SEATTLE (Ticker) -- It was almost as though the Seattle Seahawks, themselves awfully familiar with losing, wanted to rub it in.
The Seahawks had Ricky Watters's potential winning touchdown called back on a holding penalty with 1:15 left and then lost ground on three straight plays before rookie Rian Lindell kicked a 48-yard field goal with three seconds to play, pulling out a 17-15 victory over the winless San Diego Chargers.
It was the first of Lindell's career, and pushing out beyond the comfort zone for most kickers helped take some of the stress off the rookie.
"There's a lot more pressure on a 36-37 yard medium range kick where you miss it you're a goat and if you make it, you're supposed to make it," Lindell said. "Whereas a 48, you just let it rip and if it doesn't go your way, then it was a tough kick."
The Chargers (0-9) came back from a 14-0 deficit to take the lead, but watched the Seahawks stumble to victory. San Diego is off to the worst start in the league since Indianapolis was 0-10 in 1997. The Chargers lost their first 11 games in 1975.
The loss was their third straight on a late-game field goal. Last Sunday they fell 15-13 to the division-leading Oakland Raiders when Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 24-yard field goal with 13 seconds remaining.
San Diego is off to its worst start since losing its first 11 games to begin the 1975 season.
For the Seahawks (3-7), who had lost five straight coming in, the Chargers were almost too much, though. If wins were based on yardage and time of possession, San Diego would have won in a blowout.
The Chargers racked up 398 yards total offense as opposed to 128 for the Seahawks. San Diego was in possession of the ball for 39 minutes, 51 seconds, nearly twice as long as Seattle.
"Their offense is patient and takes what you give them," Seattle linebacker George Koonce said. "They get the ball and nickle-and-dime you and it worked for the most part. They got a lot of yards, but what helped us out was those three turnovers we were able to get."
Jon Kitna completed just 11-of-19 passes for 85 yards and Watters was the only Seahawk rusher who actually gained yardage, finishing with 55 on 21 carries. Kitna did pass for two TDs, and had just one interception.
"We were lousy today on offense," Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said. "We are not playing with much confidence and it shows in the execution. There are a handful of guys that are playing the way they should and there's another handful that are not playing with a lot of confidence right now. We've got to find that some how, some way, before the season is over."
Jim Harbaugh's numbers make him look like a winner. He was good on 22-of-32 attempts for 236 yards with one TD and one interception before he left in the fourth quarter after aggravating a pulled stomach muscle. Jermaine Fazande led the Chargers' ground game with 79 yards on 23 carries.
But the Chargers were hurt worse by their mistakes than the Seahawks were by their woeful offense. Seattle opened a 14-0 lead with two second-quarter touchdowns, both sparked by recoveries of San Diego fumbled snaps.
"The first one I fumbled and the second one I bobbled," Harbaugh said. "It is my job to get the snap. I didn't do it and I put my team in a tough spot."
After a scoreless first quarter, Seattle linebacker Chad Brown scooped up a fumbled snap by the Chargers and ran it back six yards to the San Diego 21. It took four plays before Kitna found Sean Dawkins with a 10-yard scoring pass, as the Seahawks took a 7-0 lead with 12:57 left in the half.
The second TD was set up by Koonce, who fell on a fumbled snap by the Chargers at the San Diego 38. Three plays later, Kitna hit Christian Fauria with a 10-yard strike, and the Seahawks appeared to be in control with 8:34 left in the half.
"We got those touchdowns off turnovers on a very short field," Holmgren said. "I wasn't feeling really good about how we were moving the ball when we had normal field position and how we were executing early."
All the Chargers could manage after a 27-yard punt by Jeff Feagles gave them the ball on the Seahawks 31, was a 19-yard field goal by John Carney as time ran out in the half.
Carney kicked another, this time from 41 yards, after the Chargers' drive to start the third quarter stalled with 9:11 left in the period.
But San Diego got a break when safety Rodney Harrison intercepted Kitna on the Seattle 47.
"To be honest I've seen that play a few times before in films," Harrison admitted. "I read the play, broke on it and made the play. Besides that, this game was a heartbreaker. This was a tough loss."
Harbaugh connected with Jeff Grahm three times before hitting Curtis Conway with a 10-yard TD pass with 4:12 left in the third. Even though the conversion attempt failed, the Chargers had a 15-14 lead.
Seattle's last victory came in San Diego, a 20-12 win on September 24. The Seahawks are just 3-12 in their last 15 games dating to last season.
Cornerback Willie Williams picked off Ryan Leaf's pass intended for Mikhael Ricks and ran it back 69 yards for a touchdown midway through the third quarter, sealing the Seahawks' win against San Diego earlier this season.
Leaf left the game against the Seahawks late in the third quarter with a wrist injury and has missed the last five games.
Harbaugh left this game in the fourth quarter, but is not expected to miss time.
"I pulled a muscle," he said. "I did something to my stomach on Thursday. I had it wrapped up tight, but I had to keep getting it wrapped. I got hit and I couldn't rotate in the throws anymore."
