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After a strong second round in the AFC West, I thought there were some interesting developments in the third round in the division as well.

Let’s take a look:

Denver will worry about getting a bigger back later, but it was clearly interested in getting a faster, smaller running back in the third round. The Broncos traded up 20 spots (it gave up one its three fourth rounders as well as No. 87) to take San Diego State's explosive Ronnie Hillman.

He has been compared to Darren Sproles and he should have a place in Peyton Manning's offense. Denver’s trade was made shortly after San Francisco took Oregon’s speedster LaMichael James, so I think the Broncos wanted either James or Hillman and decided to pounce on Hillman after James was taken.

Willis McGahee will remain the starter, but Hillman should be dangerous. I wonder where this leaves 2009 top pick Knowshon Moreno. He will either be a 5-8 carry option behind McGahee or he could be on the outside looking in.

Moreno blew out his knee last year and he has since gotten a DUI. Hillman is clearly more in Denver’s plans than Moreno. Again, Denver will need to find a young power back sometime, but Hillman has an immediate place in this offense.

While Denver traded up for Hillman, San Diego moved up to take LSU safety Brandon Taylor.

Folks, San Diego is killing this draft. It is just slaying it. A trio of pass-rusher Melvin Ingram (No. 18), defensive lineman Kendall Reyes (No. 49) and Taylor (No. 73) is a wicked group to bring into one defense. All three players were taken later than projected and could all make immediate impacts. Major kudos to San Diego for having a strong plan.

Kansas City took its second offensive lineman of the day at No. 74 in the form of Oklahoma tackle Donald Stephenson. He is a one-year starter who has a lot of potential. I think he is a developmental player who gives the Chiefs options if they don’t want to re-sign left tackle Branden Albert after next season.

This draft may give a hint into what the Chiefs think of Albert, the No. 15 overall pick in 2008. In the second round, the Chiefs took guard Jeff Allen. If Albert doesn’t have a good year or if he does prices himself out of the Chiefs’ plans, Kansas City has options.

Oakland made its 2012 draft debut with the final pick of the day when it took Utah tackle/guard Tony Bergstrom.

I know some Oakland fans were disappointed that the choice was a developmental lineman while there were some sexier names available. But the truth is, picking at the spot is difficult and the new Oakland regime has a plan. Bergstrom is a good player, who is tough. He is a fine zone-blocking player. He deepens the line and he could vie for a starting spot in a year or two.

Unless the Raiders get extremely lucky, getting solid developmental players in this draft has to be the goal.

Here is the Chargers’ mock draft:

Summary: The draft should allow the Chargers to add depth in several areas. They might add a safety fairly early (a trade up for Mark Barron) and Iloka is a solid choice in the third round. James could play a Darren Sproles role. Harris would be a great value; Lindley would be a good developmental prospect and be reunited with receiver Vincent Brown, a teammate at San Diego State.

Let’s look at one player on every AFC West roster who should be paying close attention when the draft begins Thursday:

Denver running back Willis McGahee: He will likely get a backfield partner early in the draft. McGahee is 30 and was nicked up a lot last season. He was fantastic, but will be best served if the Broncos get him some help.

Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel: The Chiefs have spent this offseason building around Cassel. Still, there is a chance Kansas City could take a quarterback early. If the Chiefs take Texas A&M's Ryan Tannehill in the first round, Cassel’s future is Kansas City will be short. If the Chiefs bypass a quarterback in the early rounds, it’s a strong statement that Cassel is in the team’s long-term plans.

Oakland tight end David Ausberry: The Raiders like Ausberry, a second-year player, but they have also been scouting tight ends. Oakland not drafting one would be a clear sign that Ausberry will get every opportunity to play in 2012.

San Diego running back Ryan Mathews: He has seen Darren Sproles and Mike Tolbert leave via free agency in the past nine months; Mathews needs a quality backup and I think he will get one. Mathews is making great strides, but he has some durability issues -- making a strong backup a must.

The Oakland Raiders received three badly needed compensatory draft picks.

While these picks are far from ensuring the team they are going to get contributors, it does help salvage a weak class. Oakland received picks in the third, fourth and fifth rounds in next month’s draft. Oakland has the first comp pick in the third (No. 95) and fifth (No. 168) and the second comp pick of the fourth round (129). The comp picks will be added at the end of the third-through-seventh rounds. Comp picks cannot be traded.

