ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's Bill Williamson

First of all, thanks for making our new feature a success. "You pick it" debuted this week. How does it work?

I pick three topics and you decide which the best is. The candidates this week were the firing of Chargers defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell and the promotion of inside linebackers coach Ron Rivera; the 10-19 combined record of the AFC West and the surprise emergence of Chiefs quarterback Tyler Thigpen.

It seems, we have a split between the Cottrell firing and the horrible division that is the AFC West. Thanks for the responses and here is a sampling of what you had to say:

Paul: I think it's a toss up between the AFC West being terrible, and Tyler Thigpen possibly being an emerging QB. The AFC West used to be the toughest in the NFL. You could generally expect a tough defense every week from the West, and now they're a shell of what they were. As for Thigpen, shoot, I think everyone likes to see David stand up and fight Goliath. I think that football fans have a love affair with seeing the guy come of the bench and lead a team to glory. Tom Brady was a backup, so was Favre and people are always interested in who could be the next guy to come off the bench.

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Matt from San Diego: You were asking for fan votes on the AFCW story of the week? The big story this week has to be Ted Cottrell's firing. Any time a team plays in the championship game and fires its DC for incompetence halfway through the next season... besides, how in heck can you score 30+ points and lose on two occasions in an 8-game span? How can the league's highest-flying offense go 3-5? Man, that guy has to be embarrassed.

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Ken from Orange County: I pick the firing of Ted Cotrell...it will change the balance of power in the AFC west.

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Kellen from Merced, Ca.: Definitely the story about the horrible division.Thigpen played awful earlier in the year, and the stuff about Cottrell got plenty of time with that long press conference posted. Although the NFC West might actually be worse, I still think there are points to be made on the weakness of the AFC West.

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Phil from San Diego: Definitely Rivera as new D-Coordinator. If the Chargers can turn thier defense around and can beat KC and upset PIT they can potentially run the table, finish the season 11-5 and be riding an 8 game winning streak into the playoffs. Look who they play: IND, ATL, OAK, at KC, at TB, DEN. You figure Tuker, Cromartie, and Williams get healthy for the second half. And Cooper improves considering Cooper was suspended for the first four games of the season and technially the past four games were his preseason. Weddle is going to get better because it's only the first half of his first season as a starter. You add in all these variables with a new more aggressive minded Defensive Coordinator and you got the makings of an improved defense to go along with one of the best offenses in the league and a relatively soft schedule down the stretch. 11-5 is not out of the question my friend. Mark it down!

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Dustin from Kansas City: While Tyler Thigpen played well against the Jets, this does not give the Chiefs any excuse not to pursue a future QB in the off season, through the draft or free agency. Thigpen may be able to fill in for the rest of the season, and maybe through the first half of next year as a draft pick learns the ropes, but he is no long term solution. If the Chiefs fail to address their QB issues in the off season appropriately, you can bet your bottom dollar that they will sputter through 2009. Thigpen, like Damon Huard and, realistically Brodie Croyle, is a career backup QB.

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James from Hampton Roads, VA: Bill, I have to go with the state of the AFC West. This division has been bad for the last 1/2 decade. Yeah our top team usually win 10-13 games but they get killed in the playoffs. 3-8 in the last 5 years. The Colts own this Division in the playoffs 4-1. Two AFC Championship games and 2 losses. This division used to be one of the best in the NFL but it is steadily declining!!!

That was a lot of fun. Thanks for your participation. We'll do it again next week.