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iknowftbll
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As training camp heats up and preseason games are just days away optimism runs high across the league, the teams, and the fans. If you ask any player anywhere they'll tell you the Super Bowl is the goal. A lot of fans (not all, some are pretty jaded) will echo this. But let's face it: some teams are simply not Super Bowl contenders. Some are not even playoff contenders. Some will be doing well to avoid a losing season.
So as we look at the teams in the AFC West, what would you consider a successful season for them? What do you think their fans would consider a successful season?
My thoughts:
Broncos: Super Bowl win. While the expectations are not as high among sports media this year, many fans still see this team as a contender. A Super Bowl win is a tall order for any team, especially one that saw so much change this off season. Yet with Manning likely in his last year in the league the sense of "now or never" seems higher than the typical "wait and see" type honeymoon a popular coach like Kubiak typically gets. This team has been a contender since Manning arrived, and this year will be no different. And I have a feeling a lot of fans will settle for nothing less than a win in the big one or consider the season unsuccessful.
Chiefs: win a playoff game. I am guessing Chiefs fans would disagree. The Chiefs have a great defense and just enough pieces on offense to warrant a "why not us" mentality toward their team in 2015. Especially considering the way they hang onto beating both of last year's Super Bowl teams (as if that has any bearing on this year). But this is a team that has been in the Broncos shadow even after vast improvement from 2012 to 2013 and 2014. And it's fair to argue they are still somewhat limited offensively. A wild card spot with a road win would be a damn good season for the Chiefs. Assuming they exited in the divisional round, fans would feel an initial sting. But once the sting wore off my guess is many Chiefs fans would look at 2015 as a successful season if they finally snapped that playoff losing streak.
Chargers: Super Bowl run. First let me say I don't think the Chargers are the better team than the Chiefs. But given the uncertainty of the Chargers future in San Diego there is a bit of a dark cloud hanging over this team and it's half a dozen or so dedicated fans. Furthermore, this team has at least sniffed playoff success in recent years, unlike the Chiefs. I don't know if the future is as dire as some of the articles make it out to be, but nothing heals a wounded fan base like a Super Bowl run. My guess is the Chargers miss the playoffs entirely, but that some of their fans expect more. And if this is going to be the Chargers last year in San Diego fans probably will dismiss it as unsuccessful if it doesn't include at minimum an appearance in the Super Bowl.
Raiders: reach 9-7 in the regular season. Not "9-7 and in the playoffs." Just 9-7. As in the lowest w-l (no ties) record a team can have and still have a winning season. The truth is for most outsiders a 6-10 record would likely mean this team is much improved. But this is a team whose fans haven't seen a winning season since 2002. That's a lot of sling seasons with a couple 8-8 marks in there for good measure. These fans are tired of their team being perennial losers. While some will say right now "playoffs or bust" deep down they know the Raiders are not a playoff team. If this team reached 9-7 there would be a breath of life breathed into that fan base powerful enough to knock down that ____ hole of a stadium try play in.
What say you?
So as we look at the teams in the AFC West, what would you consider a successful season for them? What do you think their fans would consider a successful season?
My thoughts:
Broncos: Super Bowl win. While the expectations are not as high among sports media this year, many fans still see this team as a contender. A Super Bowl win is a tall order for any team, especially one that saw so much change this off season. Yet with Manning likely in his last year in the league the sense of "now or never" seems higher than the typical "wait and see" type honeymoon a popular coach like Kubiak typically gets. This team has been a contender since Manning arrived, and this year will be no different. And I have a feeling a lot of fans will settle for nothing less than a win in the big one or consider the season unsuccessful.
Chiefs: win a playoff game. I am guessing Chiefs fans would disagree. The Chiefs have a great defense and just enough pieces on offense to warrant a "why not us" mentality toward their team in 2015. Especially considering the way they hang onto beating both of last year's Super Bowl teams (as if that has any bearing on this year). But this is a team that has been in the Broncos shadow even after vast improvement from 2012 to 2013 and 2014. And it's fair to argue they are still somewhat limited offensively. A wild card spot with a road win would be a damn good season for the Chiefs. Assuming they exited in the divisional round, fans would feel an initial sting. But once the sting wore off my guess is many Chiefs fans would look at 2015 as a successful season if they finally snapped that playoff losing streak.
Chargers: Super Bowl run. First let me say I don't think the Chargers are the better team than the Chiefs. But given the uncertainty of the Chargers future in San Diego there is a bit of a dark cloud hanging over this team and it's half a dozen or so dedicated fans. Furthermore, this team has at least sniffed playoff success in recent years, unlike the Chiefs. I don't know if the future is as dire as some of the articles make it out to be, but nothing heals a wounded fan base like a Super Bowl run. My guess is the Chargers miss the playoffs entirely, but that some of their fans expect more. And if this is going to be the Chargers last year in San Diego fans probably will dismiss it as unsuccessful if it doesn't include at minimum an appearance in the Super Bowl.
Raiders: reach 9-7 in the regular season. Not "9-7 and in the playoffs." Just 9-7. As in the lowest w-l (no ties) record a team can have and still have a winning season. The truth is for most outsiders a 6-10 record would likely mean this team is much improved. But this is a team whose fans haven't seen a winning season since 2002. That's a lot of sling seasons with a couple 8-8 marks in there for good measure. These fans are tired of their team being perennial losers. While some will say right now "playoffs or bust" deep down they know the Raiders are not a playoff team. If this team reached 9-7 there would be a breath of life breathed into that fan base powerful enough to knock down that ____ hole of a stadium try play in.
What say you?
