Jets Need To Keep Up With Stacked AFC East

During their busy offseason, the New York Jets hired a new coach, bolstered their defense, and drafted a potential franchise quarterback. However, it’s a distinct possibility they still fell further behind in the division ranks.

 

Welcome to life in the AFC East.

 

It’s a fool’s game to predict next season’s Super Bowl champion or the destiny of each team at this time, but trying to decode the calculus of football’s most talented division is enticing nonetheless.

 

New York has done a sufficient job sweeping the shattered fragments of hope from its disappointing 2008-09 campaign under the carpet.

 

Shortly after the curtains closed on their 9-7 season, head coach Eric Mangini received a much-deserved pink slip, and the in-house cleaning continued as Brett Favre was given his outright release. In addition, the Jets’ brain trust did nothing short of hold the door open for an unhappy Laveranues Coles to walk through.

 

The high-profile additions turned out to be more magnified transactions, though. New York hired defensive-whiz and Baltimore Ravens defector Rex Ryan as the team’s fourth coach this decade. Linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard then decided to reunite with their former leader by signing free-agent contracts.

 

Finally, the Jets pulled the trigger on the gutsiest moves of all on draft day, trading three players along with the No. 17 pick to the Cleveland Browns for the fifth pick and, ultimately, a shot to acquire quarterback Mark Sanchez. They also dealt a fifth-round selection to the Philadelphia Eagles for two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard.

 

With the new defensive signings set to join forces with Kerry Rhodes, David Harris, Darrelle Revis, and Calvin Pace in Ryan’s new scheme, New York could wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.

 

If the Jets are planning to book a trip to the playoffs, however, they will need Sanchez to duplicate the sterling effort of Ryan’s former rookie quarterback, Joe Flacco.

 

Judging by questionable camp results and the inability to oust Kellen Clemens from the apparent open starting-quarterback competition, Sanchez isn’t ready to shine brightly yet.

 

With that in mind, it’s a bit sobering to think the New England Patriots will benefit from a healthy Tom Brady, the Buffalo Bills added Terrell Owens, and the surprising Miami Dolphins reportedly are the front-runners to land Plaxico Burress.

 

New York ranked third among AFC teams with 410 total points last season and still couldn’t find a way to survive a 1-4 slide after starting 8-3. As frustrating as Favre and Coles were at times, they were two key components of that potent offense.

 

Those departures will undoubtedly put more weight on the shoulders of Sanchez, top wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery, and running back Thomas Jones, who ended his offseason boycott of voluntary team activities and showed up for Wednesday’s practice in Florham Park, N.J.

 

For the Jets, it’s comforting to know they aren’t the only team with several question marks.

 

By trading Matt Cassel to the Kansas City Chiefs, New England is forced into hoping Brady’s devastating knee injury is fully healed. The Patriots, who had claimed five consecutive division titles before the Dolphins ended that run last year, still have enough reinforcements to be labeled a Super Bowl contender whether Brady is 100 percent or not.

 

Meanwhile, Miami’s tepid offense—led by former Jets quarterback Chad Pennington—remains its Achilles’ heel, and Buffalo is left wondering if Owens’ arrival will be enough to avoid a fourth straight 7-9 finish.

 

Clearly, New York is far from being a sure-fire winning candidate in the AFC East. Therefore it is vital for Ryan’s loaded defense and new-look offense to keep up with the pace of this much-improved division.

 

In these rough waters, it could be the difference between treading water and drowning.

Five Questions For New Kid On The Block , Seattle Seahawks LB Aaron Curry

One of the new kids on the Seahawks block, SLB Aaron Curry. The Seahawks selected Curry fourth overall in the 2009 NFL draft, that’s the highest they have taken a LB since 1987.

Curry will replace Julian Peterson’s spot on the team in a sense. Curry went to college at Wake Forest and was one of if not the best complete player in the draft. I have a few questions for you Mr. Curry.

Lets go:

 

1) What was your feeling when you heard that you were going to Seattle?

 

2) What was the first thing Jim Mora Jr asked you when he told you that you were going to be a Seattle Seahawk?

 

3) Whats been the hardest thing that you have had to overcome in your life>

 

4) What have you learned so far from Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill about the NFL.

 

5) What are some of your goals for the 2009-2010 season?

 

“Thank you Aaron for taking the time to do this interview and good luck.”

