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When a high-profile player becomes available, I get flooded with questions if he is a good fit for the AFC West.

Philadelphia cornerback Asante Samuel is no different. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Eagles have talked to several teams about trading for Samuel and he could be sent packing by next week’s draft.

I don’t see any easy fits in the AFC West for Samuel, but let’s take a closer look:

Denver: The Broncos have an aging Champ Bailey and have Tracy Porter signed for one year. I think they may be looking for a cornerback, but perhaps in the draft rather than via a trade for a veteran.

Kansas City: The Chiefs are set at cornerback with Brandon Flowers and Stanford Routt. I see no room for Samuel, even though he has history with Romeo Crennel and Scott Pioli in New England.

Oakland: The Raiders could use Samuel more than any team in the division, but I don’t think they have the trade means to get him. But if the price is right, perhaps Oakland could get in play.

San Diego: They could be the favorite in the division to land Samuel, but I don’t know if they would be in the race. Samuel would give San Diego some flexibility in the backfield, but I’m not sure the team would think pursuing Samuel would be worthwhile.

The AFC West was the tightest division in the NFL in 2011.

The Broncos, Raiders and Chargers finished 8-8 with Denver prevailing as the division winner via a tiebreaker. Kansas City was a game behind at 7-9. The Chiefs were a blocked field goal attempt against Oakland in Week 16 away from winning the division.

Each team marches toward 2012 with hopes of winning the division. While there is still some work to do in terms of the draft, let’s play the “what if” game. Below is five ways each team in the division could win the AFC West in 2012 if certain things occur. Hat tip to the reader who suggested the idea:

Denver

If Peyton Manning is fully recovered from a neck injury that kept him out of the entire 2011 season: Manning’s health is the key to Denver’s entire season. The team and Manning think he will be fine. If he is, the Broncos will be in great shape.

If Demaryius Thomas develops into a true No. 1 receiver: The third-year player has potential and showed great flashes last season. Playing with Manning should spark his career.

If Denver gets a running mate for Willis McGahee: McGahee had a great season in 2011, but he was dinged up a lot and he needs some help. If Denver can draft a player such as Miami’s Lamar Miller, Boise State’s Doug Martin or Virginia Tech’s David Wilson in the second round, they should be in great shape.

If Denver improves at defensive tackle: The Broncos need some help at the position and it is their most pressing need. Watch for Denver to take a defensive tackle at No. 25 in the first round and that player needs to contribute right away.

If the change at defensive coordinator is smooth: With Dennis Allen now the head coach in Oakland, former Jacksonville head coach Jack Del Rio is Denver’s seventh defensive coordinator in the past seven seasons. This change could be seamless, though, because Del Rio has previously been a coordinator on John Fox’s staff, and Fox plays a major role as a defensive coach.

Kansas City

If quarterback Matt Cassel plays better than he did in 2011: Cassel took a step back last season after a strong 2010 season. Instead of replacing him, though, the Chiefs gave Cassel more weapons. He has everything a quarterback needs to succeed. Now, he has to be a success.

If the Chiefs’ injured stars are recovered from serious knee injuries: Running back Jamaal Charles, safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki all suffered torn ACL’s in September. All are expected back. If they are all fully recovered, the Chiefs should be fine.

If the Chiefs get an impact defender in the first round: The Chiefs have a strong defense, but they can use another stud. Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe or Boston College inside linebacker Luke Kuechly would both be solid fits.

If Stanford Routt fits in the defense: The Chiefs opted to sign former Oakland cornerback Stanford Routt and let Brandon Carr walk. Kansas City thinks Routt will flourish as the No. 2 cornerback next to Brandon Flowers. If Routt struggles, the defense will suffer.

If Romeo Crennel’s late influence is intact: Crennel went from the interim coach to the permanent coach because he sparked the Chiefs in the final three weeks of the season. His team played very hard for him and went 2-1. Let’s see if the good vibes continue.

Oakland

If quarterback Carson Palmer adjusts to the West Coast offense: Palmer is both trying to re-energize his career and adapt to playing in a West Coast offense. The Raiders and Palmer believe it is a good fit.

If receivers Darrius Heyward-Bey, Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford continue to develop: I think these three players have showed flashes. If they continue to develop, the Raiders will have a lot of firepower.

