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The Oakland Raiders don’t appear interested in giving up their hold on first place in the AFC West.

Oakland is rolling over the less-talented and under-manned Minnesota Vikings. The Raiders have scored 24 unanswered points and are leading the Vikings 24-7 at halftime. The Raiders took advantage of two turnovers, including a fumble on a kickoff deep in Minnesota territory.

The Raiders are 5-4 and alone in first place in the division. Denver, which beat the Jets on Thursday, as 5-5. San Diego is4-5 and it plays at Chicago later Sunday. Kansas City is 4-5 and it plays at New England on Monday night.

The Raiders are dominating the Vikings -- playing without star running back Adrian Peterson, who suffered a leg injury in the first quarter -- on both sides of the ball. Oakland quarterback Carson Palmer is 11 of 14 passing and he is looking good. Running back Michael Bush, starting for the injured Darren McFadden, is leading an Oakland run attack that has 82 yards.

When the Oakland Raiders took Darren McFadden with the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2008, the general consensus was that they would be getting a Reggie Bush-type tailback.

A game-breaker at Arkansas, McFadden had the look of a player who would be a change-of-pace back who could help the Raiders in certain situations. Early in his fourth season, however, McFadden has blown past Bush on the running back pecking order. Truth be told, McFadden is closer to Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson than he is to Bush.

McFadden has developed into Oakland’s best offensive player and he is a primary reason why there is legitimate playoff hope for a team that hasn’t been to the postseason since 2002. The New York Jets’ vaunted defense hits Oakland on Sunday, and trying to stop McFadden will be Job 1.

Raiders offensive coordinator Al Saunders has been around Hall of Fame running backs such as Marcus Allen and Marshall Faulk in his 28-year career as an NFL coach. He thinks McFadden is one of the best tailbacks he has seen.

“I’ve been fortunate to be around some great running backs, but he’s one of those guys you put in that class,” Saunders said. “He’s a young kid that has just tremendous speed and tremendous potential, he catches the ball extremely well and I think he established what he is last year and he’s continuing to follow in that way this year.”

After his first two seasons were sullied by injuries, McFadden became a legitimate bell-cow back last year when he ran for 1,157 yards. He averaged a stout 5.2 yards per carry. McFadden is off to a fine start this season with 222 yards (7 yards behind Buffalo’s Fred Jackson for the NFL lead) on 42 carries, an average of 5.3 yards a carry. McFadden led the NFL in runs of 20 yards or more last season. He has three 20-plus runs already this season.

“He’s become a complete player,” Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said of McFadden. “I’ve become a believer.”

While McFadden will always be known for his speed, what is helping him become a special NFL player is his versatility and toughness. He's not just a fly-and-bye player. He has fine hands (he had seven catches for 71 yards in a loss at Buffalo last week) as a receiver and he has become a viable inside runner. Unlike Bush, McFadden (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) isn’t afraid to go inside.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, McFadden averaged 5.4 yards up the middle against the Broncos in a Week 1 win.

“I think people really don’t know that about me,” said McFadden, who was a star high school safety in North Little Rock, Ark. “I’m very proud of my ability to go inside. I think that is important for a back to go inside as well as outside and I like being tough and going inside.”

Raiders defensive lineman Richard Seymour said McFadden must rank among the NFL’s best backs because of his toughness.

“Going against him in nine-on-seven drills in camp, you can see how special he is,” Seymour said. “He goes strong inside unlike guys with his speed. But if you are waiting for him to come hard inside, he can always pop one and be gone. He is a nightmare to prepare for because you don’t know which way he is going to go.”

When he was traded to Oakland from Washington last year, quarterback Jason Campbell admitted he didn’t know too much about McFadden, who had only 217 total carries in his first two NFL seasons. However, Campbell was pleasantly surprised to find out he has a versatile back to work with.

“Nationally, he doesn’t get the credit he deserves,” Campbell said. “This is a complete back. He does it all for our offense. People don’t realize how tough this guy is.”

Never one to shy away from contact, McFadden’s preseason was snuffed out when he broke his orbital bone in an early-camp practice after making a big block on an linebacker. While McFadden is rough and tumble, there are durability concerns. He missed 10 games in his first three NFL seasons. But that's not going to keep him from playing running back the way he does.

