Sunday, September 09, 2007
AFC West preview
The Chargers even with a new coach will dominate out West.
1st Place
The Chargers have the best offensive player in the league and a dominating defense. The combo led them to 14 and 2 last before Marty Schottenheimer organized his annual playoff upchuck fest. How on earth the Chargers lost that game to the Patriots last year is utterly inexplicable. So when people, bag on new Chargers coach Norv Turner, the Clarion tells’em, hey it couldn’t be any more painful than last year. Norv has sucked thus far as a head coach, but he has been in some tough spots. Optimistically, he has been part of Super Bowl winners as a coordinator. The theory that he was hired too late to get good assistants is bunk. What about he has last year’s Bears defensive coordinator, Ron Rivera coaching linebackers!! There are always veteran assistant coaches out there. The difference makers for the Chargers will be Shawn Merriman, Tomlinson, tight end Antonio Gates and a coach’s son, a coach on the field himself, Phillip Rivers. If the Chargers had the good sense to get themselves any kind of receivers, after a woefully deficient showing last year, they might be the Super favorite. As is, the Clarion is picking them to get exactly one round further than last year, the AFC Championship game.
2nd Place
The Denver Broncos are far and away better than the two bottom feeders in this division. The Clarion does not think they are a lock for the playoffs. Like most pundits, we love the acquisition of Travis Henry as a running back that fits the Denver Broncos zone blocking scheme. Unlike many, we think Jay Cutler is wildly overrated. He has physical tools, but what has he done to convince us we should buy in? Is he a winner? This is one of the big disadvantages to selecting a QB from a bottom feeder school, in this case perennial SEC doormat, Vanderbilt. Cutler does not know the success of winning regularly. He doesn’t look like a winner to us. He looks like a Coach Mike Shannahan reaction to Jake “the Snake” Plummer. Go with a guy who was is the opposite of the last failure. Plummer didn’t have the arm, but was supposed to be an all world winner and comeback leader out of Arizona State. Neither of these QBs have enough for the NFL big time. Both could be called serviceable, decent, mediocre.
The Broncos defense, despite all world corner Champ Bailey, will be somewhat less than stellar this year. The revolving door at defensive line is catching up to them, limiting to their ability to get pressure. Former Tar Heel corner, Dre Bly is overrated. Tough guy, run stopper, supreme tackling machine, linebacker Al Wilson will be sorely missed. Fortunately for the Broncos they get to play the Chiefs and Raiders four times.
3rd Place
The Chiefs will be awful, despite the presence of All-Pro running back Larry Johnson. Johnson who had to shoulder an unhealthy portion of the offensive load last year will be asked to do the same this year. Whether the QB is Croyle or one of the Huard brothers, the Chiefs passing game will be putrid. (Herm Edwards only likes to throw about 12 to 16 times a game anyway, preferring as few possessions per team possible.)
The Chiefs long standing strong point, offensive line has taken huge hits to retirement, each of the last two years losing future hall of famer Willie Roaf and Will Sheilds. This not what Johnson or the quarterbacks want to hear. The defense is also aging. The special teams have lost return man Dante Hall. Their wide receivers haven’t been good for years, which allows opposing defenses to double team all world weapon, tight end, Tony Gonzales. The Chiefs have a great home crowd, but all the noise at Arrowhead this year might be sound and fury signifying nothing. Seven wins will be a stretch.
4th Place
The Raiders are going nowhere fast. They have been unable to sign first over all draft pick Jamarcus Russell. Incidentally, the Clarion doesn’t love Russell. From here, it looks like a Jeff George arm, with Jeff George brains, and Jeff George mobility. The Raiders will have to go with retreads Cade McCown and Dante Culepepper at QB. They gave away star wideout Randy Moss to the Pats. They buried super quick Jerry Porter in a move reminiscent of the Marcus Allen blackballing. They have converted former Tarheel quarterback, Ronald Curry into their leading receiver. He is doing well, but remember what we told you about Arnaz Battle on the other side of the bay. It is never a good sign when a former QB is your leading wideout. Your number two, well, ok, if it is Antwuan Randle-El. It is what you have, but preferrably a former QB should be no more than your number three option. The Raiders defense looked deceptively good last year, as teams blowing out the Raiders ran out the clock. It also helped the Raiders defense yield less total yards, that their offense kept turning the ball over in the own territory. Top it all off with the youngest coach in the NFL, with no prior head coaching experience in Lane Kiffin, and even stoic Art Shell might wince. Five wins would be a suprise, six a shock.