The Questions I Would Ask Jeff Backus

Since Jeff attended the University of Michigan and was one of the first players drafted by disgraced Lions GM Matt Millen, I would think Jeff would have a particularly interesting insight on the state of the Lions over the entire Millen regime that culminated in last year futile 0-16 final record.

 

I would ask Jeff how much loyalty he felt personally for Millen. I would like his insight into the mood of the locker room when the club has a particularly bad draft?

 

To dig a little deeper I would like to know how the team welcomes these new players to the team, after the press has labeled them a bad pick. In particular, I would like to know how WR Mike Williams was welcomed to this team.

 

On a different note I would ask Backus how a few bad drafts in a row affect the morale of the club, or the morale of the offensive players.

 

On a more personal note I would like to ask Backus how he feels when all the fans and the press constantly say the Lions offensive line needs to be upgraded. It would be interesting to understand how stories like this affect the player, his attitude, and his demeanor on the field.

 

Last year, we saw center Dominick Raiola frustrations with the fans and press boil over into a pretty ugly incident where Raiola invited fans to his house to fight. I would ask Jeff if he ever let his frustrations with the press get that far.

 

I would also ask him about his legacy as a matt Millen draft pick. While it is wide-spread knowledge Millen failed to improve this club via the draft, but that fact that Backus came from arguably his best NFL draft.

 

In 2001 The Lions drafted Backus, Center Dominic Raiola from Nebraska, DT Shaun Rogers of Texas, WR Scott Anderson of Grambling State, and QB Mike McMahon of Rutgers.

 

All of these players made a contribution to the Lions and three of them are still starters in this league today. I would ask Jeff if he feels any pride coming from that draft class.

 

I would also like to ask Jeff how the team motivates itself after such a horrific season in 2008. How do you trick yourself into thinking this year is going to be better, how does a NFL player put tin the work involved to compete in the NFL coming off a terrible season?

 

It can’t just be about the money, I see guys who want to win in Detroit every single day. I see guys in other sports taking less money in the prime of the careers just for a chance to win, so I would want to find out how Backus keeps himself motivated to do his job.

 

The last thing I would ask Jeff would be has he ever seriously considered leaving the Lions? I would ask him to gauge how he answered that particular question. If he said no not ever, I would think he was being less than truthful.

 

This has been a bad team for his entire career, and without getting into the specifics of what team for what money I would like to know how close he came to signing his name on a contract for a different team.

Pittsburgh Steelers Defense Will Be Full of Surprises In 09

Although the Steelers didn’t make many changes during the off-season, the moves that were made will have a significant impact on the offensive and defensive schemes that are used in the upcoming season.

Going into the season, the Steelers most glaring weakness is undoubtedly the offensive line. Without a Pro-Bowl caliber player on the line, it will take the unit playing as a cohesive unit in order for them to be successful.

The one player that sticks out to me on the O-Line is Max Starks. He stands to make $8.5 million this season unless a long term contract is reached.

Now, I would not have a problem paying a guy $8.5 million for one season if he was a Pro-Bowl caliber player, but Max Starks simply is not.

Starks is best used as a Right Tackle, where he does not have to face as many speed rushers, but the Steelers insist on using him as Left Tackle. He simply does not have to proper foot speed to help protect Ben Roethlisberger’s blindside, and often gets beat by speedy edge rushers.

Because of this, the Steelers will have to keep the runningback in to help chip block more on Third downs. This basically takes away one of our best receiving threats out of the backfield in Mewelde Moore.

For a team that gave up 49 sacks last season, leaving the runningback to help block more is the most likely scenario. Look for the Steelers to also keep Heath Miller in to help block more too.

The bottom line though is that the Steelers will likely have to sacrifice either Miller or Moore in the receiving game in order to help Max Starks out when he plays against the likes of Terrell Suggs, Jared Allen, and Shawn Merriman, just to name a few.

Another change on the offensive side of the ball will be a concerted effort to run the ball more in goal line situations.

The Steelers are stacked at runningback right now with Willie Parker, a healthy Rashard Mendenhall returning, Mewelde Moore, and ex-factor Frank “The Tank” Summers.

Early reports out of mini-camp are that Frank Summers is the real deal as a goal line back and will drag opponents with him into the endzone.

Both Willie Parker and Mewelde Moore have shown the ability to be effective in goal line situations, but with both of them carrying much of the load like they did in games last season, it is evident that the Steelers can use some fresh legs when it’s time to punch it in.