“I’m a physical guy,” McFadden said. "I’m going to put my shoulder down and get after it and try to make every play I can.”

That doesn’t sound like your ordinary change-of-pace back.

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Chargers lumbered off the field after a first half that couldn’t have gone any worse.

The Chargers -- who trailed the Minnesota Vikings 17-7 -- were sent the locker room by a hearty round of boos. The message from the San Diego crowd, which has understandably grown impatient after seeing this talented team stumble early year after year, was clearly: Please, not again.

The Chargers, though, didn’t let the fans’ restlessness or the seriousness of the situation get them down. In fact, safety Eric Weddle had his own message for anyone who might be concerned.

“We are not the 2010 San Diego Chargers,” Weddle said of the team that led the NFL in total offense and total defense but failed to make the playoffs. “It may not have looked too good, but we are not going to lose the game in one play or in one half. It is not going to happen. We did not waver. It came along. We knew it would.”

Showing the resiliency and timeliness of a championship team, the Chargers overcame their first-half troubles and took over in the second half, beating the Vikings 24-17.

While some may not be impressed that it took a furious rally to beat the Vikings at home, this win is significant because of how the Chargers responded to a dire situation. After spending a large chunk of training camp dedicated to fixing the NFL’s worst special teams, San Diego watched Percy Harvin take the opening kickoff 103 yards for a score. To add further anguish, Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding was lost for the game on the play, making punter Mike Scifres the team’s place-kicker. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Kaeding may have a torn ACL.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers looked uncomfortable and rusty in the first half as he couldn’t quite make the play that counted most. The Chargers went deep into Minnesota territory twice in the first half and netted no points.

And there was the case of the San Diego defense, which was eaten up by Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson in the first half.

It all added up to a tension-filled halftime by the sea. Was it really going to happen again? Were special teams, key injuries and poor run defense going to undo the Chargers again? Were they going to fall on their face early under Norv Turner again?

“I understand everyone wondering it,” Weddle said. “Here we were in the moment and the same things were happening again … But we were just not ready to go down.”

So perhaps this year will be different. The Chargers are always a tough date late in the season. But there’s no denying it takes Turner’s players a while to ramp it up. Since Turner took over in 2007, the Chargers are 6-8 in September and 7-8 in October. But they are 28-7 in the final two months of the season.

Having to go to New England in Week 2 after a loss to Minnesota would have seriously hampered this team’s demeanor. Now, the Chargers can head east, not worrying about the late-summer blues.

There’s so much to celebrate about this win in San Diego.

There’s the brilliance of Rivers. There’s the timely play by the defense. There’s the heroics of Scifres. There’s the emergence of running back Ryan Mathews.

But it all starts with Rivers.

For anyone who wants to know why Rivers is considered an elite quarterback despite the fact he doesn’t own a Super Bowl ring, please check the final score of the game. On second down and 10 from the Minnesota 19 late in the fourth quarter, Rivers hit running back Mike Tolbert for a touchdown.

It was much more than a medium-yardage scoring play. Rivers, not famous for his mobility, evaded a Vikings’ rush and showed great patience, waiting for Tolbert to get open. He did, Rivers instantly hit him and Tolbert, who scored all three of the Chargers’ touchdowns, rolled into the end zone.

“That was classic Philip,” Weddle said. ‘He’ll wait all day for a play to happen. That’s why our goal is to get the ball back in his hands so he can make plays like that.”

Rivers (who threw for 335 yards on 33-of-48 passing) and his offensive mates received plenty of help. The Vikings had 161 yards of offense in the first half. They finished the game with 187 yards. Peterson had 74 yards on the ground in the first half. He finished with 98 yards on 16 carries.

Many San Diego defenders said they were fired up during the week when Peterson -- who ran for an NFL record 296 yards against the Chargers in 2007 -- said on a radio show that he planned to run for 200 yards and get a win in Week 1. New Chargers inside linebacker Takeo Spikes was fuming after the game about it. Several Chargers said the coaching staff played a clip of Peterson saying it.

