For Peyton Manning, this could be his final hurrah. Might he go out the same way his boss went out in 1999? John Elway retired following a Super Bowl win. The Broncos window for winning is closing fast, and this will probably be Manning’s last chance to earn a second ring. Denver made a lot of changes after their early playoff loss in 2014. John Fox is out as coach, and Gary Kubiak is in. Wade Phillips, the nomad defensive guru, is the new coordinator of a defense that was tough against the run but so-so against the pass. Seven starters are gone, most notably tight end Julius Thomas. Denver is still the favorite in the West, but their edge is razor slim over the Chiefs and Chargers.
Kansas City almost made the playoffs last year without a wide receiver catching a touchdown pass, and with their top defensive player leaving the team after a cancer diagnosis. The Chiefs have the potential to be better this year, perhaps even better than they were in 2013, and there will be touchdown receptions from wide receivers this year. Jeremy Maclin, the team’s key signee, should get several. The defense will continue to be strong, and the Chiefs are within striking distance of overtaking their rivals to the west.
Oakland went through growing pains with a rookie quarterback last year, and the Raiders suffered through a 13th consecutive season without a winning record. This once dominant team might be in its last year in Oakland, and could once again become the Los Angeles Raiders, making the O.co Coliseum “The Ark of the Lost Raiders.” New head coach Jack Del Rio should lead to an improved defense, and if Carr can progress as a second year player, the Raiders could be moving up. Of course, at 3-13, there isn’t much room to move down.
San Diego, like Oakland, is in a holding pattern. The once Los Angeles Chargers may be the future Los Angeles Chargers, and teams in this situation seldom play consistent ball all season long. Phillip Rivers returns after speculation that he might be dealt to Tennessee (before the Titans drafted Marcus Mariota). Rivers has a little more to play with this year, as the Chargers acquired Jacoby Jones and Stevie Johnson. It could be an interesting season in San Diego, but chances are better than 50-50 that the bolts will fall short of the playoffs.
DENVER BRONCOS
| Broncos Starting Lineup | |
| Offense | |
| WR | Demaryius Thomas |
| WR | Emmanuel Sanders |
| WR | Cody Latimer |
| TE | Owen Daniels |
| LT | Ty Sambrailo |
| LG | Evan Mathis |
| C | Matt Paradis |
| RG | Louis Vasquez |
| RT | Ryan Harris |
| QB | Peyton Manning |
| HB | C. J. Anderson |
| FB | James Casey |
| Defense | |
| DE | Derek Wolfe/Vance Walker |
| DT | Sylvester Williams |
| DE | Malik Jackson |
| LB | Von Miller |
| LB | Brandon Marshall |
| LB | Danny Trevathan |
| LB | DeMarcus Ware |
| CB | Aqib Talib |
| S | T. J. Ward |
| S | Darian Stewart |
| CB | Chris Harris, Jr. |
| N5 | Bradley Roby |
| Special | |
| Kicker | Brandon McManus |
| Punter | Britton Colquitt |
| KR | Omar Bolden |
| PR | Omar Bolden |
| Denver Broncos | |
| Head Coach | Gary Kubiak |
| Off. Coordinator | Rick Dennison |
| Def. Coordinator | Wade Phillips |
| 2014 W-L-T | 12-4-0 |
| Pts | 30.1 |
| Opp | 22.1 |
| Ratings | |
| PiRate | 105.6 |
| Mean | 104.8 |
| Bias | 105.0 |
| Average | 105.1 |
| Grades | |
| Running | C+ |
| Passing | A |
| Vs. Run | B |
| Vs. Pass | A- |
| Special Teams | C- |
| Coaching + Intangibles | C |
| Predicted W-L | 10-6-0 |
| Division Rank | 1 |
| Conference Rank | 3 |
| Overall Rank | 6 |
| Postseason | Yes |
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
| Chiefs Starting Lineup | |
| Offense | |
| WR | Jeremy Maclin |
| WR | Albert Wilson |
