1.
Broncos
2.
Chiefs
3.
Chargers
4.
Raiders
Last
season Denver led the league in points,
yards, tied for first in yards per play, and scored the most touchdowns.
But…
Denver's
performance in that game was equal to previous Super Bowl blowouts. The highest
scoring team in the league last season only managed EIGHT points in the Super
Bowl.
But
this is not about last season. This is about THIS season.
The
Broncos are trying to do something that hasn't been achieved in 42 years: a Super Bowl
loser returning to the big game and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
DeMarcus
Ware decided to follow my lead and leave Dallas for Denver. Wide receiver Eric
Decker left for the Jets, but signed Emmanuel Sanders from the
Steelers. Champ Bailey is no longer with the team, but drafted cornerback
Bradley Roby in the first round and signed Aqib Talib away from conference
rival New England.
There
is one constant: Peyton Manning is still under center for the Broncos.
Denver
will likely repeat as division champion given their schedule and opponents. The
Broncos first two games are at home against the Colts and Chiefs, teams that made
the playoffs last season. Week 3 is their rematch against the Seahawks in
Seattle. Week 7 through 9 could be telling about this Broncos team as they host
the 49ers and Chargers in primetime games and travel to Foxboro for a late
Sunday afternoon matchup against the Patriots in another installment of the Peyton Manning
vs. Tom Brady Matchup.
Both
Kansas City and San Diego will be battling it out for second place in the
division and who claims a playoff spot. Kansas City raced out to a 9-0 record
before losing 5 of their last 7 and blowing a 28
point third quarter lead in the playoffs on the road in Indianapolis. Quarterback
Alex Smith threw for a career best 3,313 yards and 23 touchdowns which earned
him a new contract
worth $68 million for 4 years.
San
Diego was 5-7 and facing playoff elimination after a home loss to the Bengals.
It started with a win over the free falling Giants at home. Four days later at
Denver, the Chargers won to bring their record to .500. The Chargers clinched
the last playoff spot with a win over the Chiefs on the last Sunday of the
regular season. The winning streak continued with a win over the Bengals in the
first round of the playoffs. San Diego's season ended with a loss in Denver in
the divisional round.
While
both teams paths to the playoffs in 2014 might be tougher than in 2013, Kansas
City may make a return to the playoffs with the way their schedule is set up.
Three of Kansas City's first five games are against playoff teams including at
division rival Denver in Week 2 and a Monday Night encounter hosting the
Patriots in Week 4.
San
Diego opens the season at Arizona, but their home opener is a first test when
they host Super Bowl champion Seattle in Week 2. The next 2013 playoff team
they face will not be until Week 7 when the Chiefs come to town after their bye
week. Kansas City plays in-state rival St. Louis in Week 8 and host the
Seahawks and Broncos in Weeks 11 and 13 followed by games at Arizona, home
against the Raiders, and at Pittsburgh.
After
their Week 7 contest against the Chiefs, the Chargers travel to Denver in
another short week to take on the Broncos and then to Miami prior to their Week
10 bye week. San Diego has a difficult stretch run starting in Week 13 when
they travel to Baltimore, followed by Sunday Night hosting the Patriots in Week
14, and their home finale against the Broncos in Week 15. The Chargers play at
San Francisco in Week 16.
Both
the Chiefs and Chargers wrap up their season in Kansas City for what could
determine which team plays in January.
I
have been doing these NFL preview's for the last four seasons and I don't think
I have ever predicted the Raiders to finish higher than third (feel free to
double check). They are the very definition of bottom feeders. In the offseason
they signed Matt Schaub who was at his peak as a quarterback over the last
couple of seasons when he was in Houston. Last season the bottom fell out for
him and during the preseason he was outplayed by rookie Derek Carr. Just before
the start of the season, Carr has been
given the starting quarterback job over Schaub.
There
were rumors that the team was
looking to relocate to San Antonio (which silver and
black would fit in nicely in that town) given the issues
concerning the Oakland Coliseum.
Not
only will their roster doom them to another last place finish, but their
schedule is unforgiving. In Week 3 they travel to New England to play the
Patriots and then to London for a home game against the Dolphins in Week 4.
Week 9 begins the crucible where 7 of their last 9 games against playoff teams
starting with at Seattle, playing the Chiefs Weeks 12 and 15, and the Broncos in
Weeks 10 and closing out the season in Denver.
Denver
will cast a shadow over the AFC West as high as Pikes Peak. The question
remains if they can reach the championship summit in February 2015.
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