"It was a direct slap in the face,” said Spikes, who had a terrific debut in San Diego with a game-high 11 tackles. “You don't come in our house saying that hey I'm going to get over 200 yards and guarantee a W. That is a disrespect to us. We put in a lot of time in this game; respect every guy in this locker room as a player. I find it hard to believe and you are going to say all that and your success is predicated off the guys up front and with us knowing that. I know our guys up front -- those dogs hunt. … It was personal, absolutely personal.”

Despite the motivation provided by Peterson, the Chargers wouldn’t have won the game if it weren’t for Scifres. The punter, who signed a contract extension during the week, took over for Kaeding and he was perfect, including tying the score with a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. It was the first field goal of his NFL career.

An added bonus in all this fun for San Diego was the hard running displayed by 2010 No. 1 pick Ryan Mathews. He had 45 yards rushing and 73 yards receiving. He seems like a much improved player from last year.

It’s all another reminder, as Weddle said, that these are not the 2010 San Diego Chargers.

SAN DIEGO -- A look at San Diego's impressive 16-14 comeback victory.

What it means: The Chargers proved they are resilient. Everything crashed in on them as the Vikings took a 17-7 lead at the half. San Diego's special teams -- one of the worst the NFL had ever seen in 2010 -- gave up a 103-yard kickoff return for a score on the opening play. Kicker Nate Kaeding was lost for the game on the play. At the half, the Chargers had to wonder whether they were in for another slow start under Norv Turner. However, San Diego took over on both sides of the ball in the second half. The offense finished drives, and the defense finished Adrian Peterson, who sliced it up in the first half. It wasn’t pretty, but the Chargers showed the resolve of a champion in Week 1.

Tomorrow’s talker: Philip Rivers was shaky and seemed off in the first half. In the second half, he took over. His winning touchdown pass to running back Mike Tolbert was brilliant. He showed great patience and proved what a star he is.

Rookie no more: Running back Ryan Mathews had a terrific game. He ran with authority and confidence. After a so-so rookie season, Mathews looks like a matured player. He can help make this offense special.

Nice save: Game ball to punter Mike Scifres. He took over place-kicking duties when Kaeding went down. Scifres was perfect, including nailing a tying field goal in the fourth quarter from 40 yards. It was his first NFL field goal. Earlier in the game, the Chargers went for it on fourth-and-20 because they didn’t trust Scifres. He signed a contract extension last week. He just earned it.

What's next: San Diego has a huge test next week when it travels to New England. It could be an early playoff preview.

The following are three keys things for the San Diego Chargers against the visiting Minnesota Vikings on Sunday:

1.Hold onto the ball: Ball security was a point of emphasis during the Chargers’ training camp. Coach Norv Turner believes the team’s inability to secure the ball has directly contributed to San Diego’s slow starts in recent seasons.

2. Stop the run: The Vikings can stay in the game if Adrian Peterson takes over. He ran for an NFL record 296 yards in 2007 when he last met the Chargers. San Diego must keep Peterson’s big runs to a minimum and it can’t let the Vikings control the clock on the ground.

3. Don’t let up: The Chargers can’t afford to lose this home game to a less talented team. With a road test at New England looming next week, the Chargers would be haunted by the ghosts of past slow starts all next week if they lose this game. The Chargers have to use their strong offensive attack and bury the Vikings quickly. They have to take away Minnesota’s will as soon as possible.

There is some concern in San Diego over the Chargers’ run defense because the team struggled to stop the run in the preseason. San Diego was No. 27 in the NFL in run defense, giving up an average of 142.2 yards a game on the ground. The Chargers were fourth in the NFL against the run last season, giving up an average of 93.4 yards a game.

However, San Diego coach Norv Turner got it right in a radio interview with a San Diego station. He said this is the real reason to be concerned about stopping the run: Adrian Peterson.

Peterson and the Vikings visit San Diego on Sunday to open the season. The last time Peterson met the Chargers (in 2007), he ran for an NFL record 296 yards. So, that’s what worries Turner most.

