Seahawks-Broncos scouting report

Three keys to

Seahawks victory

1Don't fall behind early. Seattle can't afford to grind its gears like it did in Week 1, because if the Seahawks fall behind, they'll be swimming upstream against the current of one of the NFL's loudest crowds. There's a reason Denver has won 10 consecutive home openers.

2Get a running start. The Seahawks held a 22-point lead early in the third quarter last week despite having only 10 yards rushing at the time. Seattle needs to find footing in its ground game, because it can't always depend on the opposing offense to self-destruct like the 49ers did.

3Keep creating turnovers. Seattle intercepted more than one pass in just two of 16 regular-season games last season. The Seahawks picked off a pair in the season opener, a sign of progress for a secondary that is playing more press coverage and believes it can be more aggressive this season.

Three keys to

Broncos victory

1Pressure the passer. Stacy Andrews replaces Max Unger at right guard for Seattle, which means two of Seattle's five starting offensive linemen were acquired in the previous three weeks. The Broncos are missing pass-rush specialist Elvis Dumervil, who is out for the year, and had one sack in Week 1. Matt Hasselbeck showed last week that if he has time to pass, he can riddle holes into an opposing secondary.

2Keep Seattle from squashing the run game. The Seahawks allowed 49 rushing yards to the 49ers last week, tied for third-fewest in the league. The Broncos started a rookie center (J.D. Walton) and a rookie right tackle (Zane Beadles) last week, and need to force Seattle to respect the ability to run to spread the field.

3Stay creative on offense. The Broncos have been among the league's most aggressive teams, incorporating elements of the spread offense, and the 49ers never tested Seattle down the field even though the Seahawks were starting Earl Thomas, a rookie, at free safety. The question is whether Denver has enough offensive firepower while starting Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd at wide receiver.

Matchup microscope

Broncos LT Ryan Clady vs. Seahawks DE Chris Clemons. Clady is one of the league's elite tackles, but he's also coming back from an offseason knee injury and began practicing in the days leading up to Denver's final exhibition game. Clemons' ability to consistently pressure Alex Smith was a surprise in Week 1, and his speed is going to test Clady's lateral quickness in his recovery.

Series history

Seattle won 23-20 at Denver in 2006, which was Jay Cutler's first start as an NFL quarterback. That victory ended a string of six consecutive losses at Denver, which dated to Seattle's time in the AFC West. It was also the last time Seattle won on the road against a team that entered the game with a winning record.

Danny O'Neil