2011 NFL Preview: AFC West
To kickoff the preview of the AFC we will start by looking at the teams out in the wild AFC West, Denver, Kansas City, Oakland and San Diego.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: 4-12 (in 2010)
There are a lot of questions surrounding the Broncos in Denver and many of them revolve around the quarterback situation. QB Kyle Orton has been named the starter, which was the right choice and I will explain why, but the problem is the fans want to see Tim Tebow. Head coach John Fox came over from Carolina and he will have a lot on his plate in his first season in the Mile High City.
First, let's discuss who should start at quarterback. Former Denver QB John Elway is now in the front office and and has repeated to say that Tim is in the Broncos plans for the future. John Elway was my favorite player when I first started to watch football, so I'm a little bias, but the guy won two Super Bowls and is one of the best to ever play the game. Elway and coach Fox have agreed that Orton gives the Broncos a better chance to win than Tebow and their right.
I'm a huge fan of Tebow, but to the average football fan it should be very clear that he is not ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Tebow was a great college player, his leadership skills and intangibles are off the charts, but those things can only get you so far in the NFL. Kyle Orton is a seven year veteran and a proven quarterback. 3,653 yards, 20 TD and 9 interceptions last season in 13 games. If the Broncos want to win in 2011, Orton is their man, for now anyway. Patience is a virtue and Tebow's time will come.
Denver does have other players on the team besides Tim Tebow and some good ones at that. WR Brandon Lloyd had a breakout season last year and RB Knowshon Moreno returns as Denver's top rusher. Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow combined to have the Broncos the 7th best passing team in the league, but being ranked 26th in the running game has to improve.
On defense leading tackler LB D.J. Williams returns along with veterans CB Champ Bailey and S Brian Dawkins. LB Elvis Dumervil was one of the league's top pass rushers two years ago returns after being sidelined with injury in 2010 and he will try and improve a defense that was terrible last season. First round pick LB Von Miller (Texas A&M) will make a major impact right away and he will have too with Dawkins and Bailey being pass their prime and the defense being so bad last season.
The Broncos roster does have talent on it despite a 4-12 record last season, but I expect more of the same for Denver in 2011. San Diego, Kansas City, and Oakland will put up a fight in the division along with games against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New England, Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, and the New York Jets will be too much. That might be the toughest schedule in football and John Fox may have left Carolina to get away from losing, but he will find plenty of it in Denver this season.
Kansas City Chiefs: 10-6
The Chiefs shocked everyone by winning the division with a lot of young talent last season and they are out to prove that they can repeat that success in 2011.
Kansas City had the number one rushing attack last season behind RB Jamaal Charles and RB Thomas Jones. QB Matt Cassel had a good season, but the Chiefs were ranked 30th passing the ball. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis left for the University of Florida and one of the biggest question marks is can Kansas City offense repeat what they did last year without Weis.
Cassel, Charles and Jones are back along with WR Dwayne Bowe, speedy WR Dexter McCluster, RB Le'Ron McClain (Baltimore) and WR Steve Breston (Arizona). Breston will add depth to the receiving core and he, McCluster and CB Javier Arenas are three excellent return men. The defense is very talented as well, with LB Derrick Johnson, CB Brandon Flowers, S Eric Berry and one of the game's best pass rushers, LB Tamba Hali.
The playmakers are there and K.C. will be hoping last year's experience can propel them into repeating as AFC West champions. If Kansas City wins the AFC West in 2011 it may be even more surprising than them winning it in 2010. San Diego has gotten better, Oakland and Denver are always tough games, and Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, New England, New York Jets and Pittsburgh also appear on the schedule. I don't see the Chiefs repeating last year's success, but with some luck they could challenge the Chargers in the division.
Oakland Raiders: 8-8
Owner Al Davis always expects his Raiders to be in the playoffs, but after an 8-8 season, head coach Tom Cable was let go and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson takes over the team. Jackson will be the Raiders fifth head coach in the last seven years. Jackson did a great job with the offense last season by having the second best rushing attack in the league and the Raiders were sixth in scoring (25.6 points per game). The stars on offense are back for 2011 along with some new playmakers.
QB Jason Campbell is back under center and he will be handing the ball off a lot to RB Darren McFadden who emerged as a very solid running back capable of carrying the load last season. TE Zach Miller left for Seattle, but the Raiders replaced him with former Giants TE Kevin Boss. Also back are WR Louis Murphy and WR Jacoby Ford who had some electrifying kick off returns. The most notable addition to the Raiders for 2011 though has to be QB Terrelle Pryor.
After leaving Ohio State, the Raiders selected Terrelle Pryor in the third round of the supplemental draft in August. I doubt Pryor will play much this year, but if he does play whether it's at quarterback or another position, like tight end, is still up in the air. Nobody knows Al Davis and the Raiders plan for Pryor, but with the right coaching and talent around him Pryor can be a solid NFL player.