If running back Darren McFadden can stay healthy: McFadden has missed a total of 19 games in four NFL season and at least three games in all four seasons. He missed the final nine games of last season with a foot injury. With backup Michael Bush now in Chicago and Oakland sporting young backups, it is imperative the special McFadden stays healthy as much as possible in 2012.

If the defensive front can stay healthy: The Raiders’ defensive line is their best aspect of a defense in transition. It must stay healthy and be an anchor to the unit.

If rookie coach Dennis Allen can have fast success: At 39, Allen, who has just one year of experience as a defensive coordinator, is the youngest head coach in the NFL. He must prove quickly that he is up to the task.

San Diego

If quarterback Philip Rivers can avoid the interception bug: He threw a career-high 20 interception in 2011. Rivers threw a total of 22 interceptions in the previous two seasons combined.

If running back Ryan Mathews can take the next step: San Diego coach Norv Turner recently said he expects Mathews to have a breakout season in 2012, his third in the NFL. He has shown flashes, but he needs to be more consistent.

If the receivers, as a unit, can make up for the loss of Vincent Jackson: The Chargers like their receiving crew even after Jackson signed with Tampa Bay. San Diego added Robert Meachem and Eddie Royal, and already has Malcom Floyd and Vincent Brown. Jackson is a star and he will be missed, but the Chargers think they have made up for his loss by having a deeper rotation.

If the Chargers' defense can be better on third down: San Diego had the worst third-down defense in the NFL last season. Improving in that area is a point of emphasis for new defensive coordinator John Pagano.

If the Chargers can add an impact pass-rusher in the first round: The Chargers need a young pass-rusher to emerge. It will be their top priority with the No. 18 pick.

The inevitable has happened: Brandon Carr is a former Kansas City Chief.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the cornerback has signed a five-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys worth $50.1 million. There was a lot of talk at the NFL combine last month that Dallas would make a run at Carr.

Carr’s departure from Kansas City was a foregone conclusion when the Chiefs signed former Oakland Raiders cornerback Stanford Routt on Feb. 20. After Routt was signed, the Chiefs said they had interest in retaining Carr, but it didn’t make any financial sense for Kansas City and it didn’t make any sense for Carr.

The Chiefs essentially chose to go with Routt because he was cheaper (he signed a three-year, $18 million deal in Kansas City) and he gave the Chiefs clarity at the position prior to free agency. Routt and Carr are considered comparable players. Both would be the No. 2 cornerback in Kansas City behind Brandon Flowers, who signed a big deal in Kansas City last year. Carr was a fifth-round pick by the Chiefs in 2008.

In other AFC West news:

Don’t be surprised if the Raiders get in play for former St. Louis cornerback Ron Bartell. He’d be the Raiders' top cornerback. Oakland is desperately trying to get in the cornerback game in free agency now that they finally have some room to maneuver.

The Denver Broncos are visiting with Cleveland Browns veteran safety Mike Adams.

Denver has a visit planned with Miami defensive tackle Paul Soliai. However, the Dolphins are still interested in retaining him.

Kansas City backup running back Jackie Battle has interest from three teams. There is a chance he does not return to Kansas City.

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli said Tuesday that signing cornerback Stanford doesn’t necessarily mean Brandon Carr will be playing elsewhere in 2012. In a radio interview with 810 WHB, Pioli said the team has already conveyed that fact to their cornerback and that Carr said he wants to remain in Kansas City.

I’ll say this: The signing of Stanford Routt does not impact where we’re at with Brandon Carr. As a matter of fact, Romeo and I both reached out to Brandon yesterday as this was unfolding and talked to him. I spoke personally with Brandon, and without getting into the details of what that conversation was, he knows and he’s known before that he’s someone that we want to try and keep here and he’s still someone we want to keep a Chief. This signing doesn’t eliminate the feelings that we have for Brandon and how we want to have him here. He knows that. He wants to be here. We want him here. And we’re going to try to work. If both sides find a deal that makes sense for one another, we’d love to have Brandon back. Part of the big-picture philosophy between keeping a large amount of cap room and managing the cap the right way is that when opportunities come to improve your football team with good players, you keep trying to do it. So, we had conversations not only with Brandon, but his agent and told him, "We’ve been talking, let’s continue to talk, let’s see how things work out." If we come to a deal that makes sense for everybody, let’s do that.

