THE MATCHUP
Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers
Oct 19, 2009 @ 8:30 PM
Qualcomm Stadium

THE LINE
Chargers are the favorite, giving 3. The Under/Over is 44

THE RECORD
The Denver Broncos are 5-0 Overall, 3-0 at Home and 2-0 Away. They are 1-0 in the Division and 4-0 in their Conference.
The Broncos have scored 99 points and given up only 43.

The San Diego Chargers are 2-2 Overall, 1-1 at Home and 1-1 on the Road.
They are 1-0 in their Division and 2-2 in their Conference.
The Chargers have scored 101 points and given up 102.

2009 TRENDS AGAINST THE SPREAD
The Broncos are 5-0 ATS.
The Broncos are 2-0 ATS away.
The Broncos are 4-0 ATS as the underdog.
The Broncos are 2-0 ATS as an away underdog.
The Chargers are 1-3 ATS.
The Chargers are 1-1 ATS at home.
The Chargers are 0-1 ATS as the underdog.
The Chargers have not been a home underdog.

PREGAME ANALYSIS
One of the keys to this MNF contest is the Denver Bronco defense. In their first five games, they have given up only 43 points while allowing only 3.3 yards per carry. If they can keep the Chargers to just under 4 ypc, they can still win, even if Phillip Rivers has a big game.

Another factor that could determine the outcome is that the Broncos are averaging 139 yard rushing and the Chargers are defense are giving up 151 yards per game – and wiith their star defensive tackle Jamal Williams (IR), the Chargers defense may be in for a long day.

GAME PREDICTION
Denver Broncos 24 San Diego Chargers 21

Denver’s new head coach, Josh McDaniel has fired up the Broncos and they have bought into his system. The Broncos defense will stop the Chargers ground game and give their offense multiple opportunities to score. In addition, the Chargers defense will overpursue on the run, opening up the passing game for Kyle Orton.

source: espn, foxsports

The New York Jets made a bold move in signing rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez to the biggest contract in franchise history. The Jets are betting that Sanchez can lead the Jets to their first Super Bowl in 50 years.

Sanchez, drafted fifth overall, signed a 5 year deal worth $50 million. The deal guarantees Sanchez $28 million with incentives that could reach more than $60 million.

The Jets huge investment is the writing to on the wall for Kellen Clemens, the “other” Jets QB. Clemens was expected to start before Mark Sanchez was signed.

“For me, this is the tip of the iceberg,” Sanchez said yesterday. “There is so much more I want to accomplish. This doesn’t assume that you’re going to be successful. It’s going to take a lot of hard work.”

If the Jets had any reservations about signing a rookie QB to such a large contract, they only needed to look at Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, the first pick in 2008, who let Atlanta to the playoffs.

Hopefully the signing of a new QB, combined with a new head coach, will mark a new beginning for the post-Mangini Jets.

Herm Edwards is now the former head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.  Coach Edward had a very disappointing three years in s City, with a regular season record of 15-33.  Herm Edwards headed to Kansas City after coaching the New York Jets from 2001 to 2005.  He had a disappointment stint there as well, going 39-41 and 2-3 in the post season.

Edwards firing follows the abrupt resignation of general manager Carl Peterson on December 15, 2008.  The decision was unanimous with the team’s owner Clark Hunt and the new GM, Scott Pioli.

As a true professional, Edwards took the news in stride and praised the Hunt family and the entire Kansas City Chief club.

The fall of Edwards was part due to the team’s decision to rebuild in 2008 and injuries took its tool. But Edwards’ most costly mistake may have been overlooking Brodie Croyle’s history of injuries and designating him as the foundation quarterback. A third-round pick out of Alabama in 2006, Croyle could never stay healthy and was 0-8 as a starter when he went down for the season with a knee injury.

Edwards’ first year in Kansas City was a success. The Chiefs went 9-7 and captured the last wild-card playoff spot. He became only the fifth man to take two different teams to the postseason in his first year as head coach; the Jets went to the playoffs three times in his five seasons there.

He wanted to begin dismantling an aging team and start rebuilding in 2007. But he ran into opposition from a front office that felt there was enough left for another playoff run. After an encouraging 4-3 start, age and ineffectiveness at several key positions created problems and Kansas City ended 2007 on a nine-game losing streak.

Herm Edwards will forever be immortalized for “the Miracle at the Meadowlands”. The Miracle at the Meadowlands is the term used by sportscasters and Philadelphia Eagles fans for a fumble recovery by cornerback Herman Edwards that he returned for a touchdown at the end of a November 19, 1978 NFL game against the New York Giants in Giants Stadium. It was seen as miraculous because it occurred at a point in the game when the Giants were easily capable of running out the game’s final seconds. The Giants had the ball, and the Eagles had no timeouts left. Everyone watching expected quarterback Joe Pisarcik to take one more snap and kneel with the ball, thus running out the clock and preserving a 17-12 Giant upset. Instead, he attempted to hand it off to fullback Larry Csonka and botched it, allowing Edwards to pick up the ball and run 26 yards for the winning score.