1st Place
The Chargers have the best offensive player in the league and a dominating defense. The combo led them to 14 and 2 last before Marty Schottenheimer organized his annual playoff upchuck fest. How on earth the Chargers lost that game to the Patriots last year is utterly inexplicable. So when people, bag on new Chargers coach Norv Turner, the Clarion tells’em, hey it couldn’t be any more painful than last year. Norv has sucked thus far as a head coach, but he has been in some tough spots. Optimistically, he has been part of Super Bowl winners as a coordinator. The theory that he was hired too late to get good assistants is bunk. What about he has last year’s Bears defensive coordinator, Ron Rivera coaching linebackers!! There are always veteran assistant coaches out there. The difference makers for the Chargers will be Shawn Merriman, Tomlinson, tight end Antonio Gates and a coach’s son, a coach on the field himself, Phillip Rivers. If the Chargers had the good sense to get themselves any kind of receivers, after a woefully deficient showing last year, they might be the Super favorite. As is, the Clarion is picking them to get exactly one round further than last year, the AFC Championship game.
2nd Place
The Denver Broncos are far and away better than the two bottom feeders in this division. The Clarion does not think they are a lock for the playoffs. Like most pundits, we love the acquisition of Travis Henry as a running back that fits the Denver Broncos zone blocking scheme. Unlike many, we think Jay Cutler is wildly overrated. He has physical tools, but what has he done to convince us we should buy in? Is he a winner? This is one of the big disadvantages to selecting a QB from a bottom feeder school, in this case perennial SEC doormat, Vanderbilt. Cutler does not know the success of winning regularly. He doesn’t look like a winner to us. He looks like a Coach Mike Shannahan reaction to Jake “the Snake” Plummer. Go with a guy who was is the opposite of the last failure. Plummer didn’t have the arm, but was supposed to be an all world winner and comeback leader out of Arizona State. Neither of these QBs have enough for the NFL big time. Both could be called serviceable, decent, mediocre.
The Broncos defense, despite all world corner Champ Bailey, will be somewhat less than stellar this year. The revolving door at defensive line is catching up to them, limiting to their ability to get pressure. Former Tar Heel corner, Dre Bly is overrated. Tough guy, run stopper, supreme tackling machine, linebacker Al Wilson will be sorely missed. Fortunately for the Broncos they get to play the Chiefs and Raiders four times.
3rd Place
The Chiefs will be awful, despite the presence of All-Pro running back Larry Johnson. Johnson who had to shoulder an unhealthy portion of the offensive load last year will be asked to do the same this year. Whether the QB is Croyle or one of the Huard brothers, the Chiefs passing game will be putrid. (Herm Edwards only likes to throw about 12 to 16 times a game anyway, preferring as few possessions per team possible.)
The Chiefs long standing strong point, offensive line has taken huge hits to retirement, each of the last two years losing future hall of famer Willie Roaf and Will Sheilds. This not what Johnson or the quarterbacks want to hear. The defense is also aging. The special teams have lost return man Dante Hall. Their wide receivers haven’t been good for years, which allows opposing defenses to double team all world weapon, tight end, Tony Gonzales. The Chiefs have a great home crowd, but all the noise at Arrowhead this year might be sound and fury signifying nothing. Seven wins will be a stretch.
4th Place
The Raiders are going nowhere fast. They have been unable to sign first over all draft pick Jamarcus Russell. Incidentally, the Clarion doesn’t love Russell. From here, it looks like a Jeff George arm, with Jeff George brains, and Jeff George mobility. The Raiders will have to go with retreads Cade McCown and Dante Culepepper at QB. They gave away star wideout Randy Moss to the Pats. They buried super quick Jerry Porter in a move reminiscent of the Marcus Allen blackballing. They have converted former Tarheel quarterback, Ronald Curry into their leading receiver. He is doing well, but remember what we told you about Arnaz Battle on the other side of the bay. It is never a good sign when a former QB is your leading wideout. Your number two, well, ok, if it is Antwuan Randle-El. It is what you have, but preferrably a former QB should be no more than your number three option. The Raiders defense looked deceptively good last year, as teams blowing out the Raiders ran out the clock. It also helped the Raiders defense yield less total yards, that their offense kept turning the ball over in the own territory. Top it all off with the youngest coach in the NFL, with no prior head coaching experience in Lane Kiffin, and even stoic Art Shell might wince. Five wins would be a suprise, six a shock.
Labels: NFL, Predictions, sports
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