Chargers Control AFC West, Ride Momentum For Playoff Run

The San Diego Chargers have dominated the AFC West for the fourth straight year. From 2006 until now, the Chargers have gone 5-1 in divisional play each year hastening the team into the playoffs.

With adding talent in core positions on offense and defense, the Chargers have taken advantage of the AFC West’s instability.

Since winning the AFC West in 2002, the once viscous silver and black have been rebuilding since Rich Gannon and the boys have left. All went down hill when JeMarcus Russell was picked No. 1 in the 2007 draft. Owner Al Davis has been juggling coaches as if it were a magic show, making six head coaching changes since 1998. The Raiders have more things going wrong than right and it all starts with Owner Al Davis.

The Chargers, done with their rebuilding age, have the longest active NFL winning streak by one team over another—winning the last 13 games against the Raiders.

Kansas City has Chief fans scratching their heads wondering when Herm Edwards' “youth movement” will take a turn for the better. The Chiefs were the youngest team in 2008 and did nothing to improve the situation, trading the leagues best pass rusher defensive end Jared Allen and the best tight end in NFL history Tony Gonzalez.

In 2007, third-year player Jared Allen led the league with 15.5 quarterback sacks and was then traded for a Chiefs first-round pick, which they used to select OT Branden Albert, and two third-round picks and swapped sixth-round picks in the 2008 NFL Draft.

Then, in 2008, after Tony Gonzalez broke Shannon Sharpe’s touchdown record for tight ends, the Chiefs traded Gonzalez to the Falcons. The trade’s decision was more based on the decision of Gonzalez after realizing what direction the franchise was headed in.

Speaking of releasing franchise greats, the Denver Broncos fired 17-year Head Coach Mike Shanahan. The two-time Super Bowl coach was fired after three years of let-down, being unable to play well down the stretch and missing the playoffs.

Last year put the icing on the cake with needing to win one game out of the last four to reach the playoffs. Instead, the Broncos lost all four games including be dismantled in a game for all the marbles, losing to the Chargers 52-21.      

When teams are as bad as the Raiders and Chiefs an expected will to lose creeps through the locker room. Late in the fourth quarter it’s harder to win, in weeks leading to the playoffs finding something to play for is hard to find, and when teams reach the point where it’s ok to lose, team communication and togetherness all go out the window.

Since 2003, the lack of consistency and leadership has lead to the two worst records in the NFL, combining for an overall record of 45-141 (Raiders 23-73, Chiefs 22-68).

You could easily make the point that if the Chargers played in a better division they would have a tougher time reaching the playoffs. And the 2009 campaign can put this statement to rest.

The last five games for the Chargers come against non-divisional opponents which bode well after finishing their last three seasons with at least two divisional opponents in the last five games of the season.

Playing unfamiliar opponents and better competition down the stretch fares well for the Chargers because it will better prepare them for a playoff push.

Winning their last six games, four coming against the AFC West, the Chargers look to make a dash for the playoffs. And if we learned anything from the last six games, as long as the Chargers can win the turnover battle and time of possession their ability to win games are at its peak.