The picks more than doubled Oakland’s draft class. Oakland has its own picks in the fifth and sixth rounds. It’s certainly not ideal that Oakland has to wait until the 95th pick to join the draft and having two picks in the first 129 picks is a tough road, but the Raiders’ draft is in better shape than it was going into Monday.

Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year are eligible to receive compensatory draft picks.

In 2011, Oakland lost free agents Nnamdi Asomugha, Robert Gallery, Bruce Gradkowski, Zach Miller and Thomas Howard and signed Kevin Boss and Stephon Heyer. Teams do not get credit for comp pick consideration for cutting players.

San Diego will receive a comp pick in the seventh round (No. 248) even though it did suffer a net loss of compensatory free agents last year. Under the league’s formula, the compensatory free agents lost by San Diego were ranked lower than the ones they signed (by a specified point differential based upon salary and performance). San Diego lost Darren Sproles and Kevin Burnett, while it signed Takeo Spikes and Travis LaBoy.

In total, 15 teams received a total of 32 picks.

It was almost 12 hours ago when I first reported that San Diego Chargers running back Mike Tolbert has signed a four-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. I ended the short post by saying I would have more on the story later.

I should have indicated it would be much, much later. I guess I got sidetracked by another little story that developed in the AFC West.

Anyway, without further ado, here are some thoughts on Tolbert’s departure:

I don’t like it.

Last month, I wrote the Chargers couldn’t afford to lose another running back. Last year, they saw Darren Sproles go to New Orleans and he was missed. So will Tolbert.

He is a stud in short yardage, he has nice hands, he is a fine blocker, and he is great on special teams. Winning teams have players like Tolbert.

Ryan Mathews will need a new complement. Two names to keep an eye on are Kansas City’s Jackie Battle and Oakland’s Michael Bush. Bush is getting interest from the Bengals, Bears and Seahawks. Perhaps the Chargers will join the party. Other running backs available include Cedric Benson, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Brandon Jacobs, Ryan Grant and Joseph Addai.

The Chargers will see a lot of familiar faces when they play the NFC South in 2012. They will see Tolbert and Sproles as they will see recently departed star receiver Vincent Jackson in Tampa Bay and will face former backup running back Michael Turner when they play the Falcons.

The Chargers' last real priority in-house free agent is defensive tackle Antonio Garay.

This guy had been a royal pain to the San Diego Chargers.

They clearly noticed.

The Chargers continued to give quarterback Philip Rivers more weapons by signing Denver free agent Eddie Royal. He will likely be the No. 3 or No. 4 receiver in San Diego, depending on the development of second-year receiver Vincent Brown. He was not in the Broncos’ plans. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that it is a three-year deal worth $13.5 million with $6 million in guaranteed money.

But the Chargers will get good use out of Royal, who also gives them a threat in the punt return game. San Diego missed a spark in the return game last year with the absence of Darren Sproles.

Royal excelled in 2008 as a rookie, but the former second-round pick failed to match his rookie success after Mike Shanahan was fired following Royal’s rookie season. Shanahan tried to bring Royal to Washington this week, but he was unable to swing it.

Royal has had some big games against the Chargers. He had two punt returns for touchdowns in a Monday night game in San Diego in 2009, and he caught the game-winning touchdown and ensuing two-point conversion in the infamous Ed Hochuli game, which was the second game of Royal’s NFL career.

The addition of Royal is another solid move for the Chargers, who revamped their passing game following the departure of Vincent Jackson to Tampa Bay this week. The Chargers signed New Orleans' Robert Meachem to replace Jackson as the team's No. 1 receiver on Tuesday.

The San Diego Chargers may say goodbye to another running back.


Mike Tolbert is a free agent and there is a solid chance he could leave San Diego. The Chargers may make a play to keep him because he is so versatile. However, San Diego has other needs, and it could have trouble keeping Tolbert because several other teams may show interest and make it difficult for San Diego to keep the role player.

Denver and Kansas City could be among the several teams to make a play for Tolbert. I know Ryan Mathews is the Chargers’ starter and he has showed great signs of coming on, but I don’t think the Chargers can let Tolbert walk.

He is a threat as a runner, blocker, receiver and on special teams. He is one of the team’s toughest players and he is adored in the locker room.

It may not be prudent to lose a player like Tolbert a year after Darren Sproles left in free agency to New Orleans. The Chargers regretted letting Sproles go to New Orleans. He was sorely missed. Tolbert would be, too.

