Look for Chargers to take the AFC West
With five weeks to go in the NFL season, here’s a look into the crystal football at what will happen:
Déjà (powder) blue
The San Diego Chargers will run the table and win their remaining five games to claim their fifth consecutive AFC West crown.
We’ve seen this movie before: The Chargers are a disaster to begin the season — this year they got off to a 2-5 start — before hitting their stride and powering into the playoffs. As we know, that’s when they’ve hit the wall.
They finish with Oakland, Kansas City and San Francisco at home, then close the season at Cincinnati and Denver. That’s a favorable schedule for a team that has won 18 consecutive December games.
Your 2010 MVP is …
Philip Rivers. The Chargers quarterback edges Tom Brady for the award, even though the Patriots finish with a better record.
Rivers has done what Peyton Manning did last season — transformed a group of no-name receivers into the NFL’s most dangerous passing attack. Legedu Naanee? Malcom Floyd? Seyi Ajirotutu? Those are some of the guys who will have helped make Rivers just the second Chargers player to win the MVP award, matching LaDainian Tomlinson‘s feat in 2006.
Think big
With no running game to speak of, Green Bay will mix things up down the stretch with its “Big Five” formation — Aaron Rodgers in shotgun, empty backfield, and five receivers spread wide. The Packers ran that 14 times against Atlanta on Sunday. According to ESPN, there had been just four previous snaps league-wide in five-receiver formations (and two of those were by the Packers.)
So when is it a logical time for them to break out the Big Five again? Watch for it at New England on Dec. 19, which would allow the Packers to take advantage of the Patriots’ lack of depth at cornerback. Remember, it was against New England that Miami unveiled its wildcat offense. Maybe the Big Five will trigger a new trend.
Even the losers
San Francisco will become the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record.
They will finish 7-9, losing to Green Bay and San Diego on the road, and winning their final three division games: Seattle, at St. Louis, and Arizona. The 49ers have perked up with Troy Smith at quarterback and should be able to run, even though Frank Gore is done for the season. The pressure is on rookie Anthony Dixon and the aging Brian Westbrook to shoulder the ground-game responsibilities.
Mike Singletary’s job hangs in the balance.
Return of Chucky
Rumors swirled this week that Jon Gruden is headed to the University of Miami to become the next Hurricanes coach. That won’t happen, but the “Monday Night Football” analyst’s name will resurface soon.
At some point, Gruden will be discussed as a coveted candidate for the Dallas Cowboys job — even if Jerry Jones ultimately decides to keep Jason Garrett — and to replace Singletary in San Francisco. The 49ers job makes a lot of sense, although the York family would have to open the vault to pay Gruden, and it hasn’t shown a willingness to do that in the past.
Hustling Hasselbeck
For Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck, the last five weeks will be one big audition for his next job — possibly in San Francisco or Arizona. It won’t be an easy ride, though, because he’s playing behind a porous line, probably won’t have receiver Mike Williams, and will get little help from Seattle’s terrible running game.
The Seahawks have lost four of their last five and will be fortunate to win two of their final five — home games against Carolina and St. Louis.
Backup plan
Philadelphia will decide to keep both Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick, maintaining uncommon depth at quarterback. The Eagles will apply the franchise-player tag to Vick, keeping him around without a long-term deal, and resist the urge to trade Kolb, who was supposed to be next in line behind Donovan McNabb.
Why keep both? Insurance against injuries is one reason, but the Eagles also can’t put all of their eggs in Vick’s basket. Yes, he has kept out of trouble, but one slip-up and he could be gone for half a season or more. That makes it too risky to deal a seasoned backup, even if it means spending a boatload on quarterbacks.
On the defensive
Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty will surge down the stretch and intercept defensive-player-of-the-year honors from Detroit’s Ndamukong Suh.
People thought Bill Belichick was nuts when he didn’t take a pass rusher or receiver in the first round — both positions of need — and instead took McCourty. But when the team lost Leigh Bodden right away, and McCourty stepped in without flinching, no one questioned the move.
McCourty has five interceptions and, although he’s been burned on occasion, could be the player who becomes the Patriots’ new Asante Samuel.
Fly pattern
When Steve Smith made the Pro Bowl as an alternate last season, he was the first New York Giants receiver to make that roster since 1968. Now, Hakeem Nicks will be the second.
Nicks, who is nursing a leg injury, will come back in the next two weeks and do enough to earn an invitation to Hawaii. Aloha, Hakeem.
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