AFC West: Dominant Chargers need to stop with the big tease

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The San Diego Chargers are as talented as any team in the league. They also play in a division that shouldn't bring a team to even barely challenge them, which should mean an easy sail to the playoffs.

So what? Winning divisions, getting to the playoffs and teasing their fans have all happened before. The Super Bowl is the only way for the 2008 Chargers, and many are saying they have a real chance.

One sentence of caution for Chargers fans: Haven't we heard that before?

Just when we think the Chargers are ready to finally make it to their second Super Bowl, something seems to go awry. I'm not saying that will happen this time around, but Chargers fans have probably come to expect it.

This San Diego team is as good and balanced as any they've had. Both lines are strong and physical, although the Shawne Merriman knee situation bears watching. On offense, running back LaDainian Tomlinson will again key the attack and make him the Fantasy football darling.

It's the growth of quarterback Philip Rivers that will be the deciding factor in whether the Chargers can get to the Super Bowl. The Colts have Peyton Manning. The Patriots have Tom Brady. Advantage to those two. Rivers needs to move closer to them this season.

He certainly won over a lot of doubters by playing on a torn ACL in the AFC Championship Game loss to the Patriots.

The rest of the division has little in terms of a challenge to the Chargers. The Broncos might be the best of the bunch, but that's not saying much. They have a third-year starter in quarterback Jay Cutler, but he has more experience than JaMarcus Russell (Raiders) and Brodie Croyle (Chiefs), the other two young quarterbacks in the division.

Look for a lot of offensive struggles at times for those three teams, although Cutler is coming off a heck of a preseason.

Oakland spent a ton of money in free agency, but none if it will matter if Russell isn't an immediate impact player. The Chiefs are in complete rebuild mode, and might be the worst team in the league.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Chargers	2008 standings: 8-8
	Pts Scored: 439 Pts Allowed: 347 Off. Yds/G: 349.0 Def. Yds/G: 349.9
2. Raiders	2008 standings: 5-11
	Pts Scored: 263 Pts Allowed: 388 Off. Yds/G: 272.2 Def. Yds/G: 360.9
3. Chiefs	2008 standings: 2-14
	Pts Scored: 291 Pts Allowed: 440 Off. Yds/G: 308.7 Def. Yds/G: 393.2
4. Broncos	2008 standings: 8-8
	Pts Scored: 370 Pts Allowed: 448 Off. Yds/G: 395.8 Def. Yds/G: 374.6

Add it all up and it spells an easy time of it for the Chargers in the division. Big deal. If they don't make the Super Bowl, the season will be a failure, making them the perpetual tease.

San Diego Chargers

Significant additions: LB Derek Smith; OT L.J. Shelton; CB Antoine Cason; RB Jacob Hester.

Significant subtractions: RB Michael Turner; CB Drayton Florence; S Marlon McCree.

Biggest offseason move: Letting Turner go in free agency. They need somebody to step up as a backup to LaDainian Tomlinson.

Will go to the playoffs if ... They play as expected. They're good.

Rookie to watch: Hester. He will play fullback and also get some carries as a reserve running back.

Overview: The Chargers went to the AFC Championship Game last season and there's nothing to think they won't be in that mix again. They are loaded on both lines, provided Merriman can play at a high level with his knee injury, and they have Tomlinson to drive the offense. Rivers has bounced back nicely from the torn ACL. He needs to take the passing game up a notch and the receivers need to do more. They should have a cakewalk to the playoffs.

Denver Broncos

Significant additions: DT Dewayne Robertson; LB Niko Koutouvides; C Casey Weigman; LB Boss Bailey; WR Eddie Royal; T Ryan Clady.

Significant subtractions: K Jason Elam; C Chris Myers; WR Javon Walker.

Biggest offseason move: Letting Travis Henry go at running back. They're getting younger there again.

Will go to the playoffs if ... Cutler has a 3,500-yard, 25-touchdown season.

Rookie to watch: WR Eddie Royal. He just might be the starter on opening day. He can also return punts.

Overview: When does coach Mike Shanahan start to take heat? The Broncos haven't been to the Super Bowl since John Elway retired. That's a decade ago. It's time for Denver to get close again. But this doesn't look like a team that has the talent for that. Cutler looked good in the preseason, and that needs to carry over.

The loss of Brandon Marshall for Week 1 for suspension hurts. The defense must find a way to get more pressure on the quarterback. That means young players, such as Jarvis Moss, have to do more off the edge. They are a wild-card team at best, so it looks like without a road playoff miracle like the Giants had last season, it will be another Super Bowl-less season for Shanahan.

Oakland Raiders

Significant additions: CB DeAngelo Hall; T Kwame Harris; C John Wade; DE Kalimba Edwards; WR Javon Walker; S Gibril Wilson; RB Darren McFadden.

Poll Who will win the AFC West?   5%  Chiefs     13%  Broncos     9%  Raiders     73%  Chargers     Total Votes: 32679

Significant subtractions: DE Chris Clemons; WR Jerry Porter; DT Warren Sapp; CB Fabian Washington; WR Drew Carter (injury).

Biggest offseason move: Trading to get Hall. He pairs with Nnamdi Asomugha to give the Raiders one of the best pair of corners in the league.

Will go to the playoffs if ... Russell can be effective as a first-year starter and the many new players mix in well.

Rookie to watch: McFadden. He has a chance to be a lot like Adrian Peterson from a year ago.

Overview: There is talent on this roster. But it will all come down to how good Russell can be in his first year as the full-time starter. He has a big arm, but can he handle facing NFL coverage? If he can, they just might push for a wild-card spot. The offensive line is a little bit of a concern. The defense should be very good. The corners will play a lot of man, which allows coordinator Rob Ryan to do a lot of things up front. Coach Lane Kiffin's unstable job security won't help the situation. This is a team that might be a year away.

Kansas City Chiefs

Significant additions: WR Devard Darling, OLB Demorrio Williams; DT Glenn Dorsey; T Brandon Albert; WR Will Franklin.

Significant subtractions: DE Jared Allen; TE Jason Dunn; C Casey Wiegmann, WR Eddie Kennison

Biggest offseason move: Deciding to rebuild. They traded Jared Allen away to get draft picks because they're in rebuild mode.

Will go to the playoffs if ... The top three teams in this division fail miserably.

Rookie to watch: Dorsey. He is a power player who should help solve the problems inside for the Kansas City defense.

Overview: Here's a word Chiefs fans need this season: Patience. This is a team clearly rebuilding. When you trade away your best defensive player, that's the message. A year ago, the offensive line was putrid, which led to problems with the entire offense. It should be better this season with the addition of first-round pick Branden Albert. Now it's time to find out if Croyle is their long-term answer at quarterback. The defense is young, but there is some talent. The speed will be evident, but so will the inexperience. They're playing for two years down the road. Wonder if coach Herm Edwards will be around to see it?