Benefits from bye week blitz

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Week six brings three of the four AFC West teams (Chargers, Chiefs, Broncos) a week of rest and regrouping. It couldn't come at a better time for all of these teams, either.

 

The Broncos get an extra week to get their new starting QB ready for action against the winless Miami Dolphins. Tebow is the fan favorite, but he hasn't gotten much of a chance to play or practice with the first stringers. He gives them an undeniable spark when he's at the helm, and it's about time that the Broncos roll the dice and see what they have in the former first round pick. What better time then while they're 1-4 in the midst of another lost season? The fans get what they want, Tebow gets a chance to prepare before he's thrown into play, and the Broncos will get a chance to see where they need to go next in their hunt for a franchise QB. Sounds like a win, win, win situation: even if the team doesn't win much.

 

The Chargers get an extra week to get a plethora of players healthy for their game against the underachieving NY Jets. As of now, starting RB Ryan Mathews, bruiser Mike Tolbert, standout WR Vincent Jackson, and freakishly athletic TE Antonio Gates are all set to return after the bye week. With a record of 4-1, the bye week looks as though it will keep the Chargers in the driver's seat in the AFC West. You can't put a price on R & R, and the Chargers seem to need some of that as bad as anyone right now. With Rivers getting back all of his weapons, this offense should be firing on all cylinders against a Jets defense that seems to be on the ropes right now.

 

The Chiefs get a week to soak up their two game winning streak before they have to play hated rival Oakland Raiders in the black hole. After starting the season off about as bad as one team can—being outscored 89-10 in their first two games and then dropping to 0-3 the net week—the Chiefs have rattled off back to back wins against teams with a combined win total of 1 through week 5. Still, wins are wins, and getting a break after back to back wins sounds like as good a time as any to take one. Also, it appears that first round pick Jonathan Baldwin will be healthy after the break and get his first bit of regular season action. It also gives the Raiders an extra week to come down from the emotional roller coaster from the untimely death of owner Al Davis.

 

Even The Raiders get a little reprieve in week six. While they aren't getting the break that the other three teams in the West are, they get the Browns at home while everyone else is sitting at home not getting an extra win. Then they get yet another home game in week 7 when the Chiefs come to town. Last season they beat the Chiefs—and everyone else in the division—twice, so I'm sure they're licking their chops at the thought of back to back home games. The Raiders' bye week will come in week 8, followed by yet another home game. So they get home vs. Browns, home vs. Chiefs, off, and home vs. Broncos. That's four weeks in which their opponents have a combined 5 wins.