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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (AP) -- Seattle's Jon Kitna threw a 68-yard
touchdown pass for one of the game's two touchdowns. San Diego's
Ryan Leaf threw an interception that went 69 yards for the other.
|  | | Seattle's Darrell Jackson battles for the ball with San Diego's DeRon Jenkins on Sunday. |
The Seahawks used the two big plays to beat San Diego 20-12
Sunday as the punchless Chargers were limited to four field goals.
Kitna and the Seahawks (2-2), winning their second in a row,
didn't exactly put on an offensive show against the Chargers (0-4).
"Please don't use that word ugly," Seattle coach Mike Holmgren
said, answering a question to that effect. "We won a close game
and that's important to us."
Seattle came into the game ranked 27th in the league in total
offense, and the Chargers were last.
"We're not as consistent offensively as I would like us to be
at this point. It's always a tight game at San Diego," Holmgren
said.
Kitna, aching from being sacked five times, was still smiling.
"One thing I learned from last year is that you're never
unhappy if you win. They are a tough defensive team; you can't
really stop Junior (Seau)," said Kitna, who completed 11 of 21 for
196 yards and did not have an interception after throwing seven in
the first three games.
Holmgren didn't like the sacks.
"Sometimes the quarterback holds the ball too long, sometimes
it's a bad read," Holmgren said. "Today they got to Jon way too
much."
Kitna connected with a wide-open Darrell Jackson for the long
touchdown late in the first quarter, and Willie Williams returned
Leaf's seventh interception of the season for a score to give the
Seahawks an eight-point pad with 6:50 left in the third quarter.
Leaf sprained his right wrist when he was blocked end-over-end
as he chased after Williams. He was replaced by Jim Harbaugh late
in the third quarter.
Back as the starter because Moses Moreno was injured last
weekend, Leaf has thrown just one touchdown this year. In his 14
NFL games, he has 27 turnovers and three touchdown passes.
He took the blame for the loss.
"One play -- I make it and we win. I don't, we lose. A lot of
the onus is on me and I came up short," said Leaf, who was
16-of-26 for 153 yards, with the one costly interception.
While many in the relatively sparse crowd of 47,233 booed Leaf,
Holmgren had kind words for him.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Two big plays in this game made the difference for Seattle: one on offense, one on defense.
They were: A long pass play for a touchdown to rookie Darrell Jackson, who seems to be improving each week. And then an interception of a Ryan Leaf pass by CB Willie Williams that was returned for a touchdown.
Jon Kitna was not spectacular but was efficient, as he has been the last couple of weeks. After suffering from some early-season mistakes, when he was careless with the football, Kitna did a much better job of playing within the offense and doing what he has to do to put Seattle in position to win the game.
A Seattle defender who has stood out this year is LB Anthony Simmons (14 tackles in this game). He may be on course for a Pro Bowl season.
The Chargers did some good things but seemed to self-destruct -- and may have dug themselves a hole (at 0-4) that's too difficult to get out of this season.
Overall, the AFC West seems to be wide open. Denver may have the best team if they get all their players healthy, but they're still struggling because of an arm injury to Brian Griese. We don't know yet how long he'll be out. And Terrell Davis is still not 100 percent. The only team that looks like they're bringing up the rear now is San Diego. But the other four teams could go in any direction.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director of football operations.
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"He's a talented guy. I root for him to succeed when he's not
playing against my team," the Seattle coach said.
Kris Heppner's field goals of 25 and 26 yards accounted for the
other Seattle scoring.
John Carney provided all San Diego's points with field goals of
41, 28, 24 and 45 yards.
The Chargers' offense has scored just three touchdowns this
season.
"We cannot win games with four field goals," said Seau, the
Chargers' All-Pro linebacker.
After replacing Leaf, Harbaugh also was largely ineffective,
going 8-of-14 for 67 yards, with one interception. Harbaugh did
drive the Chargers to the Seattle 16 in the closing moments of the
game, but threw incomplete on fourth-and-4 from 3.
William's interception probably was the key to the game.
Leaf, under pressure, side-armed a pass that was not near any
receiver -- but was right in Williams' arms in the right flat.
Williams had clear sailing to the end zone.
The Seahawks led 13-12 at halftime, with seven of Seattle's
points and six of San Diego's following mistakes by the other team.
The Seahawks scored their first touchdown with the help of a
lapse by San Diego safeties Rodney Harrison and Michael Dumas.
The Chargers' Darren Mickell jumped offsides, officials dropped
flags, and, when the ball was snapped, Seattle's Jackson headed
downfield on a post pattern.
Harrison and Dumas both seemed to freeze after the penalty flags
were thrown, and Jackson sprinted past them, took Kitna's throw in
stride and was off to the end zone for a 10-6 lead.
"It was weird. It seemed like Darrell was the only one
moving," Kitna said.
Dumas, however, said: "It was busted coverage. We were in a
zone and he was able to slice through the zone. I didn't see the
flag until after he scored."
The Chargers turned two fumbles by Seattle return specialist
Charlie Rogers into a pair of field goals in the first half.
Game
notes
The Chargers have scored one touchdown or less in 35 of
their last 52 games. ... Seattle's Ricky Watters rushed for 67
yards on 16 carries and had one reception for 14 yards. ... San
Diego tight end Freddie Jones caught a career-high eight passes for
82 yards. ... The Seahawks were held to just 63 yards total offense
in the second half. They finished with 269. ... Leaf said of his
injured wrist: "It hurts. I was trying to run him down and I got
leveled. I landed on that infield (the baseball infield) and it's
hard. I didn't want to stay in the game and end up hurting us."
X-rays showed there was no fracture in his wrist. ... Dumas left
the game in the fourth quarter with a strained left hamstring.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Seattle Clubhouse
San Diego Clubhouse
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