AFC West Up for Grabs – Get Raiders Accomplish Gutsy Call

But first, how about the Raiders traveling out and trading for Carson Palmer? A actual absorbing move. Palmer is a appropriate quarterback who apparently has a brace years larboard in him. And account letters are suggesting that Palmer is acceptable to alpha adjoin the Chiefs this weekend. Wow.

My take? Quarterbacks, even adept quarterbacks, hardly excel in their aboriginal analysis with a new team. And that’s if they accept an absolute off-season and preseason to prepare. In 1993, Joe Montana took the Chiefs to the AFC Championship Game, but did so mostly on the aback of an outstanding defense. And in 2009, Brett Favre took the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game and acquaint a quarterback appraisement of 107.2. A actual absorbing analysis backward in his career. But do you wish to apperceive what’s added common? Endure year the Washington Redskins traded for Donovan McNabb who struggled and accomplished with a quarterback appraisement of 77.1. The alone analysis he had with a worse rating? His amateur year in 1999 area he acquaint a appraisement of 60.1. Carson Palmer isn’t Brett Favre. Heck, he isn’t even Donovan McNabb. He’s a characterless quarterback who enjoyed his best seasons in 2005 and 2006. The Raiders fabricated a adventurous move, but apparently not a acute move. If they end up acceptable the analysis and authoritative a run in the playoffs, again it was a abundant move. If not, they’ve accustomed up two actual top abstract picks and accept aching the abiding development of their team.

Now let’s attending about the standings in the AFC West.

San Diego Chargers (4-1): The Chargers accept baffled Minnesota (1-5), Kansas City (2-3), Miami (0-5) and Denver (1-4). They’ve absent to New England (5-1).

Reasons for optimism: The Chargers accept managed to alpha fast, but that’s been added the aftereffect of the teams they’ve played, than how they’ve played. They still accept a lot of talent. Ryan Matthews appears to be a accepted starting active back.

Reasons for pessimism: Antonio Gates has played little this season. Their agenda is traveling to get abundant tougher. And Norv Turner is still their coach.

Prediction: Their agenda is traveling to get abundant tougher. And they’re traveling to charge to play abundant better. I accept a difficult time award added than 5 wins on their actual schedule. I anticipate they end up 9-7, which is appropriate about the almanac a lot of of Norv Turner’s teams end up.

Oakland Raiders (4-2): The Raiders accept baffled Denver (1-4), New York Jets (3-3), Houston (3-3) and Cleveland (2-3). They’ve absent to Buffalo (4-2) and New England (5-1).

Reasons for optimism: Darren McFadden is a stud, and the Raiders are additional in the alliance in rushing. They’ve been the a lot of absorbing aggregation in the analysis so far, and are a accepted playoff contender.

Reasons for pessimism: The Raiders are ranked #28 in the alliance in absolute defense, and are decidedly accessible adjoin the canyon area they’re ranked #30 in the league. Quarterback Jason Campbell was accepting a appropriate analysis afore breaking his collarbone endure week. It will be a big catechism as to how Carson Palmer will acknowledge to his new surroundings. I don’t see any acumen to anticipate that the aggregation will be bigger with Palmer than they were with Campbell. And it’s acceptable that they’ll be worse.

Prediction: The Raiders accept a bright attempt to win this division, but difficult to see six wins on their actual schedule. I’m academic they end up 9-7 as well.

Kansas City Chiefs (2-3): The Chiefs accept baffled Minnesota (1-5) and Indianapolis (0-6). And they’ve absent to Buffalo (4-2), Detroit (5-1) and San Diego (4-1).

Reasons for optimism: After two historically bad losses, the Chiefs arise to accept righted the ship. And if they can cull off a win in Oakland this weekend, they’re sitting at 3-3, which is absolutely area I had them (though I had them assault Buffalo and accident to Oakland to ability 3-3). If Jackie Battle can accommodate the Chiefs with a constant arena attack, they’re traveling to be OK.

Reasons for pessimism: They’re still missing Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki for the season. And they’ve got a boxy agenda ahead.

Prediction: Believe it or not, a win this weekend would put the Chiefs in a acceptable position to win the AFC West. They would accept their two toughest bounded amateur abaft them with a 1-1 record. That leaves them two amateur adjoin Denver, and home amateur adjoin San Diego and Oakland. I anticipate they’ve got 5 or 6 added wins in them this season, which puts them at 7-9 or 8-8. My aboriginal anticipation of 9-7 looks actual difficult.

Denver Broncos (1-4): Denver has baffled Cincinnati (4-2). They’ve absent to Oakland (4-2), Tennessee (3-2), Green Bay (6-0) and San Diego (4-1).

Reasons for optimism: John Fox is in his aboriginal year with the team, and he’s a acceptable coach. He just didn’t accept a lot to plan with. Their agenda does get a bit easier.

Reasons for pessimism: Lots of them, including that they just traded abroad their best advanced receiver. I’m not a Tim Tebow hater, and I accept no clue if he’s traveling to be a acceptable quarterback or not. History has apparent us that quarterbacks with bad mechanics hardly accept abiding success in the league. But Tebow is an absorbing adolescent man and an absurd athlete. He will accomplish it absorbing to say the least.

Prediction: Hard to see added than a brace wins larboard on their schedule. I’m academic 4-12.