Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Each NFL season can only have one champion, and in 2009, the New Orleans Saints claimed that title. The good news, though, is that right now for the 2010 season, every team is sitting even. With that in mind, the Bruno Boys got to thinking about what each NFL team needs to do in order to hoist the Lombardi Trophy next year. Thus, was born the Bruno Boys latest series which will examine the key needs that need to be addressed by all 32 NFL teams. Bruno Boys Whooley continues this 8-part series with a look at the AFC West.

AFC WEST

The AFC West is a division in turmoil. Don’t agree? Well, just look at the four teams that call the division home. The Kansas City Chiefs handed a hefty contract to Matt Cassel prior to the 2009 season only to see their QB of the future throw for just 2,924 yards with 16 TDs matched by 16 INTs. The Oakland Raiders’ 2009 season was memorable for two reasons: the complete ineptitude of JaMarcus Russell at the QB position and the right hook of Tom Cable. Then, there was the Denver Broncos’ collapse; perhaps an indication that Josh McDaniels’ “my way or the highway” coaching philosophy won’t lift Denver a mile high. Even the San Diego Chargers, who walked away with the division crown thanks to a 13-3 record, have their issues, having to replace one of the game’s greatest RBs in the backfield. Yes, the AFC West isn’t filled with powerhouses at the moment, but some savvy off-season moves could possibly change all that.

San Diego Chargers

A 13-3 record? A trip to the playoffs? A good season, right? Not, if you’re the San Diego Chargers, who once again couldn’t come up when it counted most, dropping their Divisional Round match-up with the New York Jets 17 to 14. Not only did that game bring an end to the Chargers’ season, but it also marked the end of LaDainian Tomlinson’s career with the Bolts, though his reign as the face of the franchise ended at least two years ago. Since then, this team has been Philip Rivers’ squad with the QB throwing for over 4,000 yards and at least 28 TDs in each of the past two seasons. Rivers has been a steady presence under center for San Diego and will be again in 2010, but the Chargers are going to need to get him some help if they want to end the post-season disappointment.

Team Strengths:

- Philip Rivers (I mentioned it above, but I’ll mention it again. This is Rivers’ team, which is not a surprise considering he’s thrown for 8,263 yards, 62 TDs, and only 20 INTs over the last two years)
- Sure Hands on the Inside and Out (Antonio Gates has been a sure-fire target for Rivers throughout his career, utilizing his basketball skills to get position on linebackers over the middle of the field on a weekly basis. Well, now, Rivers can also look on the outside if teams decide to use safety help on Gates thanks to the continued emergence of Vincent Jackson, who posted his second 1,000-yard season in a row)
- Shaun Phillips (The linebacker may not have had a season of double digit sacks since 2006, but he does have at least 7 sacks in every season since and added seven forced fumbles in 2009)

Team Needs:

1. The Heir Apparent to LT - Let’s be perfectly clear here, the chances that the San Diego Chargers land a RB of LT’s caliber are slim to none. It’s none too often, you’re able to line a back up in your backfield and know he’s going to get over 1,000 yards rushing (something LT did every year prior to 2009) and rack up double digit scores (something LT did even up through last year) each and every season. But, that’s the beauty of it. The Chargers don’t need that back. What they do need is a back that’s good enough to keep defenses honest, allowing Philip Rivers and the aerial attack the ability to continue to do their thing.

2. A Sub for Sproles - The Chargers’ renovation of the running backs on their roster may also end with Darren Sproles landing somewhere else for 2010. The Sproles’ situation won’t much impact the team’s ground game, as Sproles is more a specialist in that area, primarily used for third down situations. But, his departure will hurt the team’s return game. Out of 89 returns of both the kickoff and punt variety last season, Sporles fielded 80. If he walks, the team definitely needs to bring in another body that can pick up the slack.

3. Defensive Playmakers - The return of Shawne Merriman was supposed to propel the Chargers to elite status once more on the defensive side of things. Instead, the team finished the season ranked just 13th in the NFL in Sacks (35), 20th in INTs (14), and 16th in Fumble Recoveries (10). Those are all areas the Chargers will need to improve on if they want to go deeper in the playoffs in 2010.

Denver Broncos

A 6-0 start to the 2009 season that included wins over the likes of the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and San Diego Chargers, all teams that played in the post-season in 2009, had many proclaiming the Broncos among the elite teams in the NFL prior to their Week 7 bye. The off-week though proved detrimental, as Denver lost its momentum, leading to a 2-8 finish to the season that left them watching the NFL playoffs from the comfort of their homes. So, how do the Broncos ensure they play solid football for all 16 weeks of the season in 2010? Part of the answer lies in addressing the team’s needs below.

Team Strengths:

- A Good Ground Game (The Broncos may not have had a 1,000-yard rusher in their backfield last season, but with Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter combining for 1,589 rushing yards, they didn’t need one. This team utilizes the RBBC perfectly)
- DE Elvis Dumervil (Dumervil’s 17 sacks in 2009 were more than the Jacksonville Jaguars had as a whole)
- Kyle Orton (His numbers may not have matched what Jay Cutler did as a member of the Broncos, but his passer rating was 10 points higher in 2009 than the Cutler’s)

Team Needs:

1. Pass Catchers - It’s no secret that Brandon Marshall has wanted out of Denver for sometime now, and it appears the restricted free agent will get his wish this off-season. Joining Marshall on the bus out of Denver will be tight end, Tony Scheffler, another restricted free agent, who was disappointed with how McDaniels used him last season. The two pass catchers accounted for more than half of the Broncos’ receiving scores in 2009 and 40%of the team’s receiving yardage. No doubt about it the Broncos’ top priority this off-season should be filling the void created by their departures.

2. A Run Stopper - The Denver Broncos made great strides defensively thanks to new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan’s game plan. In fact, the team allowed nearly eight points less per contest in 2009 than they did in 2008, and they jumped from 28th in the league in total yards allowed per game to 7th. That improvement, though, was largely a result of improved play from the secondary, as the Broncos still struggled up front to stop the run, allowing 128.7 rushing yards per game. To truly become an elite defensive unit, the Broncos will need to remedy their run-stopping problems.

3. Improved Coach-Player Relations - I appreciate Josh McDaniels wanting to place his stamp on his team, but part of being an NFL coach is learning how to manage personalities and McDaniels has yet to master that art. Filling a roster with “your” guys is great and all, but not when they’re far less talented than the players you run out of town.