In the Red Zone: AFC, NFC West breakdown Published Sept. 1, 2010 By Bryan Swink Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- I'm halfway through my breakdown of the 32 teams in the NFL as this week I will briefly analyze the NFC and AFC West divisions. Teams within these divisions have extremely interesting topics that have floated around the media within the last few months, so lets get started. AFC West Denver Broncos The Broncos had an interesting offseason when it comes to the quarterback position. They gave Kyle Orton a one-year contract extension and then acquired Brady Quinn from the Browns and drafted the University of Florida standout Tim Tebow. If Orton struggles under center, expect to hear speculation of a new starter. This is an average offense now with the loss of receiver Brandon Marshall to Miami. Running back Knowshon Moreno didn't have a single 100-yard rushing performance in his rookie year last year, but I see him with at least four due to the schedule the Broncos will have this year. The defense is one of the most talented in the league. They ranked third in pass defense last year and if they can cut the opposing rushing yards by 25 per game, they will be in the top five in that category as well. They have a stacked secondary that is filled with ball-hawks. It will be a challenge for any team, besides the Colts, to pass on this secondary. Swink's 2010 prediction: 9-7 Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Matt Cassel and the Chiefs should put up better numbers offensively than they did last year due to the improved offensive line and addition of Thomas Jones to complement Jamaal Charles in the backfield. I don't think the Chiefs' problems are going to be on offense though. They have enough talent to compete with many teams in the league. The real concern is the defense. They ranked 31st in the league against the run last year and 22nd against the pass. Rookie safety Eric Berry was selected fifth overall in the draft in April and will be an instant impact player, both in coverage and stopping the run. Unfortunately this addition won't be enough to drastically improve this defense. They are on the right track, just not there yet. Swink's 2010 prediction: 5-11 Oakland Raiders The Raiders finally got rid of the biggest bust in their franchise history, JaMarcus Russell. With former Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell under center, the silver and black should drastically improve on offense. They still don't have much when it comes to receivers, but Campbell is a competent and capable player who can make intelligent decisions. Expect running back Darren McFadden to have his best year as a pro as long as he can stay healthy. The defense contains one of the best shut-down cornerbacks in the league in Nnamdi Asomugha. He only had one interception last year, which doesn't seem too impressive, but the opposing quarterbacks rarely look his way. The pass defense ranked 7th in the league last year, but unfortunately the team has a difficult time stopping the run. I don't see much change in that aspect going into the 2010 season. Swink's 2010 prediction: 6-10 San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers drafted my favorite rookie to come out of the 2010 class. Running back Ryan Matthews is exactly what the Chargers were looking for in trying to replace Ladanian Tomlinson. Last year the offense ranked 31st in the league in rushing but that will change this year. Expect them to be in the 12 to 15 range in rushing to add to their powerful passing attack led by quarterback Philip Rivers. The drawback to this offense is the hold out of standout receiver Vincent Jackson. If he doesn't return, it could be a frustrating season for Rivers. The defense is average at best. Even though he was known as a locker room distraction, cornerback Antonio Cromartie's loss will be evident in the secondary. They will be able to hold defenders to enough points to allow their offense to win games. In the end, this defense is what will again haunt the Chargers in the postseason. Swink's 2010 prediction: 12-4 NFC West Arizona Cardinals Who knew that the retirement of one player could send a team from a dominant first-place caliber team to below average. Kurt Warner retiring opens the quarterback battle between Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson. Neither are anything special, but great things are always possible when a ball is thrown to receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Look for him to do big things, even though the ball isn't going to be thrown perfectly like it was with Warner. I see this defense getting beat up throughout the year consistently. They have a tough schedule outside of their division and face many high-powered offenses. Last year they ranked 23rd in the league in pass defense and 17th against the run. Expect them to drop in both categories this year. Swink's 2010 prediction: 7-9 St. Louis Rams The Rams took Sam Bradford with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft this year and expect big things from their rookie quarterback. Unfortunately that won't happen this year. They are taking the right steps to rebuild this team but it can't happen overnight. The Rams went 1-15 last year, ranking 28th in passing. On the bright side, they still have a very capable, if healthy, running back in Steven Jackson. If Bradford can become somewhat productive this year, that would eliminate much of the focus off Jackson and minimize his touches. The Ram's defense is still relatively young and has time to grow. They didn't make any drastic improvements to it in the offseason, so expect much of the same from their 2009 campaign. The defense ranked 27th in the league stopping the run and 25th against the pass. Luckily they will improve their record this year by 200 percent! Swink's 2010 prediction: 3-13 Seattle Seahawks This team bores me like no other. It seems every year we get the same from quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and his offense. This year could be a bit different with the hire of new head coach Pete Carroll from the University of Southern California. College coaches usually haven't had a great transition to the pros, but few have done so well with their collegiate program. I don't think he will be able to do much with little talent on offense in his first year. Their biggest acquisition in the draft came from acquiring safety Earl Thomas from the University of Texas. I watched him a lot throughout his college career and he is definitely an impact player. It could take him half a season before he feels completely comfortable, but it will come. He is a great addition to the pass defense which ranked 30th in the league last year. Swink's 2010 prediction: 7-9 San Francisco 49ers This team is one of my sleeper picks for this season. Even though they finished 2009 with a .500 record, in this weak division, I see them postseason bound in 2010. Receiver Michael Crabtree has a full training camp under his belt and I expect him to have close to 70 receptions and 10 touchdowns. I think this is the year that quarterback Alex Smith feels comfortable in the pocket. With Vernon Davis still being his No. 1 target and running back Frank Gore coming out of the backfield, he should put up close to 3,500 yards this season. The defense was one of the best in the league last year against the run but struggled against the pass, giving up almost 230 yards per game. Selecting Taylor Mays in this year's draft to help anchor the secondary could be a great pick. This team has tremendous upside and the potential to challenge many of the top contenders this year. I'm excited to see them match-up against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. Swink's 2010 prediction: 9-7 If you want to argue a prediction or point I made, please e-mail me at bryan.swink-02@mcguire.af.mil. Give an explanation of why you disagree and some responses will be posted in next week's column with, of course, my explanation of why you are wrong.