| TE | Travis Kelce |
| TE | James O’Shaughnessy |
| LT | Eric Fisher |
| LG | Ben Grubbs |
| C | Mitch Morse |
| RG | Jeff Allen |
| RT | Donald Stephenson |
| QB | Alex Smith |
| HB | Jamaal Charles |
| FB | Anthony Sherman |
| Defense | |
| DE | Mike Devito |
| NT | Jaye Howard/Dontari Poe |
| DE | Allen Bailey |
| LB | Justin Houston |
| LB | Josh Mauga |
| LB | Derrick Johnson |
| LB | Tamba Hali |
| CB | Phillip Gaines |
| S | Ron Parker |
| S | Eric Berry |
| CB | Seam Smith/Jamell Fleming |
| N5 | Husain Abdullah |
| Special | |
| Kicker | Cairo Santos |
| Punter | Dustin Colquitt |
| KR | Knile Davis |
| PR | De’Anthony Thomas |
| Kansas City Chiefs | |
| Head Coach | Andy Reid |
| Off. Coordinator | Doug Pederson |
| Def. Coordinator | Bob Sutton |
| 2014 W-L-T | 9-7-0 |
| Pts | 22.1 |
| Opp | 17.6 |
| Ratings | |
| PiRate | 100.2 |
| Mean | 102.2 |
| Bias | 100.2 |
| Average | 100.9 |
| Grades | |
| Running | B+ |
| Passing | C |
| Vs. Run | B- |
| Vs. Pass | B- |
| Special Teams | A |
| Coaching + Intangibles | A- |
| Predicted W-L | 8-8-0 |
| Division Rank | 3 |
| Conference Rank | 8 |
| Overall Rank | 14 |
| Postseason | No |
OAKLAND RAIDERS
| Raiders Starting Lineup | |
| Offense | |
| WR | Michael Crabtree |
| WR | Amari Cooper |
| TE | Mychal Rivera |
| TE | Lee Smith |
| LT | Donald Penn |
| LG | Gabe Jackson |
| C | Rodney Hudson |
| RG | J’Marcus Webb |
| RT | Menelik Watson |
| QB | Derek Carr |
| HB | Latavius Murray |
| FB | Marcel Reece |
| Defense | |
| DE | Khalil Mack |
| DT | Dan Williams |
| DT | Justin Ellis |
| DE | Justin Tuck |
| LB | Ray Ray Armstrong |
| LB | Curtis Lofton |
| LB | Malcolm Smith |
| CB | D. J. Hayden |
| S | Charles Woodson |
| S | Nate Allen |
| CB | T. J. Carrie |
| N5 | |
| Special | |
| Kicker | Sebastian Janikowski |
| Punter | Marquette King |
| KR | Trindon Holliday |
| PR | Trindon Holliday |
| Oakland Raiders | |
| Head Coach | Jack Del Rio |
| Off. Coordinator | Bill Musgrave |
| Def. Coordinator | Ken Norton, Jr. |
| 2014 W-L-T | 3-13-0 |
| Pts | 15.8 |
| Opp | 28.3 |
| Ratings | |
| PiRate | 90.1 |
| Mean | 95.7 |
| Bias | 87.9 |
| Average | 91.2 |
| Grades | |
| Running | C |
| Passing | B- |
| Vs. Run | C |
| Vs. Pass | D |
| Special Teams | C- |
| Coaching + Intangibles | C |
| Predicted W-L | 4-12-0 |
| Division Rank | 4 |
| Conference Rank | 15 |
| Overall Rank | 31 |
| Postseason | No |
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
| Chargers Starting Lineup | |
| Offense | |
| WR | Keenan Allen |
| WR | Malcolm Floyd |
| WR | Stevie Johnson |
| TE | Antonio Gates/Ladarius Green |
| LT | King Dunlap |
| LG | Orlando Franklin |
| C | Chris Watt |
| RG | D. J. Fluker |
| RT | Joe Barksdale |
| QB | Phillip Rivers |
| HB | Melvin Gordon |
| FB | (NONE) |
| Defense | |
| DE | Kendall Reyes |
| NT | Sean Lissemore |
| DT | Corey Liuget |
| LB | Jerry Attaochu |
| LB | Manti Te’O |
| LB | Donald Butler |
| LB | Melvin Ingram |
| CB | Brandon Flowers |
| S | Jahleel Addae |
| S | Eric Weddle |
| CB | Jason Verrett |
| N5 | Jimmy Wilson |
| Special | |
| Kicker | Nick Novak |
| Punter | Mike Scifres |
| KR | Jacoby Jones |
| PR | Jacoby Jones |
| San Diego Chargers | |
| Head Coach | Mike McCoy |
| Off. Coordinator | Frank Reich |
| Def. Coordinator | John Pagano |
| 2014 W-L-T | 9-7-0 |
| Pts | 21.8 |
| Opp | 21.8 |
| Ratings | |
| PiRate | 100.8 |
| Mean | 101.7 |
| Bias | 100.1 |
| Average | 100.9 |
| Grades | |
| Running | C+ |
| Passing | A- |
| Vs. Run | C |
| Vs. Pass | C+ |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching + Intangibles | C |
| Predicted W-L | 9-7-0 |
| Division Rank | 2 |
| Conference Rank | 7 |
| Overall Rank | 13 |
| Postseason | No |
The Pi-Rate Ratings 