- Teams with numbers next to their names are better than teams without numbers.
- If you have a number next to your name, you tend to win by 50.
- College football is crazy because teams with numbers sometimes lose and their national title hopes go up in smoke just like that. Close calls for Ohio State, Iowa. POST-PUBLISH RESULT: Oklahoma falls...thanks for coming, Sooners.
- College football is now a little less crazy with the suspension of LeGarrette Blount.
AFC West (Projected Order of Finish)
1. San Diego Chargers (8-8 Last Year)
The Chargers have won this division for three straight seasons, and their competitiors don't really seem to care. Even an 8-8 record was enough for the division crown last year (an extreme rarity in the NFL.) The Broncos came close to caring last year, but they promptly nuked their entire organization to go in a new direction. The same core comes back for San Diego, and it's a whole lot better than anyone else's core in the West. Philip Rivers, Ladainian Tomlinson, and Antonio Gates are all the ritz of their positions on offense, and their defense is stout with the return of star Shawne Merriman. He joins solid fixtures Luis Castillo and Antonio Cromartie. With the division a laughingstock, the regular season for the Chargers is pretty much an extended preseason until the playoffs start.
The problem is, the Chargers themselves aren't supposed to think that way! And it's pretty clear that they are. No doubt one of the most talented teams in football, but they may be the softest as well. Last year, no matter what the excuse, 8-8 was inexcusable. San Diego has shown the worst proportion of talent vs. effiiency for a few years now. A deep, deep playoff run is theirs if they want it. Though it should be a no-brainer, it's time for coach Norv Turner and co. to finally prove that they want it.
2009 Projected Record: 12-4
2. Kansas City Chiefs (2-14 Last Year)
Yeah, that record isn't a typo, either. The best of the rest in the division starts in Kansas City, where a new regime has begun. Call it 'New England South', with GM Scott Pioli, quarterback Matt Cassel, and others ditching the Patriots for the Chiefs. It's as if they switched sides of the Thanksgiving table. But that's neither here nor there. The point is, I think this is less ghastly across the board than Oakland and Denver. Cassel is (kinda, a little bitty bit) proven, Larry Johnson has the potential to break out of his Step Brothers-esque sleep walk mode, and Dwayne Bowe can catch the ball.
On defense, they have some high draft picks on the line with Glen Dorsey and Tyson Jackson. The linebackers are pretty ancient, but in a Clint Eastwood kind-of way, not a John Goodman kind-of way. They can play another year or so. So Kansas City will do ok in year one, but it's not saying much. After San Diego, we may as well call the other 3 teams 4a, 4b, and 4c.
2009 Projected Record: 6-10
3. Oakland Raiders (5-11 Last Year)
Incidentally, the Raiders cut Jeff Garcia today. Had they not, they may have just been 4a instead of 4b. Garcia could have added stability to this athletic jungle. But, they did pay JaMarcus Russell bajillions of dollars, so I can't hate too much that they want him to earn it. Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush make arguably the most balanced rushing attack in the division. But beyond that? Nothing to see here. The franchise is a mess. I don't know why, but I just see interactions such as this happening verbatim 4-5 times a week in the Oakland locker room. Maybe I'm the only one. But I'm officially driving the bandwagon of having HBO feature the Raiders for Hard Knocks next season. But no Oakland preview can be complete without mentioning Nnamdi Asomugha. Don't know him? Nobody really does, but for my money he's the best cornerback in the NFL and completely equalizes a team's #1 receiving threat. So there you go, Raider fans. Don't hate me that much...
2009 Projected Record: 5-11
4. Denver Broncos
hYes, despite a 4-12 record, the Raiders will not be last in the division. For 2009 at least, Denver is about as appealing as years-old mayonnaise mixed with Bigfoot's puke. Graphic yes. But I firmly believe it. They traded Jay Cutler on the cusp of superstardom, and they are banking on those high picks in the future...But right now Kyle Orton is the starting quarterback. Even with Cutler, this team went 8-8 and missed the playoffs because of a crappy defense and injurues to the running game. Cutler along with the receiver combination Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal kept the team afloat. Now? Jay is gone, Brandon looks to be following, and Eddie may literally be crying. It's going to be a long year, as coaching staple Mike Shanahan is gone in favor of New England's Josh McDaniels. He has already run the face of the franchise out of town, so he's either a genuis or a loon. We'll know for sure in a year or two. Rookie Knoshown Moreno will keep the round game consistent behind a good offensive line. But again...I'm not expecting anything more than Bigfoot puke.
2009 Projected Record: 4-12
The ball is in motion, guys. I will get to the last 3 divisions when I get the moment. I have a big fantasy draft tomorrow, so probably I will do it Monday. Hopefully you'll come back then. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
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