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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 22, 2008
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Here is a division that had 2 teams in the top 5 of the 2008 NFL draft Raiders (4) and Chiefs (5) with the Denver Broncos escaping into pick 12 with the 7-9 record. The San Diego Chargers won the division with 11-5 record and made it to the AFC Championship before getting beaten by the Super Bowl runner up New England Patriots. Below is a break down of each team and there project win loss column in 2008-09 NFL season
San Diego Chargers, with the NFL leading Rusher LaDainian Tomlinson, 2004 draft pick RD 1 (4) QB Phillip Rivers, TE Antonio Gates and a Chargers Defense anchored by LB Shawne Merriman, LB Shaun Phillips and CB Antonio Cromartie the Chargers are primed for another run at the Super Bowl. So what stands in there way, well one is injuries to Tomlinson, Rivers and Gates will be intriguing to see what happens when training camp gets here this summer. The other reason that speculation will arise is the Head Coach that has a track record of loosing with a 9 year history with the Washington Redskins and Oakland Raiders out of 141 games he has 58 wins to 83 losses or a .415 win percentage record. With the ousting of the previous head coach do to speculation of disagreements between Head Coach and GM caused a changed at the helm and Norv Turner comes in with a team that had a 14-2 record and it was not until week 5 that the return to form was able to be acknowledged. This season the schedule shows some Pro’s and Con’s that might be able to assist them in making another run at the Super Bowl but historically the window of opportunity starts to close as the number of losses at the playoff level continues. The 2008-09 projection would look to be a 12-4 record with a #2 seed and no more than a #3 seed at the most. Questions with the direction of the team will continue but should be overcome with focus.
Denver Broncos are a team on the rise again after a few years of getting beat up with injuries and changing of players, the Broncos should get some much needed support at the OL due to the drafting of OT Ryan Clady but the questions will not be on the OL this year it will be at the RB and WR position since the recent diagnosis of QB Jay Cutler Type 1 Diabetes that with focus and proper nutrition should not be a problem but will continue to be a concern if certain actions from the QB can not be performed due to exhaustion and or dehydration that could develop from the insulin deficiency.
The Bronco Defense was upgraded with LB Boss Bailey the brother of DC Champ Bailey should get some attention during the season. The 2008-09 projection is not as good as everyone would like being low at a 9-7 record just 2 better than last year. With the ability to overcome some obstacles could get a 10-6 record and possibly take the #6 seed in the wild card race.
Kansas City Chiefs are a team on a mission to get better. The trade of Jared Allen may prove to be the most deserving move that could be accomplished in the offseason of any team in the NFL this year. The drafting of DE Tamba Hali in 2005 made DE Jared Allen expendable and with the acquisition of Vikings 1ST round pick plus other later rounds allowed the Chiefs to make the necessary changes to the roster to hopefully make a move at the playoffs this year. This years drafting of DT Glenn Dorsey and OG Brandon Albert will solidify both DL and OL as a primary need to get back in the race. The question will be surrounding RB Larry Johnson and WR Dwayne Bowe to see if last year was a fluke or will additional attention need to be played in order to strengthen the deficiencies. Chiefs have the tools now it will be time to see if they all work. 2008-09 projection 7-9
Oakland Raiders will be a team that passed on potential fame for a player that might not be who they expect. Darren McFadden is an outstanding candidate for 2008 ROY but there is fear that the position that he will be playing is not worthy of the #4 pick in this year draft. The obvious pick this year should have been at DT with Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick Ellis still on the board to replace DT Warren Sapp which was the heart and soul of that defense. Darren McFadden will be a home run hitter but his ability to out run veterans may be harder than it was in the college level. The Coaching staff has been nothing more than the puppets of NFL renegade Al Davis and has been since his merge into the NFL from what was called the AFL in the 1960’s. 2008-09 projection 6-10, #5 in the 2009 NFL draft.