Still, Carr will likely sign elsewhere. The Chiefs signed No. 1 cornerback Brandon Flowers to a five-year, $52 million deal last season and they signed Routt to a three-year, $19 million-plus deal. Carr will likely sign a deal in the $7-9 million per-year range and will likely get a lot of offers. Keeping all three cornerbacks with big-money deals may be difficult even though the Chiefs expect to have more than $30 million in salary-cap room once the league year begins.

The Chiefs could put the franchise tag on Carr to either keep him in Kansas City or trade him, but that may be risky. If Carr signed the franchise tag and Kansas City couldn’t trade him, the Chiefs would have way too much money tied up at the position.

Plus, at this point, giving receiver Dwayne Bowe the franchise tag would likely be more beneficial to the team because Routt is fully capable of playing opposite Flowers. In the radio interview, Pioli hinted that Bowe could be franchised when he said “we’re hopeful to re-sign Dwayne. One way or another, we would love to have Dwayne back here as a Chief.”

It is surely interesting to hear that the Chiefs haven’t closed the door on bringing back Carr, but it would still be surprising to see that scenario play out.

Will the AFC West cornerback domino continue to fall?

With the Kansas City Chiefs signing cornerback Stanford Routt on Monday, it all but guarantees that Brandon Carr will walk as a free agent. Routt -- who the the Raiders released earlier this month -- signed a three-year, $19.6 million deal with the Chiefs on Monday. Last season the Chiefs signed No. 1 cornerback Brandon Flowers to a five-year, $52 million deal. There is little chance the Chiefs will give Carr, who will likely command $7-9 million a year, a big deal.

With Routt staying in the AFC West, will Carr follow suit? Let’s see if he fits elsewhere in the division.

Denver Broncos: I thought Denver would be the favorite in the division to land Routt, but the Broncos reportedly never had any interest. Carr could pair nicely with the aging Champ Bailey for the short term. The Broncos could then have Carr take over as the No.1 cornerback if Bailey is eventually moved to safety. The Broncos have cap room and I could see them looking at Carr.

Oakland Raiders: Could this situation end with Routt in Kansas City and Carr in Oakland? Sure, but it may be difficult for the Raiders, who still need to get under the salary cap, to win a bidding war. There will be no doubt that Carr will be on the Raiders’ wish list as the cornerback position is Oakland's greatest need. There are several other cornerbacks available though. I could see the Raiders ending up with someone like New Orleans’ Tracy Porter, who played for new Oakland coach Dennis Allen with the Saints, more than Carr.

San Diego Chargers: I think this is the least likely scenario in the division. The Chargers like Antoine Cason and he could get an extension at some point. The Chargers simply have bigger needs to spend big money on this season.

Is Stanford Routt a better player than Brandon Carr?

It depends on whom you talk to and what you want from your cornerback. Routt is 28 and Carr is 25 and both are considered high-level No. 2 cornerbacks. The Carr-Routt debate really is a matter of preference, but I can see why the Chiefs chose to go with Routt as their new No. 2 cornerback to pair with No. 1 starter Brandon Flowers.

By signing Routt, who can play man-to-man defense, the Chiefs took care of one of their two biggest questions in free agency on Monday. Kansas City’s top free agents are receiver Dwayne Bowe and Carr. The Routt signing, of course, means Carr will be walking as a free agent.

Routt signed a three-year deal worth $19.6 million with Kansas City, bypassing offers from several other teams. Last year, Flowers signed a five-year, $52 million deal. Carr will likely get in the $7-9 million range in free agency. There is no way the Chiefs will pay three cornerbacks premium money.

By choosing Routt over Carr, the Chiefs also solved another problem. There was a question whether the Chiefs, who are well under the salary cap, would give the franchise tag to Bowe or Carr. Now, they can give Bowe the franchise tag to keep him off the open market with Carr no longer being a priority.

Starting free agency with a player of Routt’s caliber and securing Bowe would be a great start for the Chiefs.

I give Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli a lot of credit for making this move. Routt will fit well with Flowers, and I expect him to be closer to the player he was in Oakland in 2010 than the 2011 version. Routt was solid as the No. 2 cornerback to Nnamdi Asomugha. But after Asomugha went to Philadelphia in free agency last season, Routt struggled as the Raiders’ No. 1 cornerback. He had 17 penalties and gave up eight touchdowns, which was tied for the most in the NFL by a cornerback last season.

