Previews and Predictions, Quattro: AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs: 10-6; 1st place

I am looking at a drastic improvement from the Chiefs this season. Matt Cassel is entering his second season with the team and he needs to become a strong leader for them. He has weapons in Chris Chambers, Leonard Pope, and Dwayne Bowe, but the best part of this offense is their running game - Thomas Jones, Jamaal Charles, and not even on their depth chart but used in preseason, Dexter McCluster. I watched the Eagles vs. Chiefs preseason game, and McCluster was running rampant, breaking past tacklers before they could turn to face him. This offense could put up plenty of points, and frustrate defenses, which is why I am choosing them to finish so high.

The only worry is the defense. This defense was terrible last season, six times giving up more than 30 points. They will really need to step their game up now if the Chiefs are to succeed. Veteran Mike Vrabel must band this group together to keep opponents from scoring. Romeo Crennel, a great defensive coordinator but not so great a head coach, has signed on with the Chiefs. Their defense should definitely improve and under Todd Haley's second year with the team, the Chiefs will stun some teams this year en route to unseating the Chargers.

San Diego Chargers: 8-8; 2nd place

The Chargers lost LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles did not prove to be a valid successor, and now, they are without their premier receiver, Vincent Jackson, for the year. Sure, Ryan Matthews has a ton of hype and Sproles will be back in the backup role where he is best suited. The Chargers still have a top three tight end in Antonio Gates. But, their running game was nonexistent last season due to their offensive line. Will it be that much improved for Matthews to be able to thrive? No. The Chargers are going to implode this season with hot-head Philip Rivers leading the boom.

The Chargers defense should be good as usual with Shawne Merriman, Eric Weddle, and Quentin Jammer leading the way, but no longer can the Chargers just beat up on their divisional foes. The Chiefs and Raiders both look to be improved this season, and will challenge the Chargers more than previous years. The Chargers are an easy pick to make the playoffs, given their track record over previous seasons and a quarterback that can drop bombs. Like I said though, they will be easy to implode once Rivers' hot head boils over and the offense proves to be unstable.

Oakland Raiders: 7-9; 3rd place

This team will rise and fall on Jason Campbell's shoulders. They are definitely an improved team, but dysfunction will follow them until Al Davis is no longer owner. Him owning the team is cancerous. No, not cancerous, more like the swine flu, because it is contagious. Their head coach, Tom Cable, provided the dysfunction last season following an altercation with an employee. And their players provide dysfunction, though the main culprit, JaMarcus Russell, is no longer a Raider. Jason Campbell, while not an elite QB, is a massive upgrade from Russell. This team really has not had a real QB since Rich Gannon, when the team experienced its last taste of postseason.

They will be much improved with Campbell, but unfortunately still wildly inconsistent. They were just utterly terribly last season, but a surprisingly good draft could turn things around in Oakland. If Campbell falls, so too shall the Raiders. He is already showing signs of wear and tear, experiencing shoulder and wrist issues. If these current issues turn into injuries, the Raiders will certainly drop back down to the cellar, where they are used to being.

Denver Broncos: 7-9; 4th place

The Broncos followed a hot start with a disappointing ending last year. Starting 6-0 would lead people to expect the season would culminate in a postseason berth. Instead, they ended 8-8. That is terribly disappointing. Unfortunately, hope entering this season is being squashed by injuries. The most significant being Elvis Dumervil, their leading pass rusher from last season, and without him the defense is very vulnerable. Keep in mind, this is a defense that surrendered 259 yards to Jamaal Charles with Dumervil.

On offense, the Broncos seem to always have a strong running game, even though their running backs are constantly getting injured. Already, Lendale White has ruptured his Achilles tendon, though he would not have been a big factor on this team, with Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter expected to carry most of the load. Their biggest question mark though is the QB position. Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn, and Tim Tebow all have plenty to prove. Orton needs to fend off the other two by excelling as a dominant QB, Quinn needs to prove the Browns should not have let him go, and Tebow has to prove the naysayers wrong and the Broncos right for taking him in the 1st round. These QBs are without Brandon Marshall, an elite receiver, to throw to so expect failure from this bunch.

Next week: NFC!