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[MrPeepers]

AFC West preview: Moss puts silver and black ahead of the pack
Aug. 30, 2005
By Pete Prisco
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Tell Pete your opinion!





The AFC West might be the most competitive division in the league.

It certainly will be the most fun.


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Randy Moss gives Oakland a big vertical threat. (Getty Images)
All four teams will have offenses that can put up big numbers. The best of those offenses will be in Oakland, but do the Raiders have enough on defense to win the division?

There's a bias against offensive teams, which will make it tough for most to pick the Raiders to win the West.

That bias doesn't exist here.

With Randy Moss joining Jerry Porter to catch long passes from Kerry Collins, the offense will be as much fun to watch as any of them. In addition, LaMont Jordan will give the Raiders a pounding running back to eat up the clock in the fourth quarter.

We realize the defense struggled last season, but there is talent on that side of the ball, enough to show improvement. And with that offense, only a slight improvement will give the Raiders the title in a tough, competitive division.

It won't be easy, as any of the four teams can win the division. All can score 30 or more any Sunday, which is why the AFC West will remind us of the old AFL days.

For that, we are to be thankful.

So get Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis ready. The AFC West is going to be a heck of a wild ride -- offensive style.


Oakland Raiders
Significant additions: WR Randy Moss, RB LaMont Jordan, DE Derrick Burgess, DL Kenny Smith, FB Rob Konrad.

Significant subtractions: CB Phillip Buchanon, TE Doug Jolley.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Raiders 2004: 5-11 Rank
Pt. Scored: 320
Pt. Allowed: 442
Offense: 322.1
Defense: 371.0
18
31
17
30

2. Broncos 2004: 10-6 Rank
Pt. Scored: 381
Pt. Allowed: 304
Offense: 395.8
Defense: 278.7
9
T-9
5
4

3. Chiefs 2004: 7-9 Rank
Pt. Scored: 483
Pt. Allowed: 435
Offense: 418.4
Defense: 377.3
2
29
1
31

4. Chargers 2004: 12-4 Rank
Pt. Scored: 446
Pt. Allowed: 313
Offense: 346.4
Defense: 335.0
3
11
10
18

Biggest offseason move: Adding Moss. He is the best receiver in football. Moss can do things for an offense that no other receiver can. This is going to be a huge year for him.

Will go to the playoffs if ... the defense makes some improvement. There is talent there, but some of it is aging and some of it is inexperienced.

Won't go to the playoffs if ... the defense gives up 30 points in too many games and the Raiders play too many shootouts.

Rookie to watch: LB Kirk Morrison.

Overview: With Collins throwing to Moss and Porter and Jordan running behind a good line, the Raiders will have a dynamic offense, one that will be fun to watch. But will the defense improve? Look for the Raiders to play a lot of 35-31 games, which is just fine with us.


Denver Broncos
Significant additions: DT Gerard Warren, DE Ebenezer Ekuban, DT Michael Myers, DE Courtney Brown, TE Stephen Alexander, LB Ian Gold.

Significant subtractions: DE Reggie Hayward, S Kenoy Kennedy, LB Donnie Spragan.

Biggest offseason move: Getting the four defensive lineman from the Cleveland Browns. Those four didn't do much for a bad Cleveland defense, but word is some of them have showed well this summer. One question, though -- where's the pass rush coming from?

Will go to the playoffs if ... the defense can show improvement behind all the new faces.

Won't go to the playoffs if ... the defense is getting gashed, forcing too much pressure on Jake Plummer.

Rookie to watch: The Broncos drafted three corners with their first three picks, and Dominique Foxworth, the last of the three to be picked, has played the best in the preseason. He could be the team's nickel back.

Overview: Coach Mike Shanahan has not won a playoff game since John Elway retired. Is this the year? The Broncos will again run the ball well with Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell, and Plummer will make his share of plays in the passing game. But the defense has a lot of holes to plug. The Broncos will push for wild-card spot this year and maybe the division title.


Kansas City Chiefs
Significant additions: CB Patrick Surtain, LB Kendrell Bell, S Sammy Knight, DE Carlos Hall, LB Derrick Johnson.