Routt, who signed a huge deal in Oakland last year, was cut by the Raiders earlier this month. Playing opposite Flowers should help Routt, and I think he will fit in well in Romeo Crennel’s defense.

The Chiefs have a young, exciting roster and the resources to get better this offseason. By signing Routt, they have a fine head start on becoming a better team in 2012.

The most interesting current story line in the AFC West is the Kansas City Chiefs’ flirtation with former Oakland cornerback Stanford Routt.

Routt’s visit in Kansas City extended to a second day Wednesday. He has already visited Buffalo and others are planned. But there is no doubt Kansas City is considering signing Routt, who was cut by Oakland last Thursday.

Making Kansas City’s interest in Routt even more intriguing is that one of the Chiefs’ top free agents is cornerback Brandon Carr. With No. 1 cornerback Brandon Flowers locked into a long-term contract and both Routt, 28, and Carr, 25, commanding starter’s money, there is only room for one or the other. The Chiefs are obviously comparing both Routt’s and Carr’s skills along with their contract demands.

Don’t discount the positive impact signing Routt would create. The Chiefs — who have $62 million in cap room — can virtually lock in two priorities and then concentrate on other needs on the open market by signing Routt now and giving the franchise tag to receiver Dwayne Bowe. They can’t franchise both Bowe and Carr. Securing Routt and Bowe before the start off free agency, which begins March 13, could be appealing to Kansas City.

I asked Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. who he would rather have, Routt or Carr? He said he likes Carr just a bit more, but he’d have little problem seeing the Chiefs opt to sign Routt.

“I would prefer Carr to Routt, but not by leaps and bounds, both Carr and Routt are high end No. 2 CBs,” Williamson said. “I trust Romeo (Crennel) to coach up Routt, who has a ton of ability. I could see Routt thriving across from Flowers.”

Whether or not the Chiefs sign Routt, they deserve credit for exploring their options.

NFL.com reports cornerback Stanford Routt will visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday. The Oakland Raiders cut Routt on Thursday. ESPNDallas first reported the Chiefs’ interest in Routt last Friday.

Routt was in Buffalo on Monday for his first visit since becoming the best available free agent on the open market. He has several other visits planned and the process could take some time to develop. If the Chiefs, who have more than $62 million in salary-cap room, sign Routt, it will be an indication they are not interested in signing Brandon Carr, who is going to be one of the better free-agent cornerbacks available on the market. The Chiefs could be looking at Routt to compare what he wants to what Carr is looking for in a deal.

Like Carr, Routt would be a good fit with Kansas City No. 1 cornerback Brandon Flowers. Routt was better as the No. 2 cornerback to Nnamdi Asomugha before he became the lead cornerback last season when the Raiders chose to give Routt a big contract instead of Asomugha. Oakland’s new leadership cut Routt last week.

Meanwhile, Oakland guard Cooper Carlisle is considered a candidate to be salary-cap causality. However, there are indications the Raiders will consider keeping him. New Oakland offensive line coach Frank Pollack tried to recruit him to Houston few years ago as a free agent and Carlisle is a natural fit for the zone-blocking scheme Pollack coaches.

Jack Bicknell Jr. will reportedly be the Chiefs’ offensive line coach. He was the Giants’ assistant offensive line coach.

Now that the Pro Bowl is in the books (17 players from the AFC West played in the game, a wild 59-41 AFC win) let’s take a look at a player from each AFC West team that may be close to securing his first Pro Bowl berth.

Denver, Chris Kuper, guard: Kuper should have already been there. He is an elite player. Opponents, coaches and scouts around the league consider him one of the best guards in football. He is tough, strong and nasty. He is expected to be fully healed from a broken leg he suffered in Week 17.

Kansas City, Brandon Flowers, cornerback: Flowers is also highly respected around the league. He is steadily improving and he is an upper-echelon player. I wouldn’t be surprised if he is finally recognized as a Pro Bowler next season.

Oakland, Jared Veldheer, tackle: The Raiders have several young players who could soon make the Pro Bowl, but I think Veldheer is on the cusp of making the Pro Bowl. He has been terrific and he has dominated some star pass-rushers. Veldheer is on the verge of stardom.