“When you’re getting ready to play Adrian Peterson you better have concerns about your run defense no matter where you are in terms of the process you’re going through putting your team together," Turner said. "There’s no question we’re young. You look out there and Donald Butler is starting at inside linebacker and he’s a young player who really hasn’t played an NFL game yet. In front of him Corey Liuget. We need a lot of work and we need to get great performances from those young guys and get help from the people around them. We’re in a serious game plan mode now, we’re playing our guys, we’re getting a couple of our guys back, and we should be a little more stout. I believe we will put together a great game plan and we know we have to play a complete game of defense. Certainly it starts with Peterson.”

I think the Chargers’ run defense soon will be better than it was in the preseason . But I still wouldn’t be shocked if Peterson ripped 100-150 yards. But that would be more of a case of Peterson being a strong player and not the Chargers’ run defense being a mess.

For the second time in our positional Power Rankings list this spring, I cost Adrian Peterson big.

I promise I have nothing against the Minnesota running back. I think he’s a big-time player. But I think there are other big-time players in the NFL as well.

I just think there are some better players in the NFL than Peterson at the moment. That’s why I placed Peterson seventh on our list of top-10 (non-quarterbacks) offensive players in the NFL. My replacement cost Peterson big. He finished in a first-place tie with Tennessee running back Chris Johnson. Had I placed Peterson sixth, he would have been in first place by himself.

In our running back Power Rankings in March, I ranked Peterson third behind Tennessee’s Johnson and Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles. It gave Johnson the No. 1 overall ranking. I used the same formula on this current vote as I did in the previous one; I had Peterson as my third running back behind Johnson and Charles.

That’s why he’s seventh on my list. Again, I like Peterson a lot and I think he’s special. Being the seventh best player on this list is pretty strong.

As for the AFC West, Charles and San Diego tight end Antonio Gates finished in a tie for 10th place. I had Charles ranked fifth and I ranked Gates ninth. In our tight end Power Rankings, I had Gates ranked first. He was edged out by Dallas’ Jason Witten. I placed Charles higher than Gates on this list based on the importance of position and the fact that Charles is just entering his prime at the age of 24 while Gates is about to turn 31.

No other AFC West player received a vote.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke to season-ticket holders of the San Diego Chargers for nearly a half hour Friday afternoon.

I was fortunate enough to listen in on the conference call Goodell had with more than 2,000 Chargers season-ticket holders on the line. He answered questions from about 10 fans. Goodell didn’t sidestep questions that focused on both the current NFL lockout and the Chargers’ stadium issue.

Goodell participated in the call from the Minneapolis airport shortly after a second day of mediation ended in Minnesota. The two sides will resume talks Tuesday.

“We have work to do over the weekend,” Goodell said. “It is positive that both sides continue to communicate …. We want to get it resolved. We understand it’s not good for anyone, especially our fans.”

Here are a few of the highlights from the conference call:

On the possibility of using replacement players: “It has not been part of discussions. We are not at all considering that. Our focus is on the collective bargaining agreement and getting the best solution for the game, for the fans, for the players and for the clubs. Our entire focus continues on that.”

He continued to sell the merits of an 18-game schedule.

Goodell said he doesn’t put too much stock into some comments from players such as the infamous “slavery” rant by Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson: “I’m not much for public rhetoric … I have great respect for our players and I want to get them a fair deal … We want to make sure it makes sense for them and it makes sense for the clubs and that it allows the game to grow.”

Goodell said the league is not currently focused on expansion, but that could eventually become a focus once the new CBA is agreed upon.

Goodell addressed some questions about the uncertainty of the stadium situation in San Diego. He said he is confident everything will be done to help continue the relationship between the team and the community. He did indicate that San Diego likely won’t get another Super Bowl until it gets a new stadium because of strong competition across the country. San Diego used to be in the Super Bowl rotation. The last time it hosted the game, though, was in 2003.

There will not be an AFC West “Madden NFL 12” cover man.

In a SportsNation poll, Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles was beaten by Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis in the quarterfinals. Hillis, a former Denver running back, beat Charles 60 percent to 40 percent.

I thought Charles would move on to the Final Four. He’s a more dynamic player than Hillis, and, in my opinion, more qualified to be a cover man. However, Charles will have to wait until next year to have another shot. If Charles, who was second in the NFL in rushing yards last year, continues to improve and leads the league in rushing in 2011, I think he could have a shot at the next cover.