While Sproles was a threat to score every time he touched the ball as a runner and as a receiver, Tolbert brings a different element as Mathews’ backup. He’s a punishing runner and he’s solid in short-yardage situations. He averaged 4.0 yards per carry last season and had eight rushing touchdowns, while adding 54 catches.

The Chargers would have to go out and find a replacement for Tolbert if he walks. After seeing Michael Turner leave after the 2007 season and Sproles go last season, I think it’s time for the Chargers to do what it takes to keep a running back from running away in free agency.

As each team in the AFC West prepares for the NFL scouting combine next week, let’s review the AFC West 2011 draft classes:

DENVER BRONCOS

First pick: Linebacker Von Miller , No. 2 overall

Total picks: Nine

Stars: Miller was the shining star of this class. He won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and he looks like he will be a dominant pass-rusher for years to come. Right tackle Orlando Franklin, a second-round pick, performed well as a starter and safety Quinton Carter really came on toward the end of the season. Carter was a fourth-round pick.

Dud: There is concern over safety Rahim Moore who regressed as the season went on. The second-round pick was not nearly as far along as Carter at the end of the season. Moore is a hard worker and there is hope for him, but the Broncos expected more from him.

Good start for Elway era: This was the first draft class under new Denver leader John Elway. The Broncos made some good draft decisions and the process seemed very organized. It was the first sign that Elway was prepared for his new role.

What’s the future of this class? This was a good class. Third-round pick Nate Irving will compete to start at middle linebacker and the Broncos are excited about tight ends Julius Thomas (fourth round) and Virgil Green (seventh round). Regardless of what happens with the rest of this class, Miller himself makes this group a winner.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

First pick: Receiver Jon Baldwin, No. 26

Total picks: Nine

Star: The player who created the most excitement was third-round pick Justin Houston at linebacker. He had first-round talent, but character issues dropped him to No. 70 overall. He was a playmaker, had 5.5 sacks and looks like he can be a major star.

Duds: Baldwin wasn’t terrible, but he was a disappointment because he suffered a broken thumb in a camp fight with veteran Thomas Jones. Baldwin didn’t debut until October. He showed flashes and I think he will be a fine player, but he hurt the team by fighting with Jones. It was a terrible start to his career.

Character questions? Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli had a reputation for steering clear of players with character issues. He changed course by taking Baldwin and Houston because of their draft value. It worked with Houston but the Baldwin fight raised more concerns. It will be interesting to see if Pioli takes any chances this year.

What’s the future of this class? I like it. Third-round pick Allen Bailey has a real chance to shine at defensive end and second-round pick Rodney Hudson may have a chance to start at either guard or center this season. Fifth-round pick Ricky Stanzi had a chance to be the backup quarterback this year. It was a good group.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

First pick: Guard Stefen Wisniewski, No. 48

Total picks: Eight

Stars: Wisniewski and fifth-round pick Denarius Moore at wide receiver. Wisniewski looked like an eight-year veteran. The nephew of former Raiders’ star offensive lineman and assistant offensive line coach Steve Wisniewski was born to be a Raider and he looks like a future star. He’s bright, athletic and he has a mean streak. Moore opened eyes in camp and made a lot of plays during the season. There were plays when he simply took over and he ended up with 33 catches for 618 yards and five touchdowns. I wouldn’t be shocked if he doubles those totals in 2012.

Duds: It would be unfair to call the Raiders' third-round picks -- cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke and offensive lineman Joseph Barksdale (who Oakland traded its 2012 second-round pick to get) -- duds. But neither player made any real impact. They are projects and they have a chance to be good in the future, but they just weren’t standouts as rookies.

End of an era: This was the final draft selected by the legendary Al Davis. I have a feeling Moore may be Davis’ final gift to the Raider Nation.

What’s the future of this class? If Van Dyke, Barksdale, defensive back Chimdi Chekwa and running back Taiwan Jones can become major role players, this will be a great class. If not, Wisniewski and Moore will carry a class that didn’t feature a first-round pick. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor technically wasn’t part of the Raiders’ 2011 class because he was taken in the supplemental draft later in the summer. Drafting him cost Oakland a third-round pick in 2012. He was a rookie last season and it will be interesting to see how he develops. He was a Davis pick and the new regime may or may not like him. Either way, he is still a project.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

First pick: Defensive end Corey Liuget, No. 18.

