offense, an erratic quarterback, a cornerback with a last name of Frank who gets beat and a losing record.
The Seahawks rank eighth overall on defense--fifth against the pass--and feature defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy.
The Chargers counter with linebacker Junior Seau and the NFL’s fourth-ranked defense.
When it comes to offense, a midfield wrestle-off between Kennedy and Seau might provide more entertainment than today’s 1 p.m. game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium promises.
The Chargers have failed to reach the end zone in the last 10 quarters. In four games, the Chargers have two touchdowns: a two-yard touchdown pass from Stan Humphries to Nate Lewis and a two-yard Rod Bernstine run.
The Seahawks’ offense has doubled the Chargers’ output. They not only have scored four touchdowns this season, but they scored two last week against Miami.
The Seahawks rank 26th on offense--27th in passing--and are guided by an inexperienced Kelly Stouffer.
Sound familiar?
The Chargers are struggling while Humphries learns on the job. Humphries, the lowest-rated passer in the AFC, has thrown eight interceptions and one touchdown pass.
So who wins? Maybe the first quarterback who takes advantage of the Frank factor.
The Seahawks’ feature Malcolm Frank, left behind in Week 2 when Kansas City’s J.J. Birden went 72 yards for a touchdown.
The Chargers have Donald Frank, who failed to stop Haywood Jeffires from hauling in a three-yard touchdown pass last week in Houston.
“Ten quarters without scoring a touchdown is a lot,” said Charger defensive end Burt Grossman. “Obviously that puts a lot of pressure on the defense. You watch other teams, and we don’t really get big leads like they do where we can sit back and rush the passer. It’s always close and that fear of having to keep them to a field goal, or a shutout, which is kind of impossible to do.
“It’s in the back of everybody’s mind. This is the NFL, I think it’s a little too much to ask to play like that all the time.”
The Chargers’ offense, however, has failed to score in their last six quarters. John Carney’s 43-yard field goal with 1:18 remaining in the first half against Pittsburgh marked the last time the Chargers have scored.
“Our job is to keep the opponents from scoring less than we do,” Charger linebacker Gary Plummer said. “If that means shutting them out, then that’s what it means.
“I look at a team like Kansas City, and they have scored three times on defense in four games; we haven’t scored yet on defense. I think that’s something we need to start doing on defense. Everybody says what a great job we’re doing on defense, but points scored is the key, and we’re not doing real well there.”
The Chargers (0-4) are 3 1/2-point favorites to deliver Coach Bobby Ross his first NFL victory.
“For us, as an 0-4 team, to have any semblance of over-confidence going into this game would be ludicrous,” Plummer said. “(The Seahawks) play pretty good defense, they are starting to move the ball and they have had problems with injuries.
“They have played a little bit better on special teams, and that’s a big area this week that really can help determine whether we win or lose.”
The Seahawks (1-3), with their 10-6 victory over New England for new Coach Tom Flores, have won 12 of their last 15 meetings with the Chargers.
“It’s too bad (what’s happening with the Chargers),” Flores said. “I feel badly for them because Bobby is a good coach and I know Bobby Beathard also, so I feel sorry for them. It’s tough to rebuild, and sometimes when you make changes often, then you’re often rebuilding.
“There’s no question the Chargers have excellent football talent, and now they’re learning a new system, new defense, a little bit different offense, a new direction, and these things all take time.”
The Chargers are expected to return to the ground in an attempt to regain their confidence and pound out a victory. The Chiefs ran their big backs 34 times into the Seahawks’ defense in Week 2 and waltzed off with a 26-7 victory.
“We’ve had a good week of practice. It’s probably been one of our better weeks of practice,” Ross said. “You never know how we’re going to respond, but the good week of practice is really the only gauge I have to go on.
“I think third down becomes a key factor for us in the game, and every opportunity we have we need to improve on that. The red zone (inside opponent’s 20-yard line) is another factor, and we need to do better there.”
While coaching the Raiders, Flores was 11-7 against the Chargers. His Seahawks, however, are not the Raiders of old.
Instead of Marcus Allen, Flores has Chris Warren, who is averaging 4.3 yards a carry. Instead of Jim Plunkett, he has Stouffer, who is completing only 48.3% of his passes with three interceptions and two touchdowns. Instead of Cliff Branch and Todd Christensen catching the ball, Flores has a group of no-names (Doug Thomas, David Daniels and Louis Clark).
Flores, however, has a defense that would make the Raiders’ proud.
“They’re a hell of a defensive football team, and they are certainly as good as anybody we have played,” Ross said. “I think Cortez Kennedy is a dominant-type player. I think (linebacker Rufus) Porter is a dominant-type player. They can exert a great pass rush, so that’s going to be a big part of it.
“Offensively, they are probably the most balanced attack that we have seen. They have nine receivers who have caught passes. They have a two-back offense, and (Warren) has 60-some carries and (John. L.) Williams has 30-some carries. You have to defend the whole area. I think this, we better be good on the run going into the game.”