Hillis will face Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In the other semifinal, Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick will face Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson.

What do you think of Charles’ defeat? Do you think it was warranted or do you think Charles was robbed? Fill up the comment section below with your thoughts.

Jamaal Charles is a happy man.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ star running back is one step closer to realizing his dream of becoming the "Madden" cover man. In ESPN.com’s “SportsNation” vote to determine which player will be on the cover of “Madden 12,” Charles has reached the quarterfinals. He edged out Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew, 51 percent to 49 percent.

Charles will face Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis in the next round. Voting extends through next Monday.

Charles is the AFC West’s lone remaining candidate. San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, who was the No. 1 seed on his side of the bracket, was knocked off by Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson, 56 percent to 44 percent.

Had Rivers gotten by Peterson, it would have setup a juicy quarterfinal matchup. Peterson will face New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees. Rivers replaced Brees as the Chargers’ quarterback in 2006.

ESPN.com’s NFL writers rank the top 10 tight ends in the league today. Next week: Top 10 coaches.

Antonio Gates has received the Adrian Peterson treatment.

This guy didn’t do it this time.

Up from the NFC South rises Pat Yasinskas into the ESPN.com Power Rankings’ hot seat. Embrace the heat, my friend. In another airtight positional Power Rankings battle, Dallas' Jason Witten edged out Gates by one vote to be crowned the almighty ruler of all NFL tight ends.

How in the name of Kellen Winslow did it happen, San Diego? Talk to Yasinskas.

Yasinskas ranked Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez No. 2. He had Witten No. 1 and Gates No. 3. Witten finished with 76 voting points. Gates had 75. No other voter placed Gonzalez higher than fifth. He finished sixth.

Send your cards and letters to Yasinskas, Dallas. If you must let him know your thoughts, stay classy, San Diego.

Yasinskas reasoned that he sandwiched Gonzalez between Witten and Gates because of Gonzalez’s incredible career. Gonzalez, 35, owns every major receiving record by a tight end.

“Yes, he's nearing the end of his career, but this is the best tight end in history,” Yasinskas said. “I think that counts for something. Gonzalez still is playing at a high level. He has great chemistry with quarterback Matt Ryan and the desire for a Super Bowl ring is keeping Gonzalez going strong.”

Here is the rest of the top 10 after Witten and Gates: Indianapolis’ Dallas Clark (53 points), San Francisco’s Vernon Davis (50), Washington’s Chris Cooley (36), Gonzalez (33), Tampa Bay’s Kellen Winslow Jr. (26), Jacksonville’s Marcedes Lewis (21), Detroit’s Brandon Pettigrew (18) and Green Bay’s Jermichael Finley (15).

Witten and Gates clearly stand out as the game’s elite tight ends. Witten was ranked first on four ballots and second on the other four. Gates received the other four first-place votes. He received three second-place votes and Yasinskas’ third-place vote.

The only thing that separated Witten and Gates in 2010 was health. Witten, 28, had 94 catches for 1,002 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Gates, 30, was on his way to a brilliant season when it was derailed by nagging ankle and foot injuries. Gates ended up on injured reserve and missed six games. He finished with 50 catches, 782 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said both Witten and Gates are game-changers.

“Witten to me is the class of the two-way tight ends,” Williamson said. “Receiving needs to trump blocking because that is what the league is right now. If someone put Witten first on the list, I can buy that. In terms of doing it all, I think he is the best. … I think he is the best of the two-way guys if you put an equal amount of faith in both receiving and blocking. He is the all-around tight end prototype. If you put more weight on receiving, which I would, you have to give the nod to Gates. He was awesome last year. He was hurt and that was the only negative other than blocking. He played hurt a lot and was great.”

Let’s dig deeper into the rankings:

Not easy pickings: Several of our voters were surprised by the difficulty of this process. This is our fourth position in the series. We previously looked at receivers, running backs and pass-rushers. The pass-rushers process was very difficult. This vote was not a cool breeze, either.

This is a very strong league for tight ends these days.

