Re: Around the NFL: AFC West
This is a division full of flawed teams - each one has a weakness. The contest will be to see who can hide theirs the best.
Chargers (10-6): Brees playing under a franchise deal with Rivers backing him up will come to a head this season. Too much of this offense is predicated on the health and ability of Tomlinson - everyone else's success depends on it. A lackluster WR corps will again put the spotlight on Gates and Tomlinson to catch a lot of balls.
Chiefs (9-7): No defense to speak of, and a WR corps that can be handled by most corner tandems. Look for more aof a platoon at RB, as Johnson emerges and Holmes ages.
Oakland (7-9): A good offense got much better. A mediocre defense got a year older.
Denver (6-10): The WR corps is getting old - and I'm not even including Jerry Rice, who is the likely slot receiver. Smith has been great, but Lelie needs to make good on his potential. Plummer is prone to errors. The defensive coodinator of this team needs to learn that just because you have corners who can be put on an island, doesn't mean you have to do it every play. If he doesn't, Champ Bailey will once again lead the league in "occasions a multi-millionaire got burnt by a nobody".
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There's nowhere to go but up. Or down. I guess we could stay where we are, too.
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