San Diego, Antwan Barnes, linebacker: Barnes has been quite a find for San Diego. Signed off the street in 2010, Barnes has shown flashes of dominance as a pass-rusher. He had 11 sacks last season. Sack artists get a lot of love from Pro Bowl voters. If he had a big season in 2012, he could get a nod.

The Pro Bowl teams will be announced Tuesday. Here's a look at some of the candidates for each team in the division:

Denver Broncos:

Players: Champ Bailey (cornerback), Brodrick Bunkley (defensive tackle), Ryan Clady (tackle), Britton Colquitt (punter), Chris Kuper (guard), Willis McGahee (running back), Von Miller (linebacker), Matt Prater (kicker).

Best bets: Bailey, Miller.

Kansas City Chiefs:

Players: Dwayne Bowe (receiver), Brandon Flowers (cornerback), Tamba Hali (linebacker), Derrick Johnson (linebacker), Casey Wiegmann (center).

Best bets: Bowe, Hali, Johnson.

Oakland Raiders:

Players: Tyvon Branch (safety), Michael Bush (running back), Sebastian Janikowski (kicker), Shane Lechler (punter), Marcel Reece (fullback), Richard Seymour (defensive lineman), Kamerion Wimbley (linebacker), Stefen Wisniewski (guard).

Best bets: Janikowski, Lechler, Seymour

San Diego Chargers:

Players: Antwan Barnes (linebacker), Antonio Gates (tight end), Nick Hardwick (center), Vincent Jackson (receiver), Ryan Mathews (running back), Philip Rivers (quarterback), Eric Weddle (safety).

Best bets: Gates, Jackson, Weddle.

The NFL has released the final results of the fan portion of the Pro Bowl voting process. The fan vote makes up a third of the process along with players and coaches votes.

The following is a look at the AFC West players who finished in the top five of the AFC fan vote. Voting ends next week and the team will be announced Dec. 27:

Quarterback

Third place: Tim Tebow, Denver

Running back

Fourth place: Darren McFadden, Oakland

Fifth place: Willis McGahee, Denver

Fullback

Second place: Jacob Hester, San Diego

Third place: Marcel Reece, Oakland

Wide Receiver

Fourth place: Vincent Jackson, San Diego

Tight end

Fourth place: Antonio Gates, San Diego

Defensive end

Third place: Elvis Dumervil, Denver

Defensive tackle

Second place: Richard Seymour, Oakland

Fifth place: Tommy Kelly, Oakland

Outside linebacker

Second place: Von Miller, Denver

Fifth place: Tamba Hali, Kansas City

Cornerback

Third place: Brandon Flowers, Kansas City

Fourth place: Champ Bailey, Denver

Strong safety

Third place: Brian Dawkins, Denver

Fourth place: Tyvon Branch, Oakland

Free safety

Second place: Eric Weddle, San Diego

Kicker

First place: Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland

Fourth place: Matt Prater, Denver

Punter

First place: Shane Lechler, Oakland

Second place: Britton Colquitt, Denver

Kick returner

Fourth place: Jacoby Ford, Oakland

Fifth place: Javier Arenas, Kansas City

Special Teamer

Fourth place: Rock Cartwright, Oakland

If a position wasn’t listed, no player in the division was in the top five.

The NFL has released an update on the fan portion of the Pro Bowl voting process. The fan vote makes up a third of the process along with players and coaches votes.

The following is a look at the AFC West players who are currently in the top five of the AFC fan vote. Voting ends next week and the team will be announced Dec. 27:

Quarterback

Third place: Tim Tebow, Denver

Running back

Fourth place: Darren McFadden, Oakland

Fifth place: Willis McGahee, Denver

Fullback

First place: Jacob Hester, San Diego

Third place: Marcel Reece, Oakland

Wide Receiver

Fourth place: Vincent Jackson, San Diego

Fifth place: Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City

Tight end

Fourth place: Antonio Gates, San Diego

Guard

Fifth place: Stefen Wisniewski, Oakland

Defensive tackle

Second place: Richard Seymour, Oakland

Outside linebacker

Second place: Von Miller, Denver

Fifth place: Tamba Hali

Cornerback

Third place: Brandon Flowers, Kansas City

Fourth place: Champ Bailey, Denver

Strong safety

Third place: Tyvon Branch, Oakland

Fourth place: Brian Dawkins, Denver

Free safety

Second place: Eric Weddle, San Diego

Kicker

First place: Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland

Punter

First place: Shane Lechler, Oakland

Second place: Britton Colquitt, Denver

Kick returner

Fourth place: Jacoby Ford, Oakland

Fifth place: Javier Arenas, Kansas City

Special Teamer

Third place: Rock Cartwright, Oakland

If a position wasn’t listed, no player in the division was in the top five.