Total picks: Eight

Stars: Liuget wasn’t great in a class that featured several impact defensive players. But he did look like somebody who will make an impact down the road. Third-round pick, receiver Vincent Brown, also showed nice progress. I think he could end up having a very solid career.

Duds: Second-round pick Marcus Gilchrist struggled at cornerback when he started. Still, his future is not lost. He could be moved to safety or perhaps he could be a nickel. The Chargers waived running back Jordan Todman. The team hoped the sixth-round pick could become the next Darren Sproles. Todman is now with Minnesota.

Back to the future? The Chargers surprisingly took Liuget even though many observers thought that San Diego would take an offensive lineman or a pass-rusher. Now, a year later, the Chargers are looking at offensive linemen and pass-rushers with the No. 18 pick.

What’s the future of this class? I think the other three classes in the division all have better potential. I’m not sure if this will ever be a great class, but Liuget and Brown can really help it. Linebacker Jonas Mouton (second round) missed the entire season with an injury. He will get a chance to play this season.

A look at the top potential unrestricted free agents in the AFC West:

1. Vincent Jackson, receiver, San Diego: Receivers with Jackson’s size speed and skills are rare. The Chargers want him back, but there will be competition.

2. Dwayne Bowe, receiver, Kansas City: Bowe has major skills and he will get paid. There are consistency and personality questions, but Bowe is a talent.

3. Brandon Carr, cornerback, Kansas City: I know some folks think Carr will be one of the prizes of free agency and he will be paid large by the Chiefs or someone else. But he’s a No. 2 cornerback, so I’m always a bit worried to see them get paid before they prove they are No. 1 starters.

4. Michael Bush, running back, Oakland: I’m concerned that Bush’s production waned down the stretch. It makes you wonder if he can be a true starter. But he is immensely talented and I wouldn’t blame Oakland if it franchised him.

5. Tyvon Branch, safety, Oakland: Branch is a good player. He isn’t without faults, but he would be attractive in free agency and Oakland’s defense will be better with him than without him.

6. Nick Hardwick, center, San Diego: He’s a rock and the anchor to the offensive line in San Diego. There has been talk he may retire, but the Chargers want him back.

7. Brodrick Bunkley, defensive tackle, Denver: He is an underrated player, who could be would be popular on the open market. Denver wants him back.

8. Jason Campbell, quarterback, Oakland: Campbell showed he is a starter in the NFL while with the Raiders and some team will likely make him their starter in 2012.

9. Mike Tolbert, running back, San Diego: Tolbert is a multi-purpose back. San Diego regretted letting the versatile Darren Sproles walk to New Orleans last year. It can’t make the same mistake with Tolbert.

10. Jared Gaither, tackle, San Diego: Gaither could easily be one of the five best players in this group. He just has to show consistency.

11. Kyle Orton, quarterback, Kansas City: Some teams may value Orton more than Campbell. I just like Campbell a tad more.

12. Antonio Garay, defensive tackle, San Diego: This is a good, stout player who may finally get paid at the age of 32.

13. Matt Prater, kicker, Denver: Prater has a cannon for a leg and he one of the better kickers in the league. Prater loves playing in Denver and Denver loves having him.

Mid-week mail call:

Sam K. in Philadelphia wants to know if I think the Chargers will get a compensatory pick for the free-agency losses of Darren Sproles and Kevin Burnett.

Bill Williamson: Well, the compensatory picks system is pretty complicated. Remember, the Chargers will get dinged for adding Takeo Spikes. But I would expect San Diego to probably get, at least, one comp pick. This is just a guess, but maybe in the fourth round or fifth round.

Shawn Ducey from Barre, VT wants to know why I think the Chiefs could address safety this year in the draft.

BW: I don’t necessarily think safety will be a huge draft priority, but I could see Kansas City adding a safety in the middle rounds if they like a certain player. Jon McGraw is aging and Kendrick Lewis is decent, but not great. The Chiefs will be in great shape at one safety spot when Eric Berry returns from a knee injury, but adding talent to the position wouldn't be a bad idea.

Jim from Louisville wants to know if I think the Chargers will give receiver Vincent Jackson a contract extension.

BW: I think they should give him an extension. San Diego ownership has to show some goodwill to the fan base and it has to show the Chargers are serious about winning. Keeping coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith didn’t play well with many fans. Signing the star receiver to a long-term deal would be welcomed by the fans. Plus, giving him the franchise tag could limit the Chargers from making other moves. And letting Jackson walk as a free agent, well, that is just not something a team that needs to make the playoffs next year can afford to do.

