Early Look At The AFC West

The San Diego Chargers are talented with difference makers on both sides of the ball.  The only question is how they respond to the coaching transition with Norv Turner and several new assistants.  This is the most talent Turner has worked with since his days in Dallas, but hasn’t proven himself as a head coach under two tough owners.  Philip Rivers could become a dangerous quarterback working with Turner.  Rivers possesses natural instincts in the passing game, but needs more support from the wide receivers.  Vincent Jackson flashes talent with good size, but must take a step forward in terms of consistency.  The defense is very strong again.  Jamal Williams and Luis Castillo are unsung warriors upfront.  They generate a lot of pressure off the perimeter with Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips.  Quentin Jammer has finally taken his game to the next level.  Antonio Cromartie is a strong prospect in the secondary.  This secondary does need to create more turnovers – especially from inside.  They are hoping Eric Weddle quickly emerges as a playmaker during his rookie year.  They’ll also miss the veteran presence of Donnie Edwards and Randall Godfrey at linebacker, although Stephen Cooper and Matt Wilhelm are capable. 

Not many people are talking about the Denver Broncos, but they are a team to watch in the AFC.  Jay Cutler showed good mental toughness as a rookie.  He’ll have some rough stretches, but he’s in a good position to make things happen.  Cutler has a lot of targets in the passing game – especially if Rod Smith bounces back and Brandon Stokley stays healthy working out of the slot.  Tony Sheffler will make a lot of plays from the tight end position if healthy.  They always seem to have an efficient unit upfront and that should be the case again if Matt Lepsis bounces back at left tackle.  Travis Henry brings good stability to the ground game.  Jim Bates was a strong hire to run the defense.  He gets the most out of his players.  They are deep in numbers across the front four.  A healthy Gerard Warren and Sam Adams will lead a solid rotation inside.  They’ll be a lot of pressure on rookie Jarvis Moss to quickly emerge as the pass rusher they’ve been missing off the perimeter.  Moss doesn’t have much bulk, but is a perfect fit in Bates scheme.  They’ll be a lot of pressure on Dre’ Bly playing opposite of Champ Bailey.  Bly can make big plays, but must show consistency since he’ll be challenged often. 

The Kansas City Chiefs are officially in a transition phase following the trade of Trent Green.  Damon Huard did a fine job last season, but the Chiefs are looking for Brodie Croyle to seize the quarterback spot.  Croyle has good attributes, but must prove he can handle the physical aspect of being a starting quarterback in this league.  The Chiefs must get that question answered this season.  The once strong offensive line now has a lot of questions.  It’s tough to lose Willie Roaf and Will Shields to retirement in consecutive seasons without definitive replacements.  Now the Chiefs are starting a few journeyman along the offensive line.  Damion McIntosh is an adequate stopgap at left tackle, but far from a long-term solution.  The defense could struggle.  Tamba Hali displayed a good motor as a pass rusher last season, but Jared Allen faces a very uncertain future.  They have a couple young prospects inside, but they are raw at this point.  That means the interior rotation looks to be filled with stopgap type talent again.  They hope to squeeze quality seasons from Ty Law and Patrick Surtain at cornerback, but they are aging with little depth behind them.  The only hope towards keeping the Chiefs competitive is the presence of Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzalez. 

Lane Kiffin faces a rough first season with the Oakland Raiders.  They will be breaking in a rookie quarterback at some point.  Jerry Porter looks to bounce back following an embarrassing feud with Art Shell.  Ronald Curry is a quality target in the passing game.  I believe rookie Zach Miller will finally stabilize the tight end position.  Lamont Jordan is healthy, but hasn’t shown any consistency on the ground.  Nobody knows what to expect from the offensive line.  Robert Gallery won’t meet expectations of being a franchise left tackle, but could still become a solid starter somewhere along the line.  The only positive right now is the defensive side of the ball.  They have a solid core who play hard for Rob Ryan.  They have a solid group of young guys in the secondary to build around.  Nnamdi Asomugha and Fabian Washington have become a nice tandem at cornerback.  Michael Huff showed be can cover tight ends and could make a bigger impact if allowed to settle into one role.  Kirk Morrison is good leader at linebacker.  They need rookie Quentin Moses to quickly emerge as a pass rusher to complement Derrick Burgess. 

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