Upon my arrival home from Denver, let’s take a look at some key AFC West injury developments heading in the remaining Week 11 action:

In Oakland, the Raiders will definitely be without running back Darren McFadden (foot), receiver Jacoby Ford (foot) and cornerback Chris Johnson (groin) again. However, the team is focused on whether or not star defensive lineman Richard Seymour (ankle) will play Sunday at Minnesota. The team is hopeful Seymour will play. But he missed the entire practice week. Safety Michael Huff suffered a setback and he is questionable to play with an ankle injury that kept him out of last week’s game.

McFadden hasn’t played since week 7. The team is hopeful he could potentially play next week against visiting Chicago. However, with backup Michael Bush playing well, there is no need to rush McFadden back. There’s no timetable for Ford’s return. He was hurt Nov. 10 at San Diego.

In San Diego, as expected, the Chargers will be without several key players. The Chargers’ injury woes begin on the offensive line. With standout guard Kris Dielman out for the year because of a concussion, the team will also be without left tackle Marcus McNeill (stinger) and will likely be without guard Louis Vasquez (ankle) Sunday at Chicago. He is listed as doubtful. The team has been expecting this problem all week.

Receiver Malcom Floyd (hip) and linebacker Shaun Phillips (foot) remain out. They’ve both missed multiple games. Standout defensive tackle Antonio Garay (hip) is questionable to play Sunday.

In Kansas City, defensive end Glenn Dorsey (knee), starting cornerback Brandon Flowers (back) and Brandon Carr (ankle) were limited for the second straight day of practice. They were joined on the limited list by safety Jon McGraw (shoulder). The four players will have an extra day to heal. Kansas City plays at New England on Monday.

Three key Kansas City defenders were limited in practice as they began preparing for Monday night’s game at New England.

Starting cornerback Brandon Flowers (back) and Brandon Carr (ankle) and defensive end Glenn Dorsey (knee) were all limited. The extra day before the game will help these players, but it seems their chances of playing may be questionable.

Other AFC West nuggets:

• The Chargers’ injury issues continue. Guard Louis Vasquez (ankle) and left tackle Marcus McNeill (stinger) and they likely won’t play. Receiver Malcom Floyd (hip), defensive tackle Antonio Garay (hip), cornerback Marcus Gilchrist (hamstring) and linebacker Shaun Phillips (foot) all didn’t practice, either. Both Phillips and Floyd have been out for several weeks.
• The Raiders placed fourth-round pick, cornerback Chimdi Chekwa, on the injured reserve with a hamstring injury. He suffered the injury in his only start of the season, Week 4 against New England. To take his place, Oakland signed second-year cornerback Bryan McCann. He has played 14 games the since the start of last season with Dallas and Baltimore.
• Oakland standouts, running back Darren McFadden (foot), receiver Jacoby Ford (foot) and defensive lineman Richard Seymour (ankle) are not practicing Thursday for the second straight day. The Oakland Tribune believes McFadden, who was hurt in Week 7, and Ford, who was hurt last week, will not play at Minnesota on Sunday, while Seymour has a solid chance to play.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ defense is on an awards role.

For the second straight week, a Chiefs’ defender has been honored by the NFL as the AFC Defensive Player of the week. Linebacker Derrick Johnson got the nod for his dominant showing in a 23-20 win over San Diego on Monday night.

Johnson had 16 tackles, a sack and interception in the win over the Chargers. It is Johnson’s fourth player of the week honor of his career. Last week, Kansas City cornerback Brandon Flowers won the award for his play in a 28-0 win at Oakland.

• ESPN’s playoff predictor, in an Insider piece, believes the Chiefs will emerge from the three-way scrum in the AFC West.
• Another video debating Tim Tebow for your digesting pleasure.