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Reputation:93
Level:All-Star
Since:Feb 17, 2008
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I would say that your assesment of the Chargers is dead on. Where I think this division gets interesting is who ends up in 2nd. It really is in my opinion a toss up at this point. I believe that QB play will decide how well these other 3 teams fair. I find it awful peculiar that you do not question this area to be a real concern for any of these teams. JaMarcus Russell is an unknown wild card and we will have to wait and see how that plays out, but I believe this is a killer for the Chiefs. Brodie Croyle clearly is not the answer for them at this position. It is not his physical skills I believe they need to worry about, but his decision making had better improve or this is gonna be a long year for KC. I think Denver has to have the same concerns with Cutler. As a Raider fan I sure hope this is wrong but here is my call in this division for next year.
1. Chargers 12-4
2. Broncos 9-7
3. Raiders 7-9
4. Chiefs 5-11
The Raiders will be much improved this year but still lack talent at some key positions that will be hard to overcome. One thing you can bet on is running the ball will not be an issue for this team, with their 2nd year of using the zone blocking scheme I see them getting more efficient in this area and will improve on the 6th ranked rushing offense in the league. This will help Russell and take pressure off of the passing game. I think they are still another year from making the leap into pushing for the division, but they will be a very tough team to handle this year.
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Sep 25, 2006
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Not bad.
Jay Cutler definitely has room for improvement with respect to decision making, but a lot of people don't realize he put up better numbers than Philip Rivers last season. Year three QB's usually take a big step in Shanahan's system, so it will be interesting to see how he does. I wouldn't call this a make or break year for Cutler yet, but it will be a big indicator as to his overall abilities.
I am also curious to see how Hester does with the Chargers. I found the pick interesting, but you can't exactly say that A.J. Smith doesn't have a good track record. I think Hester will need to have a good first year. The Chargers got a lot of mileage out of Michael Turner, and having a solid backup for L.T. will probably be pretty important to how well this team does.
If JaMarcus Russell steps in and has a killer year, the Raiders could be a 10-win team. I personally doubt that he will because, among other things, this will be his first training camp. The Raiders front seven on defense will likely be the second big indicator as to how far the Raiders go.
The Chiefs are not there, and they won't be there for a while, but when they get there they will be extremely good. 5-wins? 6?
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 22, 2008
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If it was not for the posting getting garbled up it would read the way I intentionally had it broken up. I have no doubt the Chargers will be the team to beat. But the Broncos and Raiders might be able to turn it around. The Chiefs will not be totally out of it but with this years draft there should be some changes.
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Reputation:93
Level:All-Star
Since:Nov 17, 2006
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better as in Cutler threw the ball more than the bolts cuz they were losing so much...hmmm.....how many TD's did they score against the bolts....thats right! 0.......goose egg.......nada..........zippo
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Reputation:85
Level:All-Star
Since:Mar 24, 2008
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As a Chief's fan I can see them going 10-6 or 5-11. They have had 3 good drafts now and have picked up alot of young talent. Thier defense was top 10 last year, until towards the end of the season when they just plain got worn out, from being on the field so much, and discouraged that the offense couldn't score any points, plus some injuries. We have to see with Croyle, he maybe can be a decent QB with some support. If not, alot of people are high on Tyler Thygpen. LJ will be back, we actually have a real offensive coordinator in Chan Gailey (Solari was an O-line coach). Dwayne Bowe should have a good year, but he needs some help. We've picked up a few recievers from free agency and the draft, so we will have to wait and see. I think Dorsey will give us some push in the middle of our D-line, which we have lacked, and also get a few sacks, Along with Tamba Hali, our sack numbers shouldn't drop significiantly, even with the Jared Allen trade. We have picked up some new kick returners, which hopefully give us better field position, as we hardly ever started past the twenty last year. We have Charles now to compliment LJ and give him some rest, as well as , Kolby Smith. We have 2 good young safeties in Page and Pollard, but still have question marks at CB. I think our linebacking corps can be one of the best in the league. We are in a rebuiding phase, so it's hard to predict what we will do. My optimisitic side says 10-6, and my rationale side says we are still a year off. We do have alot of questions, and we will just have to wait and see. Fortunately we have a much easier schedule than we have had the past couple of years.