Significant subtractions: DE Vonnie Holliday, RB Derrick Blaylock.

Biggest offseason move: Adding Surtain. The Chiefs were so-so at best on the corner, but Surtain gives them a guy who has man coverage skills. He might not be the player he was three years ago, but he is still a significant upgrade over what the Chiefs played with last season.

Will go to the playoffs if ... Gunther Cunningham gets the defense to play better. There is more talent, but how well will it come together?

Won't go to the playoffs if ... they're giving up way too many points again. The offense will score a lot, but will it have to because of the defense?

Rookie to watch: Johnson is a run-and-chase linebacker whose speed will show up in a big way. The one knock on him is that he runs around blocks.

Overview: The Chiefs will continue to put up loads of points. With Trent Green throwing and Priest Holmes running and a good offensive line in front of them, the offense will again be among the league's best. The key will be the defense. Did they do enough to improve a bad unit from a year ago? The one concern is they still do not have an explosive down rusher in their 4-3 package. That's not a good thing in the wild AFC West. They'll push for a wild-card berth, but no more.


San Diego Chargers
Significant additions: DE Shawne Merriman, DE Luis Castillo, S Bhawoh Jue.

Significant subtractions: WR Tim Dwight, DT Jason Fisk.


Biggest offseason move: They return all 22 starters, so there wasn't a lot done in the offseason. The biggest move might be the drafting of Merriman.

Will go to the playoffs if ... they weren't one-year wonders. There are still some doubts about this group.

Won't go to the playoffs if ... Drew Brees has his bubble burst. That isn't likely, but let's wait and see.

Rookie to watch: Merriman. He should help improve the outside pass rush, which could mean more single blocks for Steve Foley. Merriman fits in perfectly in the Chargers' 3-4 system.

Overview: This young team is coming off a special 12-win season. But in the past coach Marty Schottenheimer has had teams get to that level and never make a Super Bowl. Are the Chargers in that same mold? If Brees plays like he did last season and some young defensive players step up, the Chargers could win 10 games. If not, they might be back to seven-win team and Brees might be headed elsewhere as Philip Rivers takes over.

[wyobronco]

wow, dominique foxworth as the nickel, there's a scoop! Defense has to improve? He clearly only watched Denver play once last year. It's really baffling why this guy can write about issues he is totally unfamiliar with. Stay tuned for my take on the Chilean Minor Soccer League.

[epicSocialism4tw]

Originally Posted by wyobronco

wow, dominique foxworth as the nickel, there's a scoop! Defense has to improve? He clearly only watched Denver play once last year. It's really baffling why this guy can write about issues he is totally unfamiliar with. Stay tuned for my take on the Chilean Minor Soccer League.

Im waiting on that Chilean Soccer!

Funny take

Yeah...the guy is pretty behind on what is going down in Denver.

Can you say "deepest D-line in the NFL" ??

[watermock]

It's absolutely comical. Where is the pass rush? He doesn't even mention Engleberger, or the fact C. Brown will see his first game action this week. The pressure was there hot and cold, but didn't we have 6 sacks on Manning/Guy with funny name..Spicoli or something...spagetti?

Not a mention of Darrent Williams. Foxworth has played well, Paymah has played well enough to stick. But DW has allready locked up #3 and will start if Champ hurts his hammy again. Dorsett Davis seems to have woken up in a competition, sending Luther Ellis to probable retirement. He's not mentioned.

"Denver has alot of holes to plug on Defense"...notice he doesn't say exactly where. On the DL? LB? We drafted what appear to be 3 keeper CB's and have Bailey and Walls. Safety looks thin and Lynch looks a little slow, that's it. Fergy is terribly underrated. Almost as bad as Betrand Berry, who I was praying would stay...but that's all said and done. I kept screaming Berry was twice the DE of Hayward. Nothing is going to change.

