Holden’s Rants – Sports meet Hollywood

So it’s back to NFL previews, and this week we are starting with the AFC West.  Full of teams with plenty of potential, the AFC West has 3 teams that could potentially win the division and one team that is in line to have the first choice in the Brady Quinn / Adrian Peterson sweepstakes.

AFC West Review (Ranked by Predicted Record)

1.  Denver Broncos -(Predicted: 11-5) – After a season where they made it to the AFC Championship game on the arm of Jake Plummer and the legs of Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne, the Broncos look to make it to the Super Bowl this year, again relying on the arm of Plummer and on the legs of Bell.  However, this time it might not be Tatum Bell, the 2nd round draft pick out of Oklahoma State, but undrafted rookie Mike Bell out of the University of Arizona.  As the newly appointed starter, Mike Bell looks to be the next in a long line of 1,000-yard rushers in the Denver backfield and carry the Broncos to the next level.  It is still questionable whether Mike Bell will remain the starting RB in Denver.  With competition from Tatum Bell and former Heisman trophy winner Ron Dayne, he might not be able to hold on to the top spot.  The Denver running game has long been the staple for their success, but the addition of former Pro-Bowl WR Javon Walker will add to their passing offense.  It’s also questionable if Denver’s defense (who made no major additions in the off-season) will be able to stop anyone come January.  You can depend on the frequent snowstorms at your stadium and score 50 points a game, but it doesn’t matter when your opponents score 51. 

2.  Kansas City Chiefs – (Predicted: 9-7) – We all know that KC can run the ball.  In the recent past the’ve featured prolific ball carriers Priest Holmes and last year’s surprise star Larry Johnson, but can they do anything else?  Even with the loss of OT Willie Roaf, Larry Johnson should still be a fantasy and rushing stud as he’ll push the 2,000-yard mark for the next several seasons.  The Cheifs have struggled through on the other side of the ball.  Will the addition of defensive minded head coach Herm Edwards help a defense that has ranked in the bottom third of the league the past 4 years running?  In addition to the new blood at the helm, the Chiefs also added star CB Ty Law to play along 2nd-year LB Derrick Johnson, so their defense should be on the upswing, but with no major additions on offense, I don’t see the Chiefs overtaking the Broncos this year.

3.  San Diego Chargers – (Predicted: 9-7) – On a team that finished 9-7 last year, but finished 1-3 in their last 4 games, what do you think the best move would be?  Release your Pro-Bowl QB in exchange for a 3rd year QB who has only thrown 30 passes in the NFL?  I didn’t think so, but that is exactly what this team, formerly on the cusp, did.  Philip Rivers may turn out to be a Pro-Bowler in his own right, but besides the money factor I don’t understand how you just let a solid QB like Drew Brees walk away.  I guess Marty Schottenheimer knows a lot more than I do.  Actually who doesn’t?  Anyway, the Chargers still have offensive stars in Ladanian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates, but the void of experience at QB scares me.  I don’t think they get over the playoff hump this year.

4.  Oakland Raiders – (Predicted: 3-13) – I don’t know how a team could go from making the Super Bowl in 2002 to only winning 14 games over the last 4 years.  And no, that isn’t a typo.  The Raiders have only won 14 games over the last 4 years — less than the Houston Texans, less than the 49ers, and even less than that garbage in Cleveland.  Will they turn it around this year?  Hell no.  If Al Davis is constructing this team, he must have gone completely senile several years ago.  Their best free agent pickup this year….Aaron Brooks.  Now the only reason you might know who Aaron Brooks is, is because he’s well known in fantasy football circles for having decent season stats that are loaded with 2 or 3 game amazing performances and 13 to 14 games of stinkers.  Is that who you want leading your team into the season?  Of course not, but on the plus side, they do have a cocky receiver in Randy Moss, and they released their best cover cornerback, Charles Woodson.  Oh, those aren’t good things.  Hello Raiders, you are currently on the clock for the 1st draft pick of 2007.

HC