San Diego Chargers: 10 Reasons They Will Win AFC West

The San Diego Chargers failed to win the AFC West for the first time since 2005 last year. As a result, the Chargers are looking to rebound and win the division this season. 

Many factors add up to help explain why the Chargers will take back their rightful position as the champions of the AFC West this season. Here are the top ten reasons why they will once again be the AFC West champions.

Philip Rivers Is the Best Quarterback in the AFC West

This one is a no-brainer. Philip Rivers is easily the best quarterback in the AFC West. 

It is no secret that solid quarterback play is key to a team playing well. In each of Philip Rivers' first five seasons as the starting quarterback for the Chargers, he has led them to to a top five finish in scoring.

Rivers further solidified his status as a top quarterback last season when he led the NFL in passing yards with 4,710, despite working with a patchwork group of wide receivers due to the absence of Vincent Jackson.

The 2011 season will only get better for Rivers, as he will have a full season to work with Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd, and Antonio Gates. 

Three ESPN experts (Dan Graziano, Adam Schefter, and Matt Williamson) predicted that Rivers will be the MVP of the 2011 season. It's about time that people respect Rivers for his play on the field instead of chastising him for his perceived big mouth.

Vincent Jackson Will Play a Full Season

The offense of the San Diego Chargers led the NFL in total yardage last year. What's scary for their opponents is that the offense will be even better this year.

The Chargers will get a full, healthy season out of Vincent Jackson this year. Last season, Jackson only played in five games and hauled in 14 receptions for 248 yards.

However, Jackson was tenth in the NFL in receiving yards with 1,167 in the 2009 season. His size and speed are a deadly combo in Norv Turner's vertical passing game. Very few defensive backs are physical enough to defend Jackson.

Additionally, Jackson's value as a blocker on running plays cannot be understated. He uses his size to overpower opposing defensive backs and drive them out of the play. Jackson's return will do wonders for the Chargers' running game.

Norv Turner Is on the Hot Seat

Norv Turner knows that his job is on the line in San Diego. Following last season's disappointing outcome, many fans were calling for him to be fired. AJ Smith has given Turner one more shot to redeem himself.

Turner will ensure that his team is fired up to start the season. He has heard the critics denouncing him after starting off four straight seasons with a 2-3 record. He knows a change must be made.

Either Turner gets his team ready to sprint out of the starting gates or there is a good chance that he will be fired. 

Turner does not want to lose his job.

Ryan Mathews Will Develop into a Solid Starting Running Back

After the Chargers moved up to the 12th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft to choose Ryan Mathews, fans expected him to be a superstar right away. There's no doubt that Mathews disappointed both Chargers fans and fantasy football managers alike during his rookie season.

One of the primary qualms coaches and fans had with Mathews in his rookie season was his propensity to cough up the football. In just 158 carries, Mathews fumbled four times. 

However, LaDainian Tomlinson fumbled the ball eight times during his rookie season. Later on in his career, Tomlinson became a model for hanging on to the football. There's no reason that Mathews can't follow his lead.

Another question regarding Mathews is his durability. He kept getting nicked up during his rookie season. He has had one year to get used to NFL hits and he should be able to stay healthy this season.

In Mathews' final game of the 2010 season, he rushed for 120 yards and three touchdowns. The Chargers will see a lot more of that productivity in the 2011 season.

Antonio Gates Is the Best Tight End in the NFL

Antonio Gates only played in ten games last season, but he still tied for the lead among tight ends with 10 touchdowns. If he played all 16 games last season, there's little doubt that he would have broken his own record for touchdowns by a tight end which stands at 13.

The health of Gates is in question this year due to his torn planter fascia. His planter fascia continues to bother him to this day.

Hopefully, Gates will be able to play at his highest level this year. However, a hurt Gates is still better than most healthy tight ends in the league.

Rich Bisaccia Is the New Special Teams Coach

After a historically bad performance by their special teams last year, it was evident that the Chargers needed a new man to inspire the unit. The Chargers found their man in Rich Bisaccia.

Bisaccia was the coach of a very good special teams unit for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for years.

Former Defensive Player of the Year, Derrick Brooks, said about him, “He’s gotten the best out of everybody, and for me, being around him since 2002, I jumped at the opportunity to play special teams despite being a starter on defense. I wanted to be part of what he was doing with the other guys, I was a little jealous.”

Bisaccia is the polar opposite of former special teams coach Steve Crosby; he is a fiery coach that will get in the faces of his players when they make a mistake on the field. That is exactly what the Chargers need.

Antonio Garay Is Quickly Becoming a Top Nose Tackle

Antonio Garay was a huge surprise at nose tackle last year for the Chargers and if he can duplicate his 2010 performance, then he will be recognized as one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL.

Garay led NFL defensive tackles last season in quarterback pressures per snap at 11.8 percent and was second in run stop rate among defensive tackles at 90 percent. 

Many Chargers fans feared that the departure of Jamal Williams would kill the defensive line, but Garay has helped to solidify the nose tackle position.

However, Garay definitely needs to work on his hairstyle. 

The Kansas City Chiefs Have a Tough Start to the Season

The defending AFC West champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, will have a tough start to the season. Four of their first six games are on the road.

Two of their road games to start off the year will be against divisional rivals, the Oakland Raiders and the Chargers.

The Chiefs lost at Oakland 23-20 last year and got shut out by the Chargers in San Diego by a score of 31-0. 

The Chiefs have one of the best running games in the NFL, but they will not repeat as AFC West champions. 

The San Diego Chargers First Five Games Will Be Easy

To help combat Norv Turner's proneness to slow starts, the Chargers have a very soft schedule to start off the season.

Three of the Chargers first five games will be at home. The home opponents consist of the Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins. All of these games should result in wins for the Chargers.

The Chargers two road games will be against the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. The Patriots game will be very tough, but the Broncos game should be an easy win.

The Chargers should be 4-1 at the very least following their first five games. Hopefully, the Chargers can ride this momentum throughout the season and into the playoffs.

Bob Sanders Will Improve the Secondary

There's no doubt that Bob Sanders is a walking glass-man. Sanders has been a constant victim of injury after injury.

The constant injuries have helped to slow Sanders in the secondary, but he is still a solid safety when he plays. 

If Sanders stays healthy, then he will finally provide a solid option at the strong safety position opposite Eric Weddle.

He will never be as good as the Bob Sanders that won the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year, but he is far better than Steve Gregory or Paul Oliver.