With four capable backs, look for the Steelers to stick with the run more inside the redzone, and not rely on Ben Roethlisberger making a spectacular play to save them.

On the defensive side of the ball, the change in philosophy will revolve around Inside Middle Linebacker Lawrence Timmons. His speed and explosiveness will allow Dick LeBeau to use him in many different ways.

Timmons will be able to cover tightens, which will allow James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley to blitz more. He will likely be used as a three-down linebacker since he was used in third down coverage last season.

With Dick LeBeau being the genius that he is, don’t be surprised to see Timmons line up at different places all over the field to confuse defenses. With his superior athleticism, teams will have to stay honest, and won’t be able to assume that his simply going to rush the passer.

I cannot stress to people how many different things the Steelers defense will be able to do with Lawrence Timmons on the field. They will truly be a joy to watch.

In the defensive backfield, look for Troy Polamalu to have more freedom to roam around and possibly blitz more with a healthy Ryan Clark protecting the deep third of the field.

Clark has proven to be an excellent safety in coverage, and he rarely makes mistakes. The only worry about Clark is that he doesn’t get hurt from hitting someone since he loves contact so much.

As long as everyone stays healthy, you will see a stronger commitment to running the ball in goal line situations, and exciting defense that will be hard for teams to predict where the pass rush is coming from, and who is dropping back into coverage.

Teams will have to think twice before dropping back to pass on first and second downs now.

New Orleans Saints to Pull Away From The NFC South This Season

If history repeats itself then the New Orleans Saints much like Daniel-san, will rise from their late-blooming, too-small, too-inept status to win the NFC South this year.

The Saints finished 8-8 in the 2007-2008 season, good enough for last place in what is, statistically, the best division in professional football.

For five of the last six years, with last season being the exception by one game, the worst team in the NFC South has gone on to win the division the succeeding year.

However, the Saints have a little bit more for them and a little bit more against them then simple history. It all starts with defense and it continues with a little Sean Payton pizazz, a little Matt Ryan sophomore slump, a little bit too much time for Jake Delhomme and a little lack of direction for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Saints actually have all of the pieces to see the playoffs this season, beginning with their offense. Quarterback Drew Brees was on pace to break Dan Marino’s single season passing records for most of the season and, as a result, the Saints led the league in most major offensive statistical categories.

However, the Saints struggled to find a balance as they finished in the bottom half of the lead in both rushing yards, touchdowns and rushing yards per carry, as well as finishing six spots away from being the worst scoring defense in the league.

New Orleans has found its identity in Sean Payton “trickeration” for too long and the front office is ready for change, to say that there will be some changes to the Saints identity this season is like saying that there will be some minor changes to the football-player-formerly-known-as-Chad-Johnson’s jersey this season.

Unfortunately, wishes do not alway turn into reality as the New Orleans front office failed to improve the rush offense prospects for the Saints during the offseason. (Note to New Orleans front office: drafting a too-big, too-slow Wisconsin running back isn’t improving the rush offense.)

To add injury to injury, long gone are the days that New Orleans fans and coaches can believe that tailback Reggie Bush is underperforming and waiting on his peak.

With the shelf life of the average NFL running back topping off around 27 or 28 years old it’s safe to say that Bush has neared his peak. Meaning that he’s not a feature back, he’s a great special teams player and receiver out of the backfield with the chance of breaking a sweep every now and again.

Where the Saints lacked in improvement in the ground game, they made up for improvement on the defensive side of the ball. An adjustment that was extremely important for New Orleans.

Although “defense wins championships” has become a boring cliché in the NFL, it still stands as truth. Only three of the top fifteen scoring defenses missed the playoffs last season and two of those teams missed the playoffs by only one game.

New Orleans added renowned defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to give its defense a spark.

Not only will the Saints reap the benefits of Williams’ fire and knack for play calling but they should also see the benefits of a revamped defensive secondary that is about as different from last year’s team as near is to far.

Young players such as cornerbacks Malcolm Jenkins and Jabari Greer will have a huge impact on this year’s New Orleans defense and will benefit greatly from having veteran and free agent signee Darren Sharper on board as well.

Things are certainly changing in New Orleans but the Saints will still expect plenty of fireworks from the likes of Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey, provided Shockey’s hangovers don’t prevent him from showing up to games.

Improving one’s own team certainly helps in the quest for the playoffs but seeing other teams decline is never discouraging. That is the case in the NFC South, which may still be the best division in the NFL.

In Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme is aging fast and the defense is missing a few key wheels. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay will most likely be suffering the major growing pains that come along with a new coach.

New Orleans has a legitimate shot to crack the top two in the NFC South, which means a wildcard spot for certain. However, in order to do that, the Saints will have to improve their scoring defense. Whether that’s by virtue of a more ball-control oriented offense of a defense that keeps its opponents out of the endzone on an even semi-respectable basis, one cannot tell.

The bottom line is, New Orleans has plenty of pieces. It’s now up to Payton and Williams to put those pieces together. If they can do that, and they should, then the rest of the NFL will certainly be hearing chants of “Who dat?” echoing from the Big Easy this postseason.

AFC West To Chargers: Proceed With Caution?

The lack of strength in the AFC West allowed the San Diego Chargers to win their third consecutive divisional crown in 2008 with just an 8-8 record.

How futile were the Broncos, Chiefs and Raiders last year? Their 15 combined wins last season were only two more than the 13-3 Tennessee Titans. However, change is in the air for the division’s clubs.

Only San Diego’s Norv Turner will repeat as coach for his team. Todd Haley, Josh McDaniels, and Tom Cable were not on the sidelines as signal callers for their teams in Week 1 of 2008.

Kansas City and Denver also attacked the free agent market ferociously, with Denver attempting to reorganize its defense—and move past the Jay Cutler fiasco—while Kansas City (through new GM Scott Pioli) tried to end their uncertainty at quarterback whilst acquiring players to ease the switch into its new defensive scheme.

Oakland got burned last season with several misguided signings (Remember DeAngelo Hall?) and stayed somewhat quiet. The signing of Jeff Garcia is the first indication out of the Al Davis camp that JaMarcus Russell might not pan out the way they thought he would.

Then came April in New York.

Kansas City came off of a strong 2008 draft with a solid one in 2009. Denver swung for the fences by getting Knowshon Moreno but did little to improve its defensive line. Oakland was ridiculed by many for reaching for several players (Kipergate was especially entertaining).

While the Chiefs and Broncos have for the most part improved their personnel, both bolstering their young squads with experienced players (Zach Thomas and Mike Vrabel in KC, Brian Dawkins in Denver), Oakland will continue to depend on how their young guys gel.

Those young guys will be shepherded by Cable, who helped the Raiders finish strong in 2008 by winning their last two games, albeit against teams who missed the playoffs. Oakland’s speed and youth will work for them, their schedule won’t.

Brutal visits to Dallas, Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh, and to the New York Giants will be daunting tests. A clear indicator of the Raiders’ chances will be after Week Three, as they will face every team in their division, with two of those games coming at home.

A realistic scenario has them improving upon their 5-11 record… to a modest 6-10 (with no wins against San Diego—again).

Kansas City, as mentioned, will rely on an interesting mixture of youth and veteran leadership to hopefully do better than the ghastly 2-14 in 2008.

Todd Haley, formerly Arizona’s offensive coordinator, will take the reins at Arrowhead Stadium.

Even with moves designed to bolster their mediocre defense, the Chiefs still look like a team who can’t pressure the quarterback (save for Tyson Jackson) enough to force turnovers.

The offense is clearly Matt Cassel’s show to run, and it will be interesting to see a continuation of sorts between Haley’s pass-first offense in Arizona and Cassel’s spread background from his days in New England.

Their strong games against the Chargers will most likely preface a season split. Again, the NFC East matchup won’t favor any AFC West team, but the Chiefs will at least get to play the Giants and the Cowboys at home.

Other games of note are the showdowns at Baltimore and Jacksonville, as well a visit from the Steelers.

The Haley/Pioli era starts off with a 6-10 or 7-9, at the most.

In Denver, the offseason drama was worthy of a daytime Emmy-winning soap opera writer. Putting the Cutler saga behind him, Josh McDaniels got to work on remaking a defense that got shelled last season.

Losing Cutler will be a blow, but Knowshon Moreno should keep defenses at bay enough to let Kyle Orton throw to his talented receivers.

Dawkins will provide veteran leadership to the club, but Denver’s defensive line is lacking, even with the addition of Robert Ayers. Beyond that, it’s a shot in the dark to say whether the mixture of new faces will come together to provide a significant difference for Denver.

The Chargers-Broncos rivalry added a new chapter with “The Mile High Robbery” last season, and the Broncos will look to avenge their brutal 52-21 thrashing in Week 17 (that was also good for knocking Denver out of the playoffs).

