Teams

Preseason Lowdown : Oakland Raiders

What’s the story?

There are two sides to every story, but the upside in the Raiders story is a lead that doesn’t need any help getting buried. But let’s celebrate it anyway! With former Packer Charles Woodson (pardon my sobbing) returning to Oakland to hold down the secondary, rookie cornerback D.J. Hayden starting to learn the ropes, and a young but potentially talented defensive line in the works, the Raiders look like they might be returning to historic form on defense. On offense…that’s another story altogether.

Leader and commander:

Dennis Allen, who is in his second year as the Raiders head coach. Allen is a defensively-minded coach with lots of experience with the secondary, and you can see how that unit is already growing under his leadership.

New kid on the block:

I’m personally invested in Matt Flynn, the newcomer at quarterback, because he used to be a backup QB for the Packers. I want to see him succeed. Let’s hope that happens. If it doesn’t, former Ohio State Buckeye Terrelle Pryor may get a few starts at QB. Either way, it doesn’t look especially promising for the Oakland offense (sorry, Matt).

Last year was…

…not different from the last 5 seasons in which they also finished 3rd in the AFC West, but better than 4 prior to that, in which they finished fourth. You’ve gotta take your optimism where you can get it.

Survey says:

With the Chiefs looking better than average, the Raiders might be battling with the Chargers for last place in the division this year. However, according to the preseason power rankings they have a solid hold on the lead in that race, coming in at 29th overall.

Preseason Lowdown : Kansas City Chiefs

What’s the story?

Hang in there, Chiefs fans; your time is coming soon. With a new head coach, new starting quarterback, and a boatload of talent on the roster, things are starting to look up for the geographically-challenged Chiefs (AFC West? Really, NFL?).

Leader and commander:

Andy Reid! Andy Reid! The long-time Eagles head coach will be taking the helm of Kansas City’s ship, and I think that only good things are in store for him and the team. He’s a proven winner.

New kid on the block:

Alex Smith, jettisoned former Niners QB who got the ax in San Fran after Colin Kaepernick became, well, Colin Kaepernick. It’s a fresh start for Smith, who deserves a new chance and wholehearted support more than just about anybody.

Last year was…

…just terrible, in so many ways. Beyond the 2-14 record in a division that is pretty awful to begin with, the Chiefs suffered a huge tragedy and had a fairly disheartening show of no support from fans. It’s hard to imagine a worse season than the season Kansas City had in 2012, all things considered.

Survey says:

Happy days are here again. The Chiefs, in my opinion, might have been the most talented team to ever go 2-14, and almost all of that talent in still on the roster. It might be a bit of an adjustment year (they are currently ranked to reflect that at 22nd), but it’s hard to imagine that a team with such a high caliber of players and coaches will go anywhere but up.

Preseason Lowdown : Denver Broncos

What’s the story?

Would we have guessed that the Broncos would advance to 13-3 in Peyton’s first season in Denver? Maybe. Would we have guessed that the Broncos would be ousted in the final moments of a playoff game they seemed to have had in the bag by the eventual Super Bowl Champion Ravens? Maybe not. The Broncos are hoping to repeat the former and avoid the latter in this year’s Lombardi chase.

Leader and commander:

~~Peyton Manning~~ John Fox.

New kid on the block:

Wes Welker, former Patriot. One can only imagine that the Patriots are wishing they could pull a Cher and Turn Back Time; one would highly doubt they would have been so quick to deal Welker had they known the apocalypse was coming for their starting receiving corp. Welker, on the other hand, now has the coolest resume of any current receiver, having caught passes from two future Hall of Famers (Brady and Manning) who are in the discussion of best-ever. Not bad company to keep.

Last year was…

…unexpected. A 13-3 season with a red hot Peyton Manning seemed like a formula for a deep playoff run, but one Mile High Miracle was all it took to end the dream before it started.