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Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 14, 2006
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better as in Cutler threw the ball more than the bolts cuz they were losing so much
Philip Rivers threw the ball 460 times last year and completed 277 of those passes
Jay Cutler threw the ball 467 times last year and completed 297 of those passes.
ya you are right the Broncos threw the ball so much more then the Chargers. you are an idiot. Cutler threw 7 more passes but also completed 20 more passes. not to mention Cutler was playing behind a patchwork O-line, inconsistent (and always injured) Rbs, a first time starter at WR and he was suffering the affects of having untreated type 1 diabetes with his blood sugar 4 to 5 times high then normal.
but you are right. its only because the Broncos threw SOOOOOOO much more that Jay Cutler had a better stats then Philip Rivers.
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Reputation:94
Level:All-Star
Since:Sep 25, 2006
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I'm sure he will learn to be more tactful when he graduates middle school.
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Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 22, 2008
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As a Chief's fan I can see them going 10-6 or 5-11
I have no doubt the Chiefs will not return to form and be a very good team as they once were. The problem is that I do not see them doing it this year. They will need another year to develop the talent and get them to the level that is expected.
The articles that have the Chiefs drafting #1 are full of it. There is no way that I would say that this early in the offseason and get away with it.
If any team is going to be a top 3 draft pick next year will be the Ravens, Bengals and quit possibly the Bears. Do not worry I posted some time ago that I thought the Patriots would be drafting in the top ten without a traded draft placing them there and I caught a whle lot of crap over it but look at the aging defense the number f players that have been lost over the past three years. The number of players that were traded so that the Patriots did not have to pay the market value. What you get is a team that is on the verge of being crushed when the level of talent in the AFE East passes them up. Which might be this year.
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Reputation:41
Level:Rookie
Since:Apr 18, 2008
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To answer the Chargers unknowns of injuries and coaching, they are ok here. LT is ready right now and rivers is way ahead of schedule and will be ready for camp and take on the beginning of the season like normal. Gates is my concern injury wise. A toe/foot injury that he sustained was severe enough it might carry over into this regular season.
Coaching here is fine. I think a 2-1 playoff record will stifle the naysayers. Plus they came out of the gate slow last year, most likely getting used to the new coaches. he did a fine job, along with rivers in making a great second half happen. Once again i will point out that Norv's carrer coaching record is completely skewed. He was under Dan Snyder in washington. He had to deal with the HEath Shuler debactle which put that franchise back for a few years, just like with leaf and San Diego. Of course you can not count his tenure at Oakland! AJ Smith makes all the right moves. I have full faith in his leadership.
The west will rise again, but not this year. The division is set to improve. The Raiders I feel have the oppurtunity to improve record wise the most. The biggest obstacle is themselves. Denver just looked so bad at times last year and they had as many holes as the Dolphins coming into this offseason. The Chiefs were destined to be the 2nd worst team in the leauge, but the draft might just keep them from that. They still look really bad on paper, just not as since the draft. There draft by the way isn't a n A draft either. They had 3 great picks out of the gate which should help to the 2 extra wins to keep them from the bottom of the leauge, but I feel they got a high ranking for the sheer number of picks. Look, You can not draft 2 blocking tight ends in the same draft, no matter how many picks you have. That alone drops them to the B+ level.
AS far as the Ravens, Bengals and Bears being the three worst....bzzzzz wrong. maybe you read one of my threads on the Bungles being back, I totally agree with that. I agree that the ravens are looking rough and the bears have some problems too. But I think the Bears will have a winning record. They had a very solid draft. Rex will play better. The line was the problem last year. Really the super bowl jinx was the problem, thats over now. The bears are not the raiders from 2001. They are not going from first to worst in 2 years. The d is still tough and the offense can't be any worse. They got rid of mushin, who just caused problems and berrian, who they couldn't hold protection for his downfield routes. They did not need a QB in the draft like I have heard over and over again. If you look at the end of last season the first moves made by any team was the Bears getting rex and orton back for one more year, you knew then what the qb situation was. There was never a need established by the team at this position.
Finally the worst team of the year will be the Lions. One simple reason they are an offensive team. They hire | |