An important four-week stretch from Weeks 12 to 15 will make or break their season, as they take on the Giants at home, go on the road to play against the Colts and Chiefs, before wrapping up by hosting the Raiders.

A repeat of 8-8 is very plausible, with a shock win over Baltimore or Dallas nudging them to 9-7.

With these offseason shakeups, the talented yet flawed AFC West will set out to prove to the Chargers that 8-8 won’t cut it in order to earn a playoff berth.
However, by the looks of things, 9-7 could well do it.

10 Questions For New Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler

Jay Cutler was brought to the Chicago Bears on April 2, 2009 in a trade with the Denver Broncos for Kyle Orton and two future #1 draft picks. Adding a quarterback of Cutler’s caliber will be a huge step towards making the playoffs and big things are expected in Chicago this year. Here are 10 questions I would like to ask the new Chicago signal caller in a one-on-one interview.

Interview Questions For One Of The League’s Top Corners, Nnamdi Asomugha

Before playing for the Raiders, you grew up in Los Angeles and played college football at Cal. Have you always wanted to play locally in California?

 

You have had experience being a standout on struggling teams. At Cal, you went through a 1-11 season in 2001. The Raiders went 2-14 in 2006, despite your eight interceptions. How difficult has not winning been for you, and how have you kept playing at a high level?

 

Which was tougher – the lack of success in Oakland or the nearly winless season with the Bears?

Evaluate the play of current Cal cornerback Syd’Quan Thompson. What kind of player can he be at the next level?

Could this be Cal’s year to win the Pac-10 in football? In basketball?

You’ve had to cover the opponent’s best receiver. Who has been the toughest to cover, and what makes that particular player so hard to defend?

You had Tim Brown and Jerry Rice on your roster. Did you ever  cover them in practice, and if so, how did you fare against them?

Have you went against Darrius Heyward-Bey in practice yet? Talk about him as a developing receiver. What he can contribute to the team? How you think he will handle the expectations and criticism as the 7th overall pick?

Tom Cable will be the fifth Raider coach since your arrival in Oakland. How has the constant turnover affected this team?

What qualities does Cable bring that you think will help the Raiders improve in 2009-2010?

Last season, you had just 27 passes thrown your way. With so few balls coming at you, is it hard to stay focused at all and not ‘take plays off’?

The team has drafted seven other defensive backs since picking you in 2003. Not counting this year’s pick (Michael Mitchell), only two of the selections remain on the team roster. Why have so many of them have struggled? What do you think is key to being a solid NFL defensive back?

What inspired your local community and global service efforts? In particular, talk the story behind your family’s organization – Orphans and Widows in Need.

Describe your experience meeting former president Clinton at his Global Initiative. Where does it rank among your life accomplishments?

How philanthropy always been a large part of your life?

Why do you think it is important for NFL players and other athletes to set good examples off the field?

Former Steelers’ Coach Bill Cowher: Seriously, The Canes?

Some time around 40 A.D., the Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger declared: “One who boasts of his ancestry is praising the deeds of another.”

Pondering this ancient adage, my mind scrolled rapidly forward and thought about how these words still ring true today.

In the days following February 2, 2009, I have boasted of my ancestry precisely by praising the deeds of others.  Confronted by acquaintances here in Columbus, Ohio, who do not share my appreciation of Pittsburgh’s NFL dominance in their home state, my Steeler swagger surfaces when provoked.

The shocking thing is that today, the Seneca quote did not conjure an image of the Steelers’ praiseworthy deeds in my mind.  My first thought was the irony that my pride in my Pittsburgh ancestry was presently tied to a bunch of guys, a large number of whom were not even born in America.

For the first time since 1979, I am entertaining the thought that Pittsburgh has a shot at boasting two championship teams.  

This feat last happened in 2004, when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. The Patriots had won the ’03 season’s Super Bowl in February ’04, then repeated, taking the Super Bowl title in the 2004 season as well.  

Between Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl XIII win in ’79 and XIV title in ’80, bookending a Pirates World Series in 1979, the exact duplication of which happened for New England in 2004, just five cities have repeated this rare feat.

If you want to be a stickler over the fact that in 2000 the New York Yankees won the World Series the same year that the New Jersey Devils won the Stanley Cup, that would make just four.  

Incidentally, not since 1952, when the Lions won the pre-Super Bowl NFL Championship while the Detriot Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, has a football and hockey team combined to bring two championships to a city.

