Under Mike Holmgren, Jon Kitna is the second-rated passer in the AFC.

No one would have expected Mike Holmgren to improve Seattle in such a short short period of time. The Seahawks were expected to improve, but not at their current rate. In past years, Seattle has been as talented as any team in football. But why were the Seahawks unable to get to the next level, and why are they able to do that now? Their progress is due to a philosophy of coaching that Holmgren first established in Green Bay and now has brought to Seattle.

Offensively, Ricky Watters is toward the end of his career, not the beginning. At receiver, Derrick Mayes is not a Jerry Rice.

What jumps out about the Seahawks is their outstanding defensive line. They have Pro Bowlers on a defense that far outweighs the offense in terms of talent. Cortez Kennedy, Chad Brown and Shawn Springs can't concentrate on being stars. If they must fit into the team scheme, they will enjoy success, and the recognition will come to everyone. They have really bought into the total team concept that Holmgren has created.

When we did the Oakland-Seattle game in Week 4, I felt the Seahawks would get stronger when they got into November and December, becoming more familiar with what Holmgren wants to do. It reminds me of Joe Gibbs when he took over the Redskins in 1981. We lost the first five games, but finished the last 11 games 8-3. The second year we went 12-1 and won the Super Bowl. The third year we went 16-3 and returned to the Super Bowl.

Seattle is young and talented, especially on defense. The Seahawks sent four players to the Pro Bowl last year on a team that went 8-8. The way Holmgren is running the team, they should do even better. It's not his scheme as much as the execution and the attention to detail that Holmgren has emphasized.

As for Denver, the Broncos have been completely beaten up. It's one thing to lose one or two starters. It's another to lose four or five. They lost John Elway, a Hall of Fame-bound quarterback, to retirement. They lost the league MVP (Terrell Davis), a Pro Bowl defensive end (Alfred Williams) and their leading tackler (John Mobley) for the season. They lost Ed McCaffrey, a Pro Bowl receiver, for one game. They lost Shannon Sharpe, a Pro Bowl tight end, for two months.

There are reasons why players are No. 1 on the depth chart and why others are backups. Simply, the backups aren't as good as the No. 1 players. It might sound harsh, but when starters are out, you lose not only their talents, but also their experience as playoff-tested veterans.

Here are the keys to Sunday's game for each team:

Denver Broncos
1. Tackle well: The Seahawks aren't an offensive team that goes after big plays. They stress running effectively and throwing the short routes. They also emphasize getting more yards after the catch from their receivers. That makes it critical for the Broncos to tackle. If the Seattle receivers catch the ball, they need to be stopped immediately. That is the No. 1 concern for the Denver defense. The Broncos must make the Seahawks go 80 yards to score and not give up anything cheap.

2. Big plays in passing game: I don't think Denver has the capability to pound the ball. Olandis Gary has looked good, but he is still only a rookie. The Kingdome will be very loud. The concept of the fans being a 12th man all started in Seattle. Denver's ability to communicate will be challenged. Still, Miller must find a way to get the ball to his two known quantities, Rod Smith and McCafffrey.

3. Protect Miller: If the Broncos hope to get any offensive production, they must keep Miller from getting hit. Trey Teague will step in at left tackle this week, replacing the injured Tony Jones. Matt Lepsis has been shaky at times at right tackle. Seahawks defensive end Michael Sinclair is expected to miss the game, which might help Denver's chances. But Seattle still has three other Pro Bowl-caliber defensive linemen. With Brian Griese and Bubby Brister, the Broncos are already thin at quarterback and can't afford to lose another one.

Seattle Seahawks
1. Mental edge: The game looks like it should be in Seattle's favor. The Seahawks are playing well and have the home crowd on their side. But Seattle must prevent a mental breakdown. The Seahawks can't just show up or they will lose the game. They need to play their game, just like they are playing against another 6-2 opponent. That's easier said than done because the players read the newspapers and watch film. Players know how good other players are. There are some unknowns on Denver's side, like Miller and Gary. The Seahawks must concentrate on getting better.

2. Offensive status quo: The Seahawks won't change their offensive approach. They won't throw the ball deep down the field a lot. They will continue to do the things they have done, run the ball with Watters and throw the short timing routes. Kitna will be efficient with the ball, deliver it to his receivers and let them do something with the ball in their hands after the catch.

3. Pressure Miller: The Seahawks' front seven appears to have an advantage, so I would expect them to play aggressively and come after Miller, who played his first NFL game in four years last week. How efficient will Miller be with the Seahawks in his face? Last week in the Tennessee-Miami game, Steve McNair had played only one game since missing five with an injury and did not look efficient throwing the ball. While Miller did well last week, he can't be expected to perform at an efficient level each week after missing four years.

Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann works as a game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football. He breaks down the Sunday night matchup every week for ESPN.com.