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Like the Broncos, Kansas City's strength is its defense.
Tired of watching his team bow out with a whimper in the playoffs,NFL Jerseys From China, Elway replaced coach John Fox with Gary Kubiak, his longtime backup and one-time offensive coordinator, last winter.
It starts with a dominant defense and includes a powerful ground game based on the zone-blocking scheme, all designed to lighten the burden on an aging quarterback.
ROUGH ROAD: The Chiefs signed Jeremy Maclin to upgrade an offense that featured zero touchdown catches from their wide receivers last season, a big reason they jettisoned Dwayne Bowe and his albatross contract.
DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos have owned the AFC West since Tebowmania swept the NFL in 2011.
San Diego has consecutive third-place finishes under coach Mike McCoy,Wholesale Jerseys China, including being swept by Denver and Kansas City last season.
"Well, maybe it's not what he's used to," Elway said. "But I just think that at 39 years old, he can't work like he used to work. And he's got to be able to save that. He may not be as far along as he wants to right now because he hasn't had that work, he'll be much farther along in December by taking this time off, when we're really going to need him."
Kubiak brought with him the blueprints that helped Elway cap his Hall of Fame playing career with two Super Bowl titles.
"We've got to win games in our division to win the division," Rivers said. "You can't go 3-3 or worse in your division games and expect to win the division. We've gone way too long. Winning the West is what we've talked about and what our mindset is."
"I think we can still win games as we're developing the identity," Manning said.
Oakland gave Derek Carr some needed options in the passing game with the additions of Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree in hopes he can improve on his NFL-worst 5,Authentic Buffalo Bills Jersey.5 yards per attempt as a rookie. An improved running game behind Latavius Murray also should help take pressure off Carr.
While the long-term benefit is supposedly a fresher mind and body in December,NFL Jerseys China, things might not be so smooth in September. With four new O-linemen this season, zero snaps with both of his Pro Bowl receivers this summer and more time off than he's ever taken, Manning was understandably rusty in the preseason and failed to find the end zone.
They've won the division by an average of 3.67 games behind Peyton Manning, who hasn't had any feeling in the fingertips on his throwing hand since undergoing neck fusion surgery while with the Colts.
The Broncos, who again drafted a defensive player — Shane Ray — with their top pick, gave Manning, 39,Blank Arsenal Jersey UK, lots of rest this summer to keep him fresh. The only player who's been in the league longer is Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.
A look at the rest of the AFC West:
The problem: a brutal schedule. The Chiefs play eight of their first 11 games away from Arrowhead Stadium, one of which is their London game.
Gordon is expected to help take some pressure off Rivers, who was sacked three dozen times last season and played through back and chest injuries.
"John was very unselfish, knowing that his stats wouldn't be the same," former coach Mike Shanahan recalled. "Ultimately,Wholesale Jerseys China, he knew quarterbacks get judged by winning championships. And I think one of the reasons John is going in the direction he's going in is it's the formula he had for winning the Super Bowl."
PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers.
RAIDER JACK: The Raiders hired Jack Del Rio as their ninth coach since 2003 in hopes of ending their 12-year playoff drought.
"Well, if I threw for 5,400-something yards and 55 touchdown passes, I wish my fingers would have been numb, too," GM John Elway said.
The defense has major questions in the secondary, but should be much better equipped to pressure the quarterback with second-year rusher Khalil Mack playing more as a defensive end than linebacker.
Despite dominating their division for four years, the Broncos are a team in transition.
Elway added that with a new coaching staff, "there is going to be some growing pains early in the year."
CHARGING CHARGERS: San Diego is a popular pick to unseat the Broncos thanks to the arrival of running back Melvin Gordon, a stout offensive line featuring former Denver left guard Orlando Franklin and a contract extension for Philip Rivers.
Justin Houston is back with a big new contract after his 22-sack season and he's joined by Pro Bowl linebacker Derrick Johnson and tackle Mike DeVito, both of whom tore Achilles tendons in the opener and missed the rest of 2014. They also get back Eric Berry, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in December and was declared cancer-free this summer after several rounds of chemotherapy. |
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