Denver offense vs. Seattle defense

	BRONCOS OFFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	Run	15
	Pass	10
	Tot. Yds.	11
	Scoring	15
	Int's allowed	11
	Sacks allowed	21
	SEAWHAWKS DEFENSE
	Ranking in the NFL:
	vs. Run	20
	vs. Pass	27
	Total yds. allowed	26
	# of Ints.	19
	# of Sacks	22
	Turnover differential	+1

RB Olandis Gary's 108-yard effort against San Diego was not just another successful day on the job. The rookie's workmanlike performance came against a Chargers defense that had not given up a 100-yard game to a single runner in 27 games.

Seattle will have a tough time stopping Gary if they don't have all their personnel on the field. The Seahawks' reserves were adequate last week but still managed to give up a season-high 397 yards to a Bengals team that was averaging nearly 100 fewer yards per contest. The Bengals were running the ball well early but a quick deficit prematurely forced them to the air.

Denver's offensive line could get a huge reprieve if RDT Cortez Kennedy, MLB DeShone Myles, and LDE Michael Sinclair can't play. Backups like Matt LaBounty and rookie Lamar King each play with a great motor but neither has gotten the penetration that defensive coordinator Jim Lind's scheme requires.

Chris Miller will start for the second straight week and coach Shanahan will again go with a conservative game plan to protect him. Miller benefited from Gary's work on the ground and he made the big throws when necessary. Miller hooked up with WR Rod Smith five times and a couple of those completions came a critical times.

Injuries have deprived the Broncos of their veteran receivers and Smith is the only guy that looks comfortable adjusting his routes to opposing defenses. The Seahawks will probably designate DC Shawn Springs to Smith, leaving Willie Williams on little-known Andre Cooper. Williams, who was victimized for a 75-yard touchdown last week by Carl Pickens, should rebound this week, although his lack of size always makes him a target.

If Springs can neutralize Smith, the Broncos must find a way to get TE Byron Chamberlain involved. Chamberlain was held without a catch last week, which should never happen if the team is running the ball effectively. With so many key players out, Denver will look to establish the play-action and screen games in order to wear down the thin Seattle front four.

It would also work to Denver's advantage if they run a variation of the hurry-up offense. While they probably won't go with a no-huddle approach, coach Mike Shanahan will stress precision between plays to minimize the dead time that Seattle's defense will use to get rested. In doing so, Denver will slow Seattle's pass rush and make things easier on Gary late in the game. Gary's yards per carry drops from 4.4 in the third quarter to 2.9 in the fourth -- either a sign of fatigue or the line's inability to maintain consistency.

The Seahawks' offense is clicking so Holmgren must handle this situation delicately. Look for the Seahawks to continue getting the ball to WR's Derrick Mayes and Sean Dawkins down the middle of the field. Once Denver starts pinching the middle, that's when Holmgren will send Galloway on one of his patented go routes down the sideline.

Like Seattle, Denver had some injuries last week to key members of their front four that could cause depth problems on Sunday. Harold Hasselbach (injured eye) and David Bowens (ejection) are expected to return too, which should help improve a pass rush that is sorely missing RDE Alfred Williams.

Denver defensive coordinator Greg Robinson schemes better than any coach in the league to defend Holmgren's offense. Look for the Broncos to attack Kitna with a lot of blitz looks but then back out and drop seven men into coverage. If Denver rattles Kitna early with the blitz, they hope the young signal-caller will fear the rush and check out of plays when they stunt later in the game.

The biggest key to Seattle's recent blowout wins has been the running of Ricky Watters. In the Seahawks' six wins, Watters has averaged 3.9 yards per carry and in the two losses that figure drops to 2.2. Denver is giving up 104.3 yards per game on the ground and they must guard the flanks well on Sunday. Watters is gaining the bulk of his yardage on sweeps outside, which means RDE Maa Tanuvasa must concentrate on keeping contain against stud LOT Walter Jones, whose tremendous play in the run game has stabilized this unit through various changes in personnel. If Tanuvasa and LDE Neil Smith can't turn plays inside, it will be up to the outside linebackers to come up and make tough open field tackles.

Holmgren wants to utilize Galloway as much as possible so don't be shocked if they line him up in the slot and run him on a reverse to get him in the open field. Although this type of thing isn't typical of Holmgren, Galloway's return -- in a game of this magnitude -- warrants some risk taking.