AFC West Preview

AFC West Preview:  This division has a clear-cut frontrunner, two teams with a ton of unactualized talent, and possibly the worst team in the NFL.  Nothing too crazy is going on in this division unless the Chiefs or Chargers catch fire and vie for a wildcard.  Here’s my take:

The Broncos will likely be the best regular-season team this year.  Peyton found his form mid-season, and likely will pick up right where he left off.  The defense will take a step back with Von Miller’s suspension and an aging Champ Bailey still playing corner.  I think the signing of Wes Welker is incredibly overrated, but he can succeed as a role player in a passing attack that also features Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker.  The Broncos are clearly the class of the their division, and are likely also the class of the weakest AFC I’ve seen in nearly twenty years of watching football.  Prediction:  12-4, AFC West champions, 1^st Seed in AFC

Last year, I picked the Chiefs to reign in all of their talent and take the division on the heels of an outstanding finish to the 2011-12 season.  I couldn’t have been more wrong as they posted the worst mark in the league.  However, I still believe that they have the pieces to be a good team if they stay healthy:  Eric Berry, Brandon Flowers, Jamaal Charles, and now a bookend of Eric Fisher on the o-line.  Alex Smith will bring slightly subpar quarterbacking to Kansas City, which, for them, is a huge improvement.  I think they just miss out on the playoffs in a weak AFC this year.  Prediction:  8-8.

The Chargers were locked and loaded on offense, but simply couldn’t get it done under Norv Turner.  This season is crucial for Phillip Rivers to bounce back and reestablish himself in the upper half of the league’s quarterbacks.  I think this team will show flashes and get out to early leads that they won’t be able to hold.  They’ll be improved from last year, but they are still a draft or two away from the playoffs.  It’s good to get new blood in there with the coaching staff, but success is still a ways away.  Prediction:  7-9.

Then, there’s the Raiders.  What a depleted roster.  What an utter void of talent.  Once Darren McFadden reinjures himself (over/under is the 4.5^th offensive play of the season), this team won’t have much to cheer for.  Their only hope is that Terrell Pryor can translate the magic of his college days onto the field.  I’m not saying it can’t happen, and I probably like Pryor a little more than your average person, but that is a lot to hope for.  The Raiders need to start asking themselves a serious question:  Bridgewater or Clowney?  Prediction:  2-14.