“After a hellish pass-rusher ballot, I thought tight ends would be far easier,” AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky said. “They were just as difficult. There is a great deal of young talent too. I steered clear of first-year guys, but in another season or two, this could be even more brutal to sort through.”

Blame injuries: In addition to the glut of talent, a primary reason this vote was so difficult was the fact that there were major injuries at this position in 2010. In addition to Gates, Clark, Finley and Houston’s Owen Daniels were injured. That changed the voting landscape.

“I thought it was tough because there are a lot of guys with mitigating circumstances,” NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert said.

Clark’s injury prompted Yasinskas to rank him 10th. No other voter placed him lower than fourth.

“There's no doubt this guy has had a great career,” Yasinskas said. “But I ranked him a little lower than most and that's almost entirely because he missed 10 games last season. Clark is 31 and I'm not sure he'll be the same player going forward.”

Not everyone loves Tony G.: Clearly, Yasinskas believes in Gonzalez. He gets to see him play regularly and thinks he’s still an impact player. That’s why he ranked him second. But not everyone agrees that the future Hall of Famer is still an elite player. Kuharksy left Gonzalez off his ballot altogether.

“Gonzalez is still an excellent player,” Kuharsky said. “But as I struggled to find room for the 10 I felt needed to make the cut, he fell off. In 2010 his numbers suggest he was more quantity than quality. I'm not looking for giant plays from my tight end, but Dallas Clark replacement Jacob Tamme matched Gonzo's 9.4 yards a catch, and while Gonzalez's first-down percentage was good (55.7), it was way lower than that of the three top rookies and smaller than that of guys like Heath Miller, Ben Watson and Todd Heap, whom I hardly considered. One final note: As I've got access to Frank Wycheck during three shared radio appearances a week, I asked him for a ballot. I'm sure he admires Gonzalez's body of work. But right now Gonzalez wasn't in Wycheck's top 10 either.”

The Davis flip-flop: The 49ers’ immensely talented tight end received a wide range of support. Four voters had him third. Yet, I had him ranked ninth and Yasinskas had him eighth. I like Davis, but I’m not convinced we always see his best effort.

NFC West blogger Mike Sando was among those who voted Davis third. Sando argued that Davis has made an impact despite playing with subpar quarterbacks.

“It's easy to forget about Vernon Davis because he plays for a low-profile team that has struggled,” Sando said. “If you've seen the 49ers much, you know Davis makes the huge play better than any tight end in the league. He'll catch touchdown passes for 60 or 70 yards, outrunning even cornerbacks. He remains unrefined and can still improve his all-around game quite a bit, but his 20 touchdown receptions over the past two seasons rank first among tight ends.”

This position is in it for the long haul: I remember a conversation I had with Gates prior to the 2009 season. He was glowing over all the young talent at the position in the NFL. Gates rattled off several young tight ends he expected to have bright careers.

There’s no doubt, this is a special time for tight end play. As Gonzalez puts the cap on the most brilliant career by anyone at the position in the history of the game, the position is well stocked for the future.

Five players on the list -- Davis, Winslow, Lewis, Pettigrew and Finley -- are 27 or younger. The only players who are 30 or older on the list are Gonzalez, Clark and Gates.

Oakland’s Zach Miller and the Jets’ Dustin Keller, who finished 11th and 12th, respectively, are also young players. Miller is 25 and Keller is 26.

On march Jamaal Charles and Philip Rivers.

The Kansas City Chiefs' running back and San Diego Chargers’ quarterback won their first-round matchups against other AFC West talent in ESPN.com’s SportsNation vote that will result in the winner being put on the cover of “Madden 12” video game.

Charles beat Denver quarterback Tim Tebow, 64 percent to 36 percent. Rivers beat Oakland running back Darren McFadden, 67 percent 33 percent.

Charles, the No. 6 seed on his side of the bracket, faces No. 3 seed, Jacksonville running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Rivers, seeded No. 1 on his side of the bracket, faces Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson.

Charles made it clear in an ESPN.com chat Monday that he is out to win the vote. Second-round voting goes through Sunday.

Brad Childress has company. I too am now despised in the Land of the 10,000 Lakes.

