SAN DIEGO — San Diego (2-1) overcame a fine performance by Seattle’s Charlie Frye, who threw two touchdown passes starting in place of Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck, beating the Seahawks 18-17 in a preseason game Monday night.
Frye, the Seahawks’ third-stringer completed 19 of 30 passes for 219 yards with touchdown passes to Nate Burleson and Jordan Kent.
Hasselbeck, who did not make the trip, also missed last week’s game against Chicago with a tight back. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren has indicated that Hasselbeck will probably not play until Seattle’s season-opener at Buffalo on Sept. 7.
Frye hit Kent for a 12-yard TD nearly 4 minutes into the fourth quarter to give Seattle a 17-10 lead. Frye hurt his knee on the drive, though, and did not return.
The Seahawks (2-1) scored on the game’s third play when Frye hit Burleson in stride just past midfield. Burleson bounced off an attempted tackle by safety Eric Weddle at the 40 yard line and went in for the touchdown.
Frye led the Seahawks on a 15-play drive on their next possession, but Olindo Mare missed a 50-yard field goal.
Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu also left the game with an apparent knee injury. He did not return.
The severity of Frye and Tatupu’s injuries was not known.
San Diego (1-2) scored the tying touchdown in the second quarter on Sproles’ 1-yard run, with a 59-yard completion from Rivers to Vincent Jackson setting up the score.
Backup quarterback Billy Volek threw a 2-point conversion pass to Malcom Floyd in the fourth quarter, giving the San Diego Charger the preseason win.
Volek’s lob to Floyd followed a 1-yard touchdown run by rookie Jacob Hester that pulled the Chargers to within 17-16 with 2:30 left in the game. The 6-foot-5 Floyd out-jumped Omare Lowe, a 6-1 cornerback, near the left sideline in the end zone for the go-ahead score.
Both teams played their starters for most of three quarters, and will likely rest them in their final preseason games Friday.
Philip Rivers completed 11 of 21 passes for 143 yards, driving the Chargers to the 1 yard line on their first possession before a bad snap out of the shotgun formation by backup center Jeremy Newberry was recovered by Seattle.
Two-time rushing champion LaDainian Tomlinson was again out of the lineup for the Chargers, but Darren Sproles filled in with 102 yards on 13 carries, including a 1-yard TD run.
Nate Kaeding hit a 40-yard field goal to give San Diego a 10-7 halftime lead. Mare countered with a 24-yard field goal late in the third quarter to tie the game at 10-all.
Chargers Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman missed the game because of two torn ligaments in his left knee. Merriman, who also missed the previous preseason game, is considering whether to have surgery or attempt to play with the injuries.
Notes: Tomlinson has yet to see action in any of the Chargers’
three preseason games. He rarely plays in the preseason with just 14 career carries. … and San Diego LB Jyles Tucker (right ankle sprain) did not return after their injuries.
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