There will be change in San Diego after all.

Two days after San Diego ownership made the controversial decision to keep coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith, the team fired defensive coordinator Greg Manusky after one season, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. There will likely be other tweaking on the staff.

This is no surprise.

It had long been thought that if Turner did survive, Manusky wouldn’t. In San Diego, the hiring of Manusky was considered the biggest mistake the team made in 2011 along with allowing running back Darren Sproles to leave and go to New Orleans as a free agent.

Manusky’s defense never caught fire. Last year, the Chargers were the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL under coordinator Ron Rivera., who left to become the head coach in Carolina. However, San Diego’s defense fell to 16th under Manusky.

Manusky, a former San Diego linebackers coach, promised an aggressive defense, but it never developed.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports linebackers coach John Pagano is a favorite to replace Manusky. Pagano reportedly was in line to become the defensive coordinator at UCLA. This opportunity would very likely sway that decision.

Another name to keep an eye on is secondary coach Steve Wilks. He is a player favorite who has drawn comparison to Rivera for his style. Wilks was brought to San Diego by Rivera.

Expect San Diego to stick with the 3-4 defense. The next defensive coordinator will be Turner’s fourth in his six seasons in San Diego. Ted Cottrell was fired midway through the 2008 season.

Whoever the new coordinator will be, improvements will be needed in San Diego. The Chargers need some pass-rushing linebackers, a starting safety and backups at cornerback. Expect improving the defense to be a focal point of the offseason. The move Thursday was just the first step.

Meanwhile, there will likely be three new defensive coordinators in the AFC West. Oakland is expected to fire Chuck Bresnahan. A new defensive coordinator will be brought into Kansas City regardless of whether Romeo Crennel is given the head-coaching job.

The San Diego Chargers had high hopes for Jordan Todman when he was drafted earlier this year.

The Chargers hoped the small, speedy Todman -- who was taken in the sixth round out of Connecticut -- could someday take on a Darren Sproles-type role as a change-of-pace back and as a returner. However, the Chargers will have to make different plans.

The San Diego Union Tribune reports Todman has been signed off the Chargers’ practice squad by Minnesota. In the end, I don’t see it as a crushing blow. If the Chargers were as high on Todman as they thought they would be, he’d be on the 53-man roster and protected. He was waived early in the season and has spent the majority of the year on the practice squad.

In other AFC West news:

The is what Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel said about the Chiefs' game at Denver on Sunday: "Some people may say they have more to play for than we have to play for. I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.''

It’s another indication that the Chiefs are going to play hard Sunday. Crennel is trying to make his case to be the permanent coach in Kansas City. Denver is trying to go to the playoffs for the first time in six years. Sorry, coach, but on the NFL Richter scale, it’s a bigger game for Denver.

Kansas City running back Jackie Battle did not practice Wednesday because of a foot injury. Crennel said Battle will be doubtful to play Sunday.

San Diego standout receiver Vincent Jackson is not practicing Wednesday because of a groin injury. He didn’t practice all last week, but he did play some. It will be interesting to see if the Chargers have Jackson push it with San Diego being eliminated from the playoffs. Running backs Ryan Mathews (knee) and Mike Tolbert (hamstring) also didn't practice Wednesday.

Oakland coach Hue Jackson stuck up for San Diego coach Norv Turner. Turner is very likely about to coach his final game as the Chargers’ coach Sunday at Oakland.

The Colts claimed returner Quan Cosby off waivers from Denver. He had an inexcusable fumble on a punt late in the first half against New England in Week 15.

The future of San Diego general manager A.J. Smith will remain a hot topic for the next several days.

There is a chance he is fired along with coach Norv Turner as soon as next week. The San Diego Union Tribune reported that Smith could end up as the general manager in St. Louis and bring former Oakland and Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden with him as coach.

Perhaps San Diego management will read that news and think a Smith-Gruden pairing could work in San Diego. ESPN released a statement saying Gruden remains committed to being part of the “Monday Night Football” broadcasting team.

Regardless of what happens, expect to hear plenty about Smith’s future. It seems like Turner’s future has been decided, but Smith could still end up in San Diego.

By the way, it couldn’t have sit well in San Diego on Monday night when ex-Chargers Drew Brees and Darren Sproles connected for a touchdown on a play where Brees became the single-season passing yardage record holder in the NFL.