It seems I've attached myself to the hot seat in the second installment of ESPN.com’s position-by-position Power Rankings. My ranking of Kansas City Chiefs tailback Jamaal Charles at the No. 2 spot on my top 10 vote rocked the outcome of the rankings.

Who knew?

I was just giving a kid his due credit. I didn’t realize I was alienating an entire state. Really, purple is my favorite color.

However, because I put Charles at No. 2 and Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson at No. 3, it gave Tennessee’s Chris Johnson the No. 1 ranking.

You’re welcome, Tennessee.

This was not a sinister act to give Johnson the nod, although I did enjoy the fruit basket, Chris. Seriously, we have no idea what the outcome of these votes will be until all eight voters make their selections. It turns out I was the only person not to vote Johnson and Peterson in the top two. There’s the smoking gun.

Johnson finished first with 76 voting points, Peterson was second with 75 points and Charles was fifth with 44 points. This was my explanation to AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky, who compiled our story on this week’s Power Rankings:

I squeezed Charles in between Johnson and Peterson because I think Charles may be rising some and Peterson may be falling just a tad. We all know running backs have short shelf lives, so any little indication of slippage could be significant. I know Johnson slipped some in 2010, but this is still a highly productive player who has plenty left in the tank. I think Johnson gives defensive coordinators more Tuesday night headaches than any tailback in the league right now. I get to see Charles quite a bit and he is simply explosive. He truly can score any time he touches the ball.

Believe me, this wasn’t some AFC West favor. I truly believe Charles is a special player and he is deserving of his ranking. I also think Peterson is tremendous and he is still a special player. I voted him No. 3 not No. 8. I can’t apologize for giving a player a top-3 ranking.

In other, less-controversial AFC West power ranking developments, Oakland’s Darren McFadden was tied for 10th with Philadelphia’s LeSean McCoy and San Francisco’s Frank Gore. I had McFadden ranked No. 8, McCoy No. 10 and I left Gore unranked.

I can understand why McFadden was only on four lists. While he was quiet in his first two NFL seasons, he showed he was for real in his third. He became a strong inside and outside runner. He is also a weapon as a receiver. McFadden is finally the complete back everyone thought he'd be when he was drafted. He belongs on this list.

Kansas City’s Thomas Jones finished 13th.

Next week, we’ll rank the top pass-rushers. I wonder whose life I’ll ruin next?

Fill the comment section below on how you would vote the NFL’s top running backs.

The San Diego Union-Tribune has a look into the current mindset of Chargers’ holdout linebacker Shawne Merriman. He says his hold-out status is “day-to-day.” My guess? Merriman will show up sometime before camp ends.

• The Kansas City Star has a look at embattled Chiefs’ receiver Dwayne Bowe and how he is different this camp. Bowe better be different or this may be his final season in Kansas City.

• Denver cornerback Champ Bailey says rookie quarterback Tim Tebow has the biggest star power of any teammate he has ever had. And some folks wonder why Tebow gets all the pub he receives?

• Before signing running back LenDale White, the Broncos also took a peep at Adrian Peterson (the former Bear, not the current Vikings’ superstar) and LaDell Betts.

The Denver Broncos had the type of draft in 2009 that was supposed to give the team a nucleus.

Thanks to several trades (including one that sent Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler to Chicago), the Broncos finagled five picks in the first two rounds. It was an impressive display of draft chip building by first-year Denver coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Brian Xanders.

There’s no doubt that if the Broncos become a premier team in the near future it will be because of the development of the 2009 draft class. However, it appears solid production from this class is not a foregone conclusion. The class produced very little last year for Denver, which also wheel-and-dealed this year and produced five players in the top No. 87 picks, including receiver Demaryius Thomas and quarterback Tim Tebow in the first round.

“I like how Denver has found ways to acquire picks, and it’s a good way of building a great foundation,” said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. “I’m just not sold on the players they have taken.”

While the 2010 class prepares to begin their rookie season, the 2009 class in Denver is preparing to make progress from a disappointing NFL start. Denver also has hope fourth-round picks David Bruton and Seth Olsen (guard) and fifth-round pick Kenny McKinley (receiver) will contribute as well. But the attention is on the five picks in the first two rounds.