No American city has ever boasted a Super Bowl and a Stanley Cup championship team during the same season.  If the Penguins win this series, the Cup will mark another historical first for Pittsburgh.

So these men that make up the Penguin squad, not one of them from Pittsburgh, or even Pennsylvania, now carry the hopes of a city on their shoulders.

I would wager a bet that my love for Pittsburgh, no matter how many years it has been since my departure, no matter how many miles away I live, is fairly consistent with that of my fellow expats.  I tend to assume that if we put together a great team in any sport, that everyone in the city limits and beyond will support them.

Which brings me to Cowher and his Canes habit.  Cowher was already my least favorite Steelers coach with whom I have some familiarity.   

Cowher did coach the Steelers when they drafted most of my current favorite players, that is an enormous plus.  Also in his corner is the fact that he has supported the Hurricanes for some time, but this is the Eastern Conference and Pittsburgh is once again on the brink of making history. 

After his appearance at Game Four in Carolina, decked out in a cherry-red shirt and radiant, anchorman teeth, Cowher said that he would get on board with the Penguins if the Hurricanes lost.

Forget it Cowher, I just can’t fathom you not getting behind the Pens!  Are you trying to let us down easy for the day next season when you do something awful like take over the Bungles reins from your old pal Marvin Lewis?  I’ll bet that even Marvin Lewis is rooting for the Pens!

Pittsburgh sports mean the world to so many Pittsburgh natives.  In the future, when I recount the glory of the athletes and coaches who have represented and inspired us so well over the years, I may drop Cowher a little further down on my list.

Chargers’ PYP an Indicator of Where They’ve Been, What Could Come

The mathematicians of the world might be mostly entrenched in the baseball realm, but there’s some moving over to the football world as well.

A unique stat that is breaking ground is Potential Yardage Percentage (PYP). It’s a simple one to monitor; it’s the percentage of yardage a team could have obtained during the game.

So, if a team starts on the 50 yard line and goes one yard, then they only gained two percent of their potential yardage.

If you have a better PYP than the other team, does that mean you’re always going to win? That still has to be determined; a team could have a great PYP and lose 12-0 on four field goals.

But that was the case for the Chargers. Eight times during the season, they had a better PYP than their opponent. They won all eight games. So for a team that went 8-8 you can imagine what happened when they didn’t have a better PYP than the other team.

Who do you pin that on? It’s hard to tell. PYP is still making its way to the forefront. And the Chargers’ PYP gained and allowed was all over the board last season.

But there was something to note; the Chargers seemed to stay even with a lot of their opponents. When their opponents had a low PYP, the Chargers seemed to have a low one as well.

There were a couple of big differences. Against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chargers’ PYP was only 38.16 percent, and the Steelers dominated for 51.59 percent.

In the Chargers’ final loss before their miraculous run, Atlanta had a PYP of 58.61, while San Diego only had 21.76 percent.

The Chargers’ best performance of the season in terms of PYP differential was the week after the Atlanta loss, when they virtually made Oakland irrelevant. Oakland’s PYP in that game was a putrid 14.81 percent.

San Diego, meanwhile, only had a 41.12 PYP in that game (below their season average of 47.00), but it didn’t matter because they destroyed the Raiders.

In the eight losses, it’s hard to tell where things went wrong. Aside from the Pittsburgh and Atlanta games, the Chargers’ PYP wasn’t horrible. It’s tough to solely blame it on the offense for not doing more or the defense for not holding down the opposition better.

I think we’re going to see a big shift this season because of the defense. The draft acquisitions plus the return of Shawne Merriman should make the defense stronger than it was last season.

Also, Philip Rivers continues to improve; his quarterback rating has increased every season. The offensive PYP should go up slightly, but I expect the opponents PYP to go down.

San Diego Chargers Potential Yardage Percentage Statistics

*Regular season only

• 2008 Defensive PYP average allowed: 47.38 percent
• 2008 Offensive PYP average: 47.18 percent
• Record when having a better PYP than opponent: 8-0
• vs. 2008 playoff teams: 0 wins when having a worst PYP than opponent (5 teams)
• Best Offensive PYP performance: 78.78 percent (Week 17 vs. Denver)
• Worst Offensive PYP performance: 21.76 percent (Week 13 vs. Atlanta)
• Best Defensive PYP allowed: 14.81 percent (Week 14 at Oakland)
• Worst Defensive PYP allowed: 63.07 percent (Week 8 vs. New Orleans in London)

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