This is a guest post by Curtis Allen…

America’s greatest reality show rolls on into Week Four.

The best part of a reality show will always be the shocking twists and turns.

The pre-season favorite Rams are 1-2 and Sean McVay’s behavior is erratic and concerning.

The Cleveland Browns are 3-1, the Raiders are 3-0 and the Houston Texans are 0-3.

Drew Lock was one of the most effective Quarterbacks in Week Two, for crying out loud.

It is in this climate that the Seahawks enter this week’s game against the shockingly 0-3 Los Angeles Chargers.

Fans of both teams have things to fear about their opponents this week.

For the Chargers, they are coming into a raucous stadium to play the defending Super Bowl champs.  The hosts have a healthy chip on their shoulders after losing to the Commanders and their backup Quarterback last week.  It stings and they do not want to let that feeling linger.  And while the Seahawks did lose, it was by only two points, meaning in their last four losses they have lost by a grand total of eleven points.  This game will by no means be easy.

For the Seahawks, they will be facing a talented Chargers team that is 0-3 and playing for their playoff lives in Week Four already.  Only one team started 0-4 and rebounded to make the playoffs: Ironically, it is the Chargers, in 1992.

A loss will almost certainly turn their hopes of being an AFC contender into a three-month discussion about Jim Harbaugh’s effectiveness, Mike McDaniel’s job status and Justin Herbert’s future in Los Angeles.

What is happening to the Chargers?

Chris O’Leary has replaced the fantastic Jesse Minter as Defensive Coordinator.  McDaniel replaced Greg Roman (they also added Adam Gase as a Passing Specialist).

They are really struggling to put their talents to use with effective coaching.  To use the coaching parlance of the day, they are “not connected” in a meaningful way.

Inconsistency, dropped passes, turnovers, and blocked punts.  They have nothing to really hang their hats on.  They rank in the middle to bottom half of the NFL in a lot of meaningful stats.

The Chargers are struggling with an identity crisis on offense.  McDaniel has one of the most physically talented quarterbacks in the NFL to work with, but so far as yet to really get the offense to make its mark.

It is very likely due to the adaptation to the personnel taking longer than expected.

In Miami, McDaniel’s offenses were masterpieces of execution.  Moving parts that kept defenses guessing, a Quarterback with above-average accuracy on simple reads, and an ability to scheme up a running game that could slash through the gaps.

It could all come together because the team had speed.  My goodness, the speed.  Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at Wide Receiver and De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert at Running Back.  All of those players ran a 4.2-4.3 40.

In Los Angeles?  Their primary weapons – Quentin Johnston, Omarion Hampton and Tre Harris – are all in the mid 4.4-4.5 range.  Lad McConkey clocked a 4.39 at the combine, and in a lot of ways has been their most effective player.  However, he now is fighting a foot injury and is questionable to play.

They are not really trying to run the same “fast” offense (telling stats like time in the pocket and depth of target are right in the middle of the pack), and what they have been running has not been effective.  Receivers struggle to get separation, the formations lack deception and the interior of their line might be the weakest in the NFL.

The classic tactic to mitigate a weak interior Offensive Line (lining up in shotgun) has been a struggle.  Herbert’s passing is badly affected:

This is a major issue.  Herbert has traditionally been most comfortable in shotgun, having run it on nearly 80% of his snaps in his NFL career.  If a 56% completion rate continues? This offense is sunk.

On defense, the Chargers are struggling to marry their pass rush with their coverage, particularly at critical points in the game.  They have generated turnovers (five last week versus Buffalo), but it has masked their inability to get off the field.  Teams have been easily getting chunk yard plays against them and letting opposing offenses dictate the pace of the game.

Their pass rush is average.  And I mean that in the most literal way possible.  They blitz 24% (#16 in the NFL), generating a 24.5% pressure rate (#13) and have seven sacks and 25 pressures so far (#17 and #18 respectively).

Their run defense was a source of pride until James Cook came in and ripped off 6.4 yards per carry and five explosive runs right through the middle of their defense last week.

The Seahawks have a decided advantage in chunk plays on both sides of the ball:

Los Angeles’ stats and performances would be acceptable if they were the Miami Dolphins, rebuilding from scratch and outpacing the absolute bottom of the league based on hard work and smart coaching.

But not for a team like the Chargers.

The Seahawks want to keep them on uneven ground for another week and come away with a win.  How can they do it?

Use Coaching Acumen to Your Advantage

The Seahawks have a clear advantage on defense.  Their interior Defensive Line is one of the best in the NFL.  The Chargers’ interior is one of the worst.

Mike Macdonald has to find a way to convert this disparity into a dominating performance.  Any quarterback – no matter how mobile or physically gifted – struggles when faced with constant internal pressure.

It is up to Macdonald and Aden Durde to make use of Byron Murphy, Jarran Reed, Rylie Mills and Leonard Williams in a way that can control this game.  Using his creative formations, stunts and blitzes through those interior gaps can keep this game in total control.

Several of Justin Herbert’s passes have been brilliant lasers – shots through tight windows that defeat the best of formations – and yet, Charger receivers have been unable to reel in these receptions to move the offense.  At some point, these receivers will have a game where they will not drop Herbert’s throws.

The Seahawks cannot look at the early results of the Charger offense and conclude the ineffectiveness will continue unabated.  They need to make sure Herbert does not have a chance to make the throws his skills allow him to attempt.  Employing their pressure packages and effective pass rush play can assure this will not regularly succeed.

Forcing Herbert into short, quick throws will allow defenders like Ernest Jones, Nick Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon to exercise their athleticism and close gaps on ball carriers quickly and force the offense into Third-and-long situations.

On offense, Brian Fleury faces a very intriguing challenge.  Emanuel Wilson and George Holani are fine players, but not game-breakers with the potential that Jadarian Price has.  He will have to make do with an ‘average at best’ running game in order to deploy his offense effectively.

Can it be done?

Yes.  It can.

Have a look at the run chart for James Cook against this Charger defense last week:

Now, Cook is one of the league’s best running backs.  So no disrespect intended, but Joe Brady and the staff cooked up a tremendous game plan for Cook.  Look at that chart.  He did not have a single run that lost yards.

If you look at the highlight reel you will see that while Cook ran effectively, he frequently had very healthy spaces opened up by his Offensive line, and right through the very heart of the defense at that.

With a man blocking concept, which the Seahawks have run successfully, they can ground enough distance out on the run to balance their offense and avoid becoming one-dimensional.

It requires a proper setup in order to run at peak effectiveness though.

Does such a setup exist?

Yes.

Right now, through three games, offenses have absolutely torched the Charger defense by passing on First Down.  Currently, the Charger defense is #29 on yards conceded in the passing game on First Down, with a gaudy 9.3 yards per attempt number, a full 27% worse than the NFL average.

If there ever was a game where “throw to set up the run” was a valid philosophy, this is it.

George Holani is an effective receiver.  The Seahawks have Tight Ends to deploy at their will.  They can display creativity with Tory Horton and Cooper Kupp, and are in the possession of the most dangerous offensive weapon in the NFL in Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

There is a tremendous opportunity here to take this game to the Charger defense.  To come out with a calculated passing attack in the early downs.  It establishes the run game, makes Third Downs much more manageable, and keeps the enemy from employing stacked boxes to keep the run game in check.

It also sets up those three or four critical Third Downs that every game has.  Will that make them more effective?  Yes, it will.

When the opposition passes on Third Down, the defense concedes a First Down 48% of the time, a major dropoff from the league average of 40%.

Deployed properly, 20-22 runs for 75-90 yards will do just fine in keeping this offense on track.

Let the talented defense do the rest.