Survey says:

Peyton will lead the Broncos to first place in the AFC West. That is the closest thing to a sure bet you’ll get in the NFL this year (you’ll soon find out why as we cover the Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers over the next few days) and is enough to earn the Broncos the #3 spot in the preseason power rankings. But can Peyton overcome his post-season demons (he’s 9-11 with 1 Super Bowl win) to lead the Broncos all the way to a championship? That’s the real question.

Preseason Lowdown : Tennessee Titans

What’s the story?

It’s been a rough few years for the Titans ever since the Jeff Fisher era came to a close. This year’s fate is sitting squarely atop the shoulders of QB Jake Locker, who will be playing his first full season (barring another injury) as a starter in his third year in the league.

Leader and commander:

Mike Munchak, who is in his third year as head coach and is probably coaching for his job this season (although, isn’t everyone?). Here’s your random trivia fact for the day: The Oilers (who are now the Titans – here’s a history refresher if you need one) retired Munchak’s number after an illustrious career as a player – so illustrious that he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.

New kid on the block:

The Titans brought in a lot of new talent in this year’s draft, but perhaps the best of the bunch was their first round pick, Chance Warmack, out of Alabama. Tennessee thrives on it’s running game (and will need to rely on it if Locker struggles early) so bringing in a talented guard like Warmack for run blocking was a great move.

Last year was…

…fairly abysmal for a 6-10 season. The low point might have been their 55-7 loss to the Packers, in which they gave up 55 consecutive points en route to their 5th loss by 20 points or more…that season. Let’s just say no one was happy (except for Packers fans) after that game.

Survey says:

The Titans are perched at 27th in the preseason power rankings, which seems like the right landing spot for a team that has been less-than-mediocre for the past few years. It could be another rough ride with veritable rookie Locker at the helm, or it could be smooth sailing.

Isn’t that helpful?

Preseason Lowdown : Jacksonville Jaguars

What’s the story?

Let’s just suffice it to say that when everyone is talking about your new uniforms rather than your team, it’s probably not the best omen. In other off the field news, the Jaguars have been voted most likely to move to Europe should NFL Europe take off, so there’s that.

Leader and commander:

Gus Bradley, a first time head coach who will hopefully fare better than the previous two head coaches, both of whom only lasted a single season. Apparently there is no room for error, Gus. Good luck!

New kid on the block:

Remember Marcus Trufant? He is now a Jag, and will be reunited with his former Seahawks defensive coordinator for the past 4 years: Gus Bradley.

Last year was…

…a new low. The team finished 2-14, the worst they’ve ever finished in franchise history.

Survey says:

Maybe fans should just be excited about the new uniforms and potential European travels and leave it at that. The Jags are currently holding down the 31st spot on the preseason power rankings. Just like last season’s record, they’re not at rock bottom…but they’re pretty dang close.

Preseason Lowdown : Indianapolis Colts

What’s the story?

The Colts took everyone by surprise last year, and have every intention of solidifying their status as real contenders again this year. With head coach Chuck Pagano back in good health and QB Andrew Luck getting into the groove of his second season, the Colts are poised to do battle with the Texans once again for the #1 spot in the AFC South.

Leader and commander:

Chuck Pagano, everyone’s favorite guy. It’s technically his second year as the Colts head coach but since he missed the majority of last season battling cancer this will be his first full year at the helm.

New kid on the block:

Pep Hamilton, the new offensive coordinator, will be taking over for now Cardinals head coach and former Colts OC Bruce Arians. Those are big shoes to fill, but 38-year old Hamilton already has a head start: he was Andrew Luck’s quarterbacks coach during his senior year at Stanford.

Last year was…

…a dream season. With a rookie QB and a rookie head coach who had to leave the team early in the season to fight cancer, no one would have guessed that the Colts would advance to 11-5 and challenge the Texans for the top spot in the AFC South.

Survey says:

The Colts have a good thing going. They are ranked 10th right now in the preseason power rankings. And aside from matchups with the Niners, Broncos, and divisional rival Texans, they have one of the easiest schedules in the league. It could be another magical season in Indy.