I love seeing a team built to compete within the division. For example, look at the Giants. They used a first round pick on another pass-rusher. Why? Because they'll face Tony Romo and the Cowboys, Kevin Kolb and the Eagles and Donovan McNabb and the Redskins six total times a year. They need to get to those quarterbacks.
The Chiefs are keeping a watchful eye on their division. In particular, it appears they're building a team to compete with the Chargers.
Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley were talking about the selection of Javier Arenas, who will essentially be the third corner. He was the 50th overall selection in the draft which, on the surface, seems a little high for a part-time starter.
"The reality is, we studied this and most third corners on a team are now playing an upward 55 percent of the snaps a year," the Chiefs GM said.
"You look at our division and the number of times the other three teams throw the football, that takes on a little bit more because the first thing you want to do is win games in your division.
Time out. The Broncos and Raiders, at least statistically, are not threats in the passing game. They are average or below-average. What Pioli could have said instead was, 'Philip Rivers and the Chargers are the future of the division and we are going to build a team to stop them.'
They are the threat in the division right now. The Broncos aren't far behind (they're ahead of the Chiefs) but if you're drafting to beat someone, beat the top dog.
I'm not sure about you all but I find this sort of stuff -- this strategy and forward-thinking -- absolutely fascinating. The Chiefs understand all you have to do is win your division to get into the playoffs. And the most successful teams are like the Chargers -- good passing teams. So it makes sense that they're beefing up a secondary to stop them.