Oakland returns its core group of players on defense as well. DE Richard Seymour, LB Ronaldo McClain, LB Kamerion Wimbley, and SS Tyvon Branch all return, but the loss of CB Nnamdi Asomugha will be huge. The Raiders did not just have the second best pass defense on accident, Asomugha was the major reason for that. Nnamdi may have only had 19 tackles last season, but that's because teams never threw the ball his way. When one guy completely takes away one side of the field, it becomes a lot easier to stop the opposition in the passing game. You just can't replace a Nnamdi Asomugha and his absence will be felt on the Oakland defense.
Owner Al Davis believes this Raiders team will reach the playoffs and you can't blame the old man for having faith in his team, but it's just not in the cards for Oakland this season. With San Diego and Kansas City in the division along with arch rival Denver, plus New England, New York Jets, Chicago, Green Bay and Detroit on the schedule, there will be no playoffs for the Raiders in 2011.
San Diego Chargers: 9-7
What does the Governor of California say about the Chargers? Click here to find out. If Arnold Schwarzenegger gets that excited about the Chargers, then must be pretty good and they are.
San Diego had not only the best overall offense in the league last season (395.6 yards/game), they had the leagues best defense too (271.6 yards/game), yet failed to make the playoffs. Smh. It was only the second time in NFL history that a team who ranked number one overall on offense and defense did not make the playoffs (1953 Eagles). Mental mistakes on special teams lead to numerous kicks and punts being blocked and most were returned for touchdowns. The Chargers got off to their usually poor start by going 2-5 and despite a 7-2 finish, they were left out of the playoffs.
The majority of that talent is back in 2011 and Chargers fans will be hoping for a good start to the season or many might be going to the doctor's office with chest pains. QB Philip Rivers is one of the leagues elite quarterbacks, throwing for 4,710 yards and 30 TD last season, and he will be in command of a lethal offensive unit. Star WR Vincent Jackson will be back for an entire season along with other stars, like RB Ryan Mathews, RB Mike Tolbert and TE Antonio Gates. RB Darren Sporles left for New Orleans and will be missed, but if these guys stay healthy, San Diego could once again lead the league in total offense.
The defense will be lead by S Eric Weddle, who become a very rich man this off-season, along with newcomers S Bob Sanders (Colts) and LB Takeo Spikes (49ers). Sanders and Spikes are past their prime, but both have extraordinary experience and can still bring it if they stay healthy. The Chargers were the best at stopping the pass last season and 4th best at stopping the run and I think fans will see pretty much the same in 2011. Defensive coordinator, Ron Rivera, is now the head coach in Carolina, but the players and talent is there to repeat last year's dominance.
San Diego always has tough games in the division with rivals Denver, Oakland and Kansas City, but they also get New England, New York Jets, Green Bay, Detroit, Chicago, and Baltimore. I think San Diego will start the season on the right foot for once and will contend for chance to play for the Super Bowl in 2011.
Predicted Standings
San Diego is the favorite to win the AFC West and I think they will, but they won't walk away with it. Kansas City could give them a run for their money and who knows what the Raiders might be capable of doing. If head coach Norv Turner can get San Diego to play consistently good football for a entire 16 game season, they will have no problem getting to the playoffs. As Arnold says, "Go Chargers Go."
Predicted 2011 AFC West Standings
San Diego: 11-5
Kansas City: 8-8
Oakland: 8-8
Denver: 4-12
Next up a look at the AFC South.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: 4-12 (in 2010)
There are a lot of questions surrounding the Broncos in Denver and many of them revolve around the quarterback situation. QB Kyle Orton has been named the starter, which was the right choice and I will explain why, but the problem is the fans want to see Tim Tebow. Head coach John Fox came over from Carolina and he will have a lot on his plate in his first season in the Mile High City.
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| Broncos fans want to see Tim Tebow starting at quarterback, whether he's ready to or not. (AP Photo) |
I'm a huge fan of Tebow, but to the average football fan it should be very clear that he is not ready to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Tebow was a great college player, his leadership skills and intangibles are off the charts, but those things can only get you so far in the NFL. Kyle Orton is a seven year veteran and a proven quarterback. 3,653 yards, 20 TD and 9 interceptions last season in 13 games. If the Broncos want to win in 2011, Orton is their man, for now anyway. Patience is a virtue and Tebow's time will come.
Denver does have other players on the team besides Tim Tebow and some good ones at that. WR Brandon Lloyd had a breakout season last year and RB Knowshon Moreno returns as Denver's top rusher. Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow combined to have the Broncos the 7th best passing team in the league, but being ranked 26th in the running game has to improve.
On defense leading tackler LB D.J. Williams returns along with veterans CB Champ Bailey and S Brian Dawkins. LB Elvis Dumervil was one of the league's top pass rushers two years ago returns after being sidelined with injury in 2010 and he will try and improve a defense that was terrible last season. First round pick LB Von Miller (Texas A&M) will make a major impact right away and he will have too with Dawkins and Bailey being pass their prime and the defense being so bad last season.
The Broncos roster does have talent on it despite a 4-12 record last season, but I expect more of the same for Denver in 2011. San Diego, Kansas City, and Oakland will put up a fight in the division along with games against Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New England, Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, and the New York Jets will be too much. That might be the toughest schedule in football and John Fox may have left Carolina to get away from losing, but he will find plenty of it in Denver this season.
