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Wednesday TIME: US | UK WEATHER: US | UK THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE ONLINE Back Issues WHAT'S ON Diary Dates SPORTS Features & Blogs FEATURES Politics blog THE NEIGHBORHOOD "Life in the UK" American Groups Essential Contacts Money Education Driving Property |
PREVIOUS SPORTS Football Predictions: A Second Slice August 27, 2008 Clint Dempsey Interview August 1, 2008 NFL Draft Review April 30, 2008, 2008 |
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SPORTS Football Predictions: A Second Slice AFC WEST 8 Predictions For 2008 If You're A Fan Of The... San Diego Chargers 1. Jacob Hester will be a good fantasy player this season. He is a real runner of a fullback, and will be used as a receiver, blocker and short–yardage back, combining the roles of Michael Turner and Lorenzo Neal. He's not as fast as Turner, or as solid as Neal, but he'll get plenty of touches. 2. Antonio Gates nagging toe injury could go on for a while. Don't be surprised if LT is the leading receiver for this team. 3. With the present niggles, don't be surprised if they struggle in the opener to Carolina. 4. Billy Volek will see time this season. Don't panic — that's just because the Chargers want to make sure Philip Rivers stays healthy. With the lead they'll have this season in their division, they can afford to be careful. 5. The Chargers will be THE team this year, not just successful, but as the season goes on, the team whose game becomes the game of the week, the focus of attention, whose players are the poster boys for the year. Of course, the Patriots held that role last year, so that's no guarantee of ultimate success. 6. The Chargers will be the first team in the AFC to seal their division. 7. Norv Turner will hear the last of questions about him. Last year, many people had severe reservations about whether the Chargers had done the right thing in hiring him. After this year, people will just be wondering why he wasn't successful as a head coach before now. 8. The projection is around 13–14 wins in the regular season, but it won't stop there. If niggling injuries subside rather than getting worse, the Chargers will be Super Bowl champs. Denver Broncos 1. There have been many personnel changes this off–season, and a new chemistry needs to be found. That puts the Broncos on the back heel out of the gate, and probably for the year. 2. A host of running backs were cut, Javon Walker is gone, and Brandon Marshall is suspended to start the season. Eddie Royal is not may be a slot receiver, but he's not a slot–in rookie, and there's a new tackle on the line. The offense could be pretty patchy. 3. Cutler's percentages may drop, even though he gets better and better as a leader. This team is a waste of his talent right now. 4. With the running game continuing to slide away from the Broncos' reputation, expect the team to have poor time of possession this year. 5. The first Monday night will be telling for how safe Denver are as the No.2 in the division. 6. Expect back–to–back losing seasons for the first time in a long time. 7. The Broncos are looking at a 8–8 season at best, and more likely 7–9. 8. Presently, Mike Shanahan is head coach and VP of football ops, which means he's the man with the say–so over personnel. That's becoming a weak point of Denver over the last few years, so his power will be clipped at season's end, losing the VP gig at least. Oakland Raiders 1. Darren McFadden is advertized, and lands in the right place to show it. 1400+ yards isn't unlikely even as a rookie, even with Justin Fargas and Michael Bush sharing the backfield. 2. DBs DeAngelo Hall, Adam Archuleta, and Gibril Wilson all arrived in the offseason, suggesting that the Raiders are looking to shut down passing offenses. They will. The Raiders will play a lot of close games, and Sebastian Janikowski will have chances to be a hero. 3. Javon Walker is rumored to have considering retirement over the past year, and has never seemed committed to football in the same way since Broncos teammate Darrent Williams died next to him in a shooting. It's hard to think playing in Oakland is the answer to any feelings of disinterest Walker has in the football part of his life. 4. JaMarcus Russell has been given no development time, and will still look like a rookie passer in his second year. It's enough to hold the Raiders back. 5. Time of possession will favor the Raiders. It might be the best in the league, except that McFadden insists on breaking out and scoring just a little too fast. 6. The Raiders will beat the Broncos. Twice. 7. The Raiders are a sneeze behind the Broncos. Taking the above point into account, they might be a sneeze ahead instead. The two teams are no more than one game apart at season's end. 8. It will seem like a successful season, but if the relationship between Kiffin and owner Al Davis was as bad as reported by ESPN's Chris Mortensen last season — that Davis drafted Kiffin a letter of resignation — Kiffin will take 2008's progress as enough to prove his point to future employers and head back to college football. Kansas City Chiefs 1. Rookie guard Branden Albert gives Larry Johnson's career another lease of life. 2. Rookie Jamaal Charles is listed as the returner for now, but he will get involved in the running game, and will start to develop into the lightning for Johnson's Thunder. 3. The starting WRs are Dwayne Bowe & ....Devard Darling? Darling could be a real dark horse. At 6–1 213lbs, he will get a good long look this year having caught only 20 passes the past two years. 4. Brodie Croyle's job as the regular QB is a one–year gig. The Big 12 is stuffed with QB prospects, and the Chiefs will have difficulty not taking one next season. 5. With Tyler Thigpen and Damon Huard the backups behind Brodie Croyle, somebody is going to ask why Daunte Culpepper wasn't given a shot before he gave up football 6. Don't expect to see DT Glenn Dorsey on the highlight reel. While he adjusts to life in the NFL, he'll be a solid tackler, but not the sack machine replacement for Jared Allen. 7. If the Chiefs win 5 games, that'll be a good result, though the fans won't be happy. 8. Trouble may flare up between Herm Edwards and Carl Peterson. They reportedly have different philosophies for building a winning team, and the draft approach is Edwards' way. Don't be surprised if the Bill Cowher whispers begin. |