Brees left San Diego as a free agent after the 2005 season. Sproles signed with the Saints last summer.

It’s difficult to bang on Smith for letting Brees go. The Chargers had Philip Rivers -- Brees was hurt when he left -- and the Chargers are in good shape with Rivers moving forward. However, letting Sproles walk was a mistake. The Chargers’ offense missed a key dimension without Sproles this season.

Here are some highlights from our AFC West chat, which was held earlier Wednesday:

DENVER

Andy M. from Lone Tree, Colo.: Do you think Eddie Royal or Knowshon Moreno will be in orange and blue next year? I think Royal should be kept; Moreno is iffy but is still under contract next year (I think).

Bill Williamson: It depends on Royal. I think there is a shot. He does have value as he showed that in Oakland. Yeah, Moreno is still under contract. I'm not a Moreno guy. He has shown very little. The fact that McGahee is shining as the starter at 30, shows you where Moreno is. So far, he looks like just a backup. That is brutal for a third year player who was the No. 12 overall pick.

KANSAS CITY

Chris from Lee’s Summit, Mo.: When are the Chiefs going to give Bowe a contract extension?

BW: It's a good question. They have been aggressive in giving guys deals, but Bowe and Brandon Carr are free agents who haven't yet been addressed. I think they could be on the way at some point. They need to keep those two guys.

OAKLAND

AJ from Oakland: Lost in the Denver debacle was Ford's game. Is he back to form?

BW: He's a good player. He's a weapon. He needs to be a big part of the offense every week. It's time for Hue to figure out who his best receivers are and go with them. I'm sure forcing Housh into the mix is the answer.

SAN DIEGO

Leland from Texas: Do you think the chargers start running more with River's and do you really think missing Sproles is the reason a QB throws the most interceptions in his career?

BW: They do miss Sproles, especially on bubble screen passes. But if they can keep Tolbert, Mathews and Brinkley healthy, they have a strong running attack that will be effective.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 8:

This is the Chiefs’ chance: The Chiefs have a chance to pad their record. They have fought their way to 3-3 after starting 0-3, and if they beat the Chargers on Monday night, there will be a three-way tie for first place in the AFC West between the Chiefs, Chargers and Raiders, who are on a bye this week, at 4-3. The San Diego game is the start of a three-game home stretch for the Chiefs. After the Chargers, the Chiefs host the Dolphins and Broncos. It is crucial for the Chiefs to win as many games as possible in this stretch. Their schedule gets incredibly tough after that. It begins a five-game stretch (Games 10-15) in which Kansas City plays five 2010 playoffs teams, including the four teams that advanced to the conference championship round.

Air Tebow: According to ESPN Stats & Information, Denver quarterback Tim Tebow is averaging 13.3 air yards per pass attempt this season and 12.3 air yards per attempt for his career. He has played four-and-a-half career games. Since the start of 2010, no quarterback with at least 100 attempts has a higher average rate than Tebow.

Another Monday night monsoon? This is the second straight season these two teams have played on Monday night at Arrowhead. Last season, the Chiefs beat the Chargers in Week 1, which opened the renovated Arrowhead Stadium. Much of the game was played in a monsoon. The Chargers’ offense was completely flustered by the weather. Will it happen again? The long-term Kansas City forecast calls for clear weather Monday.

The power of Tolbert: The Chargers’ favorite red zone target (especially with tight end Antonio Gates out three games due to a foot injury) has been running back Mike Tolbert. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Tolbert is tied with former Chargers RB Darren Sproles, who signed with New Orleans this summer, for running backs with 10 targeted passes in the red zone. Tolbert has seven catches for 35 yards and two scores in the red zone. Tolbert is active in the red zone on the ground as well. He is tied for the league lead with 15 rushes on goal-to-go carries. He has three touchdowns in those situations.

The return of Scheffler: Many Denver fans rue the trades of Jay Cutler, Peyton Hillis and Brandon Marshall, all made by former coach Josh McDaniels. Denver fans will see another offensive player discarded by McDaniels on Sunday, when tight end Tony Scheffler and Detroit come to town. A favorite of McDaniels’ predecessor, Mike Shanahan, who drafted Scheffler in the second round in 2006, Scheffler was caught in McDaniels’ doghouse and was traded to his home state of Michigan last year. The Lions love Scheffler, and he has become a key part of a potent offense.