AFC West Preview
The AFC West is shaping up to be a one-horse race once again in 2008, leaving the Broncos, Chiefs, and Raiders to fight for second.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (projected record: 12-4)TOP NEWS
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After a valiant performance in the postseason last January, San Diego has to like their chances heading into 2008. Their biggest concern is probably the health of the Big Three; Rivers, Tomlinson, and Gates, all who suffered through injuries late in the year and have had plenty of time to recover. Losing lead blocker Lorenzo Neal cannot be understated, but Tomlinson is one of the greatest to ever play the game and will adjust accordingly. Led by Shawne Merriman, the Chargers feature a punishing defense that will make the job of a healing offense easier early in the year. Add in a solid special teams unit, and San Diego has all the pieces necessary to not only dominate a weak division but make another Super Bowl push.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (7-9)Losing nine straight to end the campaign did not sit well for Herm Edwards and a franchise used to being a frontrunner in the AFC West. KC responded with probably the strongest draft of any team in the league, and as a result, fed some youth into an aging roster. These guys will be expected to step in and immediately contribute. The defense is solid, but the Chiefs were second to last in the league in YPG a year ago, thanks largely to an unstable QB situation. Croyle is not a long-term answer, and the Chiefs cannot be expected to make a significant improvement with the former Alabama signal caller under center. Kansas City has made a step in the right direction this offseason, but jumping from 4 wins to serious playoff contention will be asking too much.
OAKLAND RAIDERS (7-9)For the first time in a few years, it appears as if Al Davis is committed to winning. Landing McFadden to compliment Russell will immediately help the offense, especially as the line continues to improve. Any time #20 touches the ball, he will have a chance to score. Russell will be seeing his first considerable playing time, so we should expect to see plenty of growing pains for the Oakland passing game, at least early in the season. Defensively, the addition of De'Angelo Hall and Gibril Wilson bolster the secondary, but the run defense must improve drastically to avoid another 4-win season. The Raiders will certainly be exciting to watch with two recent top 5 picks in the backfield (assuming McFadden actually starts, and he should), and while there is still a lot of room for improvement, they are capable of challenging for a .500 mark.
DENVER BRONCOS (6-10)
During the Shanahan glory years, Denver was known as having one of the league's best rushing attacks. Possessing great backs such as Terrell Davis certainly helped. Entering 2008, Young is the favorite to get the majority of the carries, but is he capable of carrying the workload for the full season? Cutler should continue to progress in his third year, but he still only has one major target in Marshall, and the passing game struggles as a result. Defensively, especially up front, Denver was very average one year ago, and will depend on several youngsters to control the line of scrimmage in a division full of strong running games. Losing Jason Elam also hurts. All in all, the Broncos have some nice pieces assembled, but holes at receiver, on defense, and in the kicking game will likely doom them to a third straight January at home.
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