The AFC West saw a couple of surprises last season, will KC and the Chargers go one step further?
Kansas City Chiefs (2010 ATS 9-7)
When we last saw the KC Chiefs they were fading out of the 2010 season with a
disappointing loss to the Baltimore Ravens at home. There were a number of bad coaching decisions
on key plays during the 1st half that let a promising season come to an end. Having
said that, they managed to restore their tough home field advantage, which is
something they had enjoyed in the 1990's. KC also played all the top teams
very good thanks in large part to an outstanding running game. This allowed them to dominate time of
possession in most of their games and Matt Cassel became a responsible QB
rather than a projected turnover machine.
Going into free agency/training camp they will look to improve in a few
important categories. To start with is
their record on the road and against the division. You just can't expect to be a top team when
you struggle in these areas. Cassel will
need to prove he's more than a game manager, but that might be hard to do given
how much they rely on the run game. Their
offense is in a very similar situation as the New York Jets over in the AFC East in that sense. Lastly, they'll need to become stouter in
their red zone defense. KC just doesn't have enough offensive
firepower to overcome these deficiencies. In the draft they did take a WR and C in the top two rounds, so that's a
good first step. Guys like Berry,
McCluster, and Arenas should also make considerable leaps in their sophomore
seasons.
To-do list: Improve the D-line anyway they can. Fill needs at NT, DE, RT, WR, CB, S.
Biggest post-lockout question: Was 2010 a fluke or a sign of things to
come?
San Diego Chargers (2010 ATS 8-7-1)
For the San Diego Chargers it was a much different 2010 season. I don't think I've ever seen a team so
dominant on offense and then the defense lose so many games to sub-par teams. Special teams was far and away their biggest
weakness and it should serve as a cautionary tale to other teams who are
thinking about neglecting this aspect of the team.
Yet, there is little reason to believe that the Chargers won't rise to prominence
once again. You can close your eyes and
throw a dart at almost any statistical category and find them at the top. Passing offense/defense, rushing defense,
sacks, play on 3rd down, points from long drives, ball control, and net yards
per drive. They did all this without a
legitimate running game to speak of. If
Mathews stays healthy the sky is the limit in 2011.
So where does a team with so many strengths focus on in the draft? This year it was defense as they took a CB,
DT, and LB in the top two rounds. This
should make new defensive coordinator Greg Manusky happy as he begins his first
full season on the job.
To-do list: Deal with V Jackson. Pray that special teams coach Bisaccia
can fix the problems. Resign
Burnett/Weddle. Fill needs at LB, WR
depth, RT.
Biggest post-lockout question: Can SD finally defeat their #1
rival...themselves?
Oakland Raiders (2010 ATS 8-8)
Anytime you come to Oakland on the merry-go round it's kind of like watching a
bad reality show play out in real time. If
I wrote "fan base" as their strength and "Al Davis" as
their weakness, I think the analysis would be complete. Until the old man croaks, it will be the same
old story in Raider-land. Head-scratching
coaching choices along with even stranger personnel decisions continue to
derail any hopes of glory for this once-proud franchise.
The Oakland Raiders did manage to do something never done in NFL history last
year--sweep SD, KC, and DEN, but lose the division crown. Their success was due to their smash-mouth
running game and their play on defense. For
most of the year they gave opposing QB's fits. As a result they were near the top in sacks and pass defense. Yet the most impressive component of their
defensive play was the ability to get off the field on 3rd down.
On the flip side, they once again took far too many penalties, couldn't pass
the ball worth a damn, stop the run, protect the QB, or sustain drives. In the
offseason they've drafted a center and brought in Hue Jackson to lead the
troops. Not exactly moves that inspire
confidence. Jackson helped mentor Joe
Flacco, but what does he have to work with in OAK?
To-do list: Resign Miller,
develop a new QB. Upgrade WR corps and
O-line. Fill needs at CB, S, RT, G, DE, LB.
Biggest post-lockout question: How much longer does Al Davis have left?
Denver
Broncos (2010 ATS 5-10-1)
Many NFL sharps jumped on the under for the 2010 season win totals in NFL betting the second that
Dumervil went down with a season ending injury last year. To say that his loss had a devastating impact
on their defense is an understatement. To
make matters worse Denver was trying to replace Marshall and Cutler all whilst
being led by an immature head coach. Disaster
was inevitable.
They finished the season as one of the only teams without a single strength. Think about this, when you pass more than
most teams and Orton is your quarterback, you know you have serious problems. The entire defense needs an overhaul. They couldn't do anything right on that side
of the ball. Teams ran over them with
ease and scored in the red zone without getting their jerseys dirty. In fact Denver were near the bottom in so
many critical areas that it's not even worth the space to list them all. Drafting a LB and S in the top two rounds was
a decent first step in what will be a long and painful rebuilding process. There is very little question where the
priority will be going forward with new head coach John Fox at the helm.
To-do list: Keep Dumervil
healthy, coach up the rookies on D, trade Orton, make a decision on Moreno. Fill needs at DT, DE, CB, RB.
Biggest post-lockout question: Tebow might be the chosen one, but does
Elway believe that?