2011 AFCW Predictions (Including Division Winner Poll)

[FanInAZ]

1. San Diego (Their MO over the past several seasons has been to show up a month late for the start of the season and make the playoffs with a late season rally, until last year. This year, I expect the Chargers to show up on time and play all 16 games.

2. Kansas City (Going from worst to 1st was a great achievement last year; but was it a fluke?)

3. Denver (The Homer in me just can't drown out the realist.)

4. Oakland (The Raiders had their 1st non losing season in 8 years and Mad Al rewards the coach by firing him. I don’t care how good the they may or may not look on paper, Mad Al is still their owner and is still prone to sabotaging his own team’s success.)

[Northman]

Right now, San Diego.

[SR]

San Diego. No holdout for Vincent Jackson to distract the team. Ryan Matthews is 100% healthy. Gates had a whole off-season to let his health issues try to heal (despite him sitting out the preseason games). Their defense should be as good as it usually is. I think anyone who doesn't think San Diego will win the division is delirious.

[DenBronx]

*puts on orange colored glasses*



DENVER BABY!!!! 16-0!!! SUPERBOWL!!!!


:defense::salute::defense::salute::defense:

[Canmore]

San Diego. No holdout for Vincent Jackson to distract the team. Ryan Matthews is 100% healthy. Gates had a whole off-season to let his health issues try to heal (despite him sitting out the preseason games). Their defense should be as good as it usually is. I think anyone who doesn't think San Diego will win the division is delirious.

That is how I see it. San Diego is the class of the division. Offensively and defensively they are top tier. Kansas City may have sneaked in last year but this year I expect a focused Charger team from the start of the season. Kansas City finishes second. The Raiders are third and unfortunately we bring up the rear.

[DenBronx]

Our Superbowl is MNF against the raiders. I really care most about this game. I hope we find a way to stomp the shit out of them.

[Northman]

Our Superbowl is MNF against the raiders. I really care most about this game. I hope we find a way to stomp the shit out of them.

Im hopeful but for the most part i hope if we lose we lose by less than 35 points this time.

[Canmore]

Im hopeful but for the most part i hope if we lose we lose by less than 35 points this time.

Brutal North. I'm expectig a competitive game.

[tomjonesrocks]

Brutal North. I'm expectig a competitive game.

Could not be worse timing to get the Raida's...the Broncos have no one healthy and/or on the roster that will stop their run game.

Agreed, expect them to get their ass handed to them right out of the gate. Raiders will run at will and chew up the clock to a dismal outcome. Orton might even say "we're done" again.

[MasterShake]

San Diego. I'm hoping KC and Denver battle for second and perhaps a wild card? :D

[claymore]

Denver wins the AFCW. Maybe we introduce a new offense where Tebow only plays in the Redzone, and Orton between the 20's.

Doom and Von become the best pass rushing tandem in the history of the NFL. :cheers:

[MileHighCrew]

if people pretend they are tough online, there isn't anything wrong with me picking the Broncos to o 19-0 this year. Broncos all the way

[broncofaninfla]

I'd say the AFC West is wide open this year but I'd say we are the weakest team at this point. Denver needs to start off hot and pray for few to no injuries. BUT the reality is as the season progresses, the starters will suffer some injuries and the team will have to turn to it's back ups and right now that is a very weak bunch. I see Denver as an improved team from last year but not a team with a winning record, not yet. Sure hope I'm wrong....

[CoachChaz]

Rome wasnt built in a day...and the Denver roster cant be torn down and re-built in one off-season. Progress is all we can realistically hope for. It'll be a tough few seasons to recover from the McDaniels debacle, but we'll get there eventually.

A 6-10 or 7-9 record is achievable, but more importantly is to play well against the tougher teams. If we can make the Jets, Pats, Pack, etc have to play late into the 4th...I call it progress.

[Agent of Orange]

I think our pass rush is going to be incredible. As a result, I think the division teams will try to run more against us. Oakland and KC like to run anyway (at least did). So, as I've said before, I think a lot of what will influence these games is how successfully we can run vs. the other teams. If we can run better than they do, we decrease the likelihood that theyll continue running so diligently in a lot of cases. Im not saying we cant win by throwing. If defenses sell out to stop our run and leave themselves open to be exploited by our pass, we could win games passing but Im talking more generically.

[Lancane]

I think our pass rush is going to be incredible. As a result, I think the division teams will try to run more against us. Oakland and KC like to run anyway (at least did). So, as I've said before, I think a lot of what will influence these games is how successfully we can run vs. the other teams. If we can run better than they do, we decrease the likelihood that theyll continue running so diligently in a lot of cases. Im not saying we cant win by throwing. If defenses sell out to stop our run and leave themselves open to be exploited by our pass, we could win games passing but Im talking more generically.

Unfortunately your post is dead on, because Fox's defenses are literally built to stop the pass not the run, he's only ever produced two defenses that were in the top ten in run defense while they've almost all excelled in pass rushing, turnovers and so forth, it will be those teams that are solid on the ground who may give us the most trouble or those balanced in both that will really test us. San Diego, Kansas City and Oakland all have quality ground games, if we can somehow out perform them and even force them to rely on the passing game, I don't think Kansas City could do enough via their passing attack to beat us, but San Diego is a whole different story.

I believe San Diego will claim the AFC West once again...we're not ready to win the west, not yet.

[Agent of Orange]

Unfortunately your post is dead on, because Fox's defenses are literally built to stop the pass not the run, he's only ever produced two defenses that were in the top ten in run defense while they've almost all excelled in pass rushing, turnovers and so forth, it will be those teams that are solid on the ground who may give us the most trouble or those balanced in both that will really test us. San Diego, Kansas City and Oakland all have quality ground games, if we can somehow out perform them and even force them to rely on the passing game, I don't think Kansas City could do enough via their passing attack to beat us, but San Diego is a whole different story.

I believe San Diego will claim the AFC West once again...we're not ready to win the west, not yet.

I think San Diego has the fewest weaknesses. But they're also by far the best passing team in the AFC West. For that reason, I think San Diego would be the team in the division that's quickest to abandon the run against us. This could play into our hands. When we beat them in 2009, we won that game because Dumervil was able to generate a lot of pressure. We have two of those now. We also have Champ in the middle where Rivers' favorite checkdown is...not to mention a ballhawking safety who could really help on deep coverage (provided Rivers' clock is accelerated).

In a wierd way, San Diego could potentially be our best matchup. The toughest part might be running against their defense.

But if you can successfully run the ball, I think other teams start to show you what they really are. I think teams panic fairly quickly when you can run the ball against them and revert to what they're really about. It just seems that way. I could be wrong though and it's not true in all cases. And so I think if we can run the ball against teams, theyll become less balanced if they're really a passing team.

[TaylorK47]

1. Denver 9-7:defense:
2 Oakland 8-8
3 Kansas City 7-9
4 San Deigo 7-9

[EastCoastBronco]

I think San Diego takes it....especially if they get out of the blocks early.
As much as I can't stand Phyllis, he's pretty damn good.
Their D is damn steady as well...