I understand this clown is supposed to report on every team and won't have the detail we split hairs about here, but Good Lord. That rivaled the NFC WEST article. Why are these clowns predicting Oakland to dominate? I have watched Randy Moss up here the last two years. He's good for the homerun about once a game. That's with Cullpepper on turf. Some plays he completely takes off, he has a chronic ankle dating back almost a decade, and absolutely, totally refuses to give but token downfield blocking. I have watched him the last two years up here in the Land of Hornheads. I rolled the dice on T.O. in FF because I caught him in the third round, but if he wants to play, he brings it on every down.

They list Donnie Spragan as a key loss. Don't list Herndon. Hayward was overpaid so bad we got 5 players for what he's getting. He has yet to even register on a stat sheet.

[GreatBronco16]

and Dominique Foxworth, the last of the three to be picked, has played the best in the preseason. He could be the team's nickel back.

He's kidding right? LMAO!


This just shows that these people haven't a clue on what they are talking about.

[Kaylore]

Please link all articles.

[watermock]

Can we play in the NFC West?...pretty please?...

[wyobronco]

You have to give the Faders the benefit of the doubt, they added Moss and with all those SB victories he won up there in Minnesota...

[watermock]

Originally Posted by wyobronco

You have to give the Faders the benefit of the doubt, they added Moss and with all those SB victories he won up there in Minnesota...

I done telling you people yet again, this guy is a cancer and doesn't bring it for 60 minutes, that's fairly obvious. He was bragging about smoking dope and scamming drug tests. He's a total idiot. You go on the field as a team and you go off as a team. I don't care if the score is 63-0. At least pull a MoC and have a trainer walk you off the field.

[Kaylore]

Originally Posted by watermock

I done telling you people yet again, this guy is a cancer and doesn't bring it for 60 minutes, that's fairly obvious. He was bragging about smoking dope and scamming drug tests. He's a total idiot.

It's so funny that he was having a great camp and looked like the change of scene really made things fresh....then the REAL Moss rears his ugly face.

[watermock]

I have studied him. He plays hard about 10 plays a game. He will catch his 5-6-8 throws, he gets open, if the ball is there, he never drops it. I'm just saying he only plays 10-15 plays with effort.

[wabbit]

Anyone who has seen the Bronco starters in the Pre-Season...and I mean national press...has gone away believing Denver has a better shot at success this year than they had first thought.

This includes Kyra Kelly of Fox Sports, John Clayton of ESPN and, from what I read...even...gads, I can't think of his name other than 'Pasterbelly'.

This is a good team that has a relatively short time to jell with a considerable number of new starters & players in general.

That, alone, generates some doubt. The best teams often tend to be those that play together for a time...become a 'unit', as it were, and while an influx of new & better talent never hurts...it almost always requires some adjustment.

the good news is that all these new people seem really energized, especially Gerard Warren, and certainly Courtney Brown along with Champ Bailey.

If things fall right...that is everybody gets...and stays on the same page, this team can finally win that first play-off game in 6 years...and maybe a second...and maybe...well...

[DBroncos4life]

Originally Posted by wabbit

Anyone who has seen the Bronco starters in the Pre-Season...and I mean national press...has gone away believing Denver has a better shot at success this year than they had first thought.

This includes Kyra Kelly of Fox Sports, John Clayton of ESPN and, from what I read...even...gads, I can't think of his name other than 'Pasterbelly'.

This is a good team that has a relatively short time to jell with a considerable number of new starters & players in general.

That, alone, generates some doubt. The best teams often tend to be those that play together for a time...become a 'unit', as it were, and while an influx of new & better talent never hurts...it almost always requires some adjustment.

the good news is that all these new people seem really energized, especially Gerard Warren, and certainly Courtney Brown along with Champ Bailey.

If things fall right...that is everybody gets...and stays on the same page, this team can finally win that first play-off game in 6 years...and maybe a second...and maybe...well...

Well the Browncos have played together and Gold has been a member of this team before as well. We have the Browns old Dline coach to make the change easier on them as well. One would think that there is a good chance the gell faster as a unit because of those little reasons. I really can't wait to see this Dline in real game action. If everyone is busting their ass then good things will happen.