The following is a look at those top five picks from Denver’s 2009 class:

No. 12, Knowshon Moreno, running back

Recapping 2009: Moreno had 947 yards and averaged 3.8 yards per carry. His production dipped terribly as the season wore on. He had 173 rushing yards in the final four games as the Broncos, who started the season 6-0, fell out of playoff contention and finished 8-8. Moreno’s 2.7-per-carry average in that time span was alarming. Overall, he didn’t show much explosiveness at all. His longest carry of the season was 27 yards.

What’s expected in 2010: The Broncos have been pleased with what they have seen from Moreno this offseason and he seems to be more prepared for the long NFL season. He will be the starter and Denver hopes that he can get in the 1,200-1,400-yard range as the Broncos move to a more traditional power-blocking scheme.

A scout’s view: “I liked Moreno as a late-first round pick but not at No. 12. You don’t take a running back that high unless he is Adrian Peterson, a superstar. I don’t think Moreno will be a superstar, but he should be better in Year 2. He’s a good player, but not an elite player.” -- Matt Williamson

No. 18, Robert Ayers, linebacker:

Recapping 2009: Ayers started just one game last season, finishing with 19 tackles. He didn’t have any sacks. That was disappointing for Denver because it drafted him to be a pass-rusher. He was moved to linebacker to use his explosiveness, but he didn’t show it as a rookie. Ayers was a late draft riser after a so-so college career.

What’s expected in 2010: It hasn’t started great. After being lauded by McDaniels for much of the offseason, Ayers didn’t practice for the first two days of the mandatory minicamp earlier this month. Finally, on the third day, Ayers did some work and McDaniels said the problem had been resolved. Ayers can’t have any more setbacks. He will get a chance to start at linebacker, but he must earn his keep.

A scout’s view: “I think he’s more of a 4-3 defensive end than a 3-4 linebacker. I don’t know if he is a good fit for Denver’s scheme. I’d be reluctant to write him off because he is adjusting to a new scheme.” -- Matt Williamson

No. 37, Alphonso Smith, cornerback

Recapping 2009: Smith’s rookie season was as a disaster partly because of how he was acquired. That’s not his fault, but he has to deal with it. When Smith, who was expected to be a late first-round pick, fell to No.37, Denver jumped up and traded its 2010 top pick (which turned out to be No. 14) to Seattle for him. Smith didn’t live up to the price tag. He couldn’t keep his nickel cornerback job as he was beaten out by veteran pickup Ty Law and undrafted rookie Tony Carter.

What’s expected in 2010: The Broncos expect Smith to be the nickel cornerback. If he doesn’t keep the job this year, the alarms will sound loudly.

A scout’s view: “I liked the move to get him at No. 37; I’m not so sure about giving up a first-round pick. He is tough as nails and he is a good player. I’m not sure why he had a slow start.” -- Matt Williamson

No. 48, Darcel McBath, safety

Recapping 2009: McBath was decent when he played, but for now, he is just a backup safety. He was a good special-teams player, but his season was cut short because of injuries.

What’s expected in 2010: To continue to develop and help on defense when needed and be a special-teams standout. He will replace Brian Dawkins when he retires.

A scout’s view: “I thought he was a good pick and he could be a good player. But he’s backup for now.” -- Matt Williamson

No. 64, Richard Quinn, tight end:

Recapping 2009: Like Smith, Denver gave up a lot to get Quinn. He was the centerpiece of a trade in which Denver sent two third-rounds picks away in 2009. Quinn was clearly targeted. Yet, on draft day, Quinn admitted that he expected to be selected much lower in the draft. Denver took him because of his blocking. He played in 15 games and didn’t have a catch. He made noticeable mistakes in games and in training-camp practices.

What’s expected in 2010: He needs to develop. The team is using more of a power-blocking scheme so he may be on the field with Daniel Graham more in double-tight end sets.

A scout’s view: “He’s a blocking tight end. He’s not dynamic enough to use that high of a pick on. The Broncos already have Graham and Quinn is a Graham clone. It’s clear that’s what they want out of the position, but I’m not sure he’ll give them the production that’s expected because of what they gave up to get him.” -- Matt Williamson