Kansas City Chiefs: 10-6
The Chiefs shocked everyone by winning the division with a lot of young talent last season and they are out to prove that they can repeat that success in 2011.
Kansas City had the number one rushing attack last season behind RB Jamaal Charles and RB Thomas Jones. QB Matt Cassel had a good season, but the Chiefs were ranked 30th passing the ball. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis left for the University of Florida and one of the biggest question marks is can Kansas City offense repeat what they did last year without Weis.
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| Tamba Hali was second in the NFL with 14.5 sacks last season. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images) |
The playmakers are there and K.C. will be hoping last year's experience can propel them into repeating as AFC West champions. If Kansas City wins the AFC West in 2011 it may be even more surprising than them winning it in 2010. San Diego has gotten better, Oakland and Denver are always tough games, and Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, New England, New York Jets and Pittsburgh also appear on the schedule. I don't see the Chiefs repeating last year's success, but with some luck they could challenge the Chargers in the division.
Oakland Raiders: 8-8
Owner Al Davis always expects his Raiders to be in the playoffs, but after an 8-8 season, head coach Tom Cable was let go and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson takes over the team. Jackson will be the Raiders fifth head coach in the last seven years. Jackson did a great job with the offense last season by having the second best rushing attack in the league and the Raiders were sixth in scoring (25.6 points per game). The stars on offense are back for 2011 along with some new playmakers.
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success in 2011. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images) |
After leaving Ohio State, the Raiders selected Terrelle Pryor in the third round of the supplemental draft in August. I doubt Pryor will play much this year, but if he does play whether it's at quarterback or another position, like tight end, is still up in the air. Nobody knows Al Davis and the Raiders plan for Pryor, but with the right coaching and talent around him Pryor can be a solid NFL player.
Oakland returns its core group of players on defense as well. DE Richard Seymour, LB Ronaldo McClain, LB Kamerion Wimbley, and SS Tyvon Branch all return, but the loss of CB Nnamdi Asomugha will be huge. The Raiders did not just have the second best pass defense on accident, Asomugha was the major reason for that. Nnamdi may have only had 19 tackles last season, but that's because teams never threw the ball his way. When one guy completely takes away one side of the field, it becomes a lot easier to stop the opposition in the passing game. You just can't replace a Nnamdi Asomugha and his absence will be felt on the Oakland defense.
Owner Al Davis believes this Raiders team will reach the playoffs and you can't blame the old man for having faith in his team, but it's just not in the cards for Oakland this season. With San Diego and Kansas City in the division along with arch rival Denver, plus New England, New York Jets, Chicago, Green Bay and Detroit on the schedule, there will be no playoffs for the Raiders in 2011.
San Diego Chargers: 9-7
What does the Governor of California say about the Chargers? Click here to find out. If Arnold Schwarzenegger gets that excited about the Chargers, then must be pretty good and they are.
San Diego had not only the best overall offense in the league last season (395.6 yards/game), they had the leagues best defense too (271.6 yards/game), yet failed to make the playoffs. Smh. It was only the second time in NFL history that a team who ranked number one overall on offense and defense did not make the playoffs (1953 Eagles). Mental mistakes on special teams lead to numerous kicks and punts being blocked and most were returned for touchdowns. The Chargers got off to their usually poor start by going 2-5 and despite a 7-2 finish, they were left out of the playoffs.
The majority of that talent is back in 2011 and Chargers fans will be hoping for a good start to the season or many might be going to the doctor's office with chest pains. QB Philip Rivers is one of the leagues elite quarterbacks, throwing for 4,710 yards and 30 TD last season, and he will be in command of a lethal offensive unit. Star WR Vincent Jackson will be back for an entire season along with other stars, like RB Ryan Mathews, RB Mike Tolbert and TE Antonio Gates. RB Darren Sporles left for New Orleans and will be missed, but if these guys stay healthy, San Diego could once again lead the league in total offense.
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| Antonio Gates, Philip Rivers and the Chargers are looking really good going into the 2011 season, literally. Those powder blue jerseys are the best looking jerseys in the NFL. (Harry How/Getty Images) |
San Diego always has tough games in the division with rivals Denver, Oakland and Kansas City, but they also get New England, New York Jets, Green Bay, Detroit, Chicago, and Baltimore. I think San Diego will start the season on the right foot for once and will contend for chance to play for the Super Bowl in 2011.
Predicted Standings
San Diego is the favorite to win the AFC West and I think they will, but they won't walk away with it. Kansas City could give them a run for their money and who knows what the Raiders might be capable of doing. If head coach Norv Turner can get San Diego to play consistently good football for a entire 16 game season, they will have no problem getting to the playoffs. As Arnold says, "Go Chargers Go."
Predicted 2011 AFC West Standings
San Diego: 11-5
Kansas City: 8-8
Oakland: 8-8
Denver: 4-12
Next up a look at the AFC South.
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