Week 4 preview: Seahawks vs Chargers, prediction, odds and injury report
Final: Seahawks 30, Chargers 23. We picked Seattle 24-17 and the under. Seattle won by seven, as picked, but the game went over, 53 points against a 42.5 total, and the Chargers scored 23, their most this season. The turnover battle the preview called the game went Seattle’s way, four takeaways to one giveaway. The recap has what decided it; the preview below is as published before kickoff.
Both teams lost on Sunday, and they lost in opposite ways. Seattle outgained Washington by 179 yards and gave the game away with three turnovers. The Chargers’ defense forced five turnovers at Buffalo and lost anyway, because their offense scored one touchdown. Sunday at 1:25 p.m. Pacific on CBS, the team that cannot stop giving the ball away plays the team that cannot score.
The injury picture
Friday’s final reports are in; the full day-by-day table lives on the injury report.
Seattle. Out: running back Jadarian Price (chest), who was limited Wednesday and did not practice Thursday or Friday, and Zach Charbonnet, who practiced on a limited basis Thursday and Friday after being designated to return from the physically unable to perform list but cannot play until October 11. Questionable: safety Ty Okada (hamstring), who has missed the first three games and practiced fully Friday, and linebacker Chazz Surratt (calf), new to the report Friday. Julian Love (calf) practiced fully Friday and has no designation, and neither do Jarran Reed, Grey Zabel, Leonard Williams, George Holani, Nick Emmanwori, Brandon Pili or Rashid Shaheed. Right guard Anthony Bradford is on injured reserve, and on Saturday Price joined him there, so he must miss at least four games; Seattle signed running back Velus Jones Jr. from the practice squad and elevated cornerback Trevon Diggs and safety Maxen Hook.
Los Angeles. Out: left guard Kayode Awosika (fibula), defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (hamstring), receiver Brenen Thompson (quadricep) and tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm), who the club said had surgery “last Monday” and was limited Friday. Questionable: Derwin James (hamstring) and Ladd McConkey (foot), who both missed Thursday’s practice and were limited Friday, plus Elijah Molden (hamstring), Trey Lance (groin) and Donte Jackson (concussion). Khalil Mack, Bud Dupree, Justin Eboigbe and Keaton Mitchell have no designation. On Saturday the Chargers elevated tight end Patrick Herbert and outside linebacker Caleb Murphy. Tight end David Njoku (fibula), center Tyler Biadasz (knee) and tackle Trey Pipkins III are on injured reserve.
What the Chargers have done
Three losses: 26-14 at home to Arizona, 26-14 at home to Las Vegas, and 24-16 at Buffalo. Justin Herbert has completed 52 of 88 passes for 627 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions, and he has been sacked eight times. Mike McDaniel, the former Miami head coach, is in his first year running this offense, and on Sunday Jim Harbaugh said there was “no disconnect” with it.
The defense is a different story. At Buffalo it forced five turnovers, two of them interceptions by rookie safety Genesis Smith, and sacked Josh Allen four times, with 1.5 from Tuli Tuipulotu and one each from Khalil Mack and first-round pick Akheem Mesidor. What beat it was the run: James Cook carried 24 times for 154 yards.
The matchups that decide it
Seattle’s ball security against a defense that takes it away. This is the game. Seattle gave Washington three turnovers and 20 points; the Chargers just took five from Buffalo. Darnold’s own diagnosis of the pick-six was that he should have thrown it away. Against a defense run by Chris O’Leary, a first-year NFL coordinator, that is playing better than its record, the first job is not to hand it the ball.
Seattle’s run game against the one thing the Chargers do not stop. Seattle ran 18 times for 44 yards at Washington, in the rain. Buffalo ran for 154 yards through this defense on Sunday. If Emanuel Wilson can get the run going again, with Jadarian Price ruled out Friday, the play-action game that made Darnold’s 379 yards possible gets safer.
Seattle’s pass rush against Herbert and a patched line. Macdonald’s complaint Sunday was pressure: “We didn’t get enough pressure today.” The Chargers are without their center and have allowed eight sacks in three games. Leonard Williams has three sacks this season.
Harbaugh against Harbaugh. Jay Harbaugh’s special teams ranked first in ESPN’s special teams analytics from Week 10 into late December last season. Whether Shaheed can return kicks matters here.
The line
As of Saturday afternoon, October 3 (checked at 2:23 p.m. Pacific through ESPN), DraftKings has Seattle favored by 7, with a total of 42.5 and a moneyline of Seattle -360, Los Angeles +285; it was -355 and +280 on Tuesday and -375 and +295 on Friday afternoon. It opened the week Monday at 6.5 and 43.5 after both teams lost, and the lookahead before Week 3 was 7 and 43.5. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Seattle a 74 percent chance to win. Every week’s line and Seattle’s record against the spread are on our odds page.
Washington state allows sports betting only in person at tribal casinos. We carry no sportsbook advertising, and the numbers are here because fans ask, not as advice.
Prediction
Seattle 24, Los Angeles 17. The Chargers have not scored 17 points in a game yet, and Seattle’s offense moved the ball against Washington at will, 28 first downs and 437 yards, until it turned the ball over. It lost by two with three turnovers. The risk is exactly the thing the Chargers do well, and last week we underrated turnovers. Under 42.5 is the side we would take if we took sides. We revisit the pick after Friday’s final injury reports.
The game day guide has the broadcast, gate times, Sounder game trains and the Corgi Cup. Our Week 3 recap has how the Washington game got away.
Questions
What is the prediction for Seahawks vs Chargers?
Seattle 24, Los Angeles 17, as of Monday, September 28. The Chargers have scored 14, 14 and 16 points, and Seattle's offense moved the ball at will at Washington; the risk is a Chargers defense that just forced five turnovers against Seattle's three giveaways. We revisit the pick after Friday's final injury reports.
What are the odds for Seahawks vs Chargers?
As of Saturday afternoon, October 3, Seattle is favored by 7 with a total of 42.5 and a moneyline of Seattle -360, Los Angeles +285 at DraftKings. It opened the week at 6.5 and 43.5.
Who is on the injury report for Seahawks vs Chargers?
On Friday's final report Seattle ruled out Jadarian Price (chest) and Zach Charbonnet (knee) and listed Ty Okada (hamstring) and Chazz Surratt (calf) as questionable; Julian Love has no designation. Price went on injured reserve Saturday. The Chargers ruled out Kayode Awosika, Dalvin Tomlinson, Brenen Thompson and Charlie Kolar, and Derwin James, Ladd McConkey, Elijah Molden, Trey Lance and Donte Jackson are questionable.