MLB Rest of Season Projections

AL East

Current Standings (as of 8/28)

Team	Record	Games Back – Division	Games Back – Wild Card
Toronto	74-56	------	-----
Boston	72-57	1.5	+1.5
Baltimore	71-59	3.0	-----
NY Yankees	67-62	6.5	3.5
Tampa Bay	55-74	18.5	15.5

AL Central

Current Standings (as of 8/28)

Team	Record	Games Back – Division	Games Back – Wild Card
Cleveland	73-56	-----	-----
Detroit	69-61	4.5	2.0
Kansas City	67-62	6.0	3.5
Chicago White Sox	63-66	10.0	7.5
Minnesota	49-81	24.5	22.0

AL West

Current Standings (as of 8/28)

Team	Record	Games Back – Division	Games Back – Wild Card
Texas	77-54	-----	-----
Houston	68-62	8.5	3.0
Seattle	68-62	8.5	3.0
Oakland	57-73	19.5	14.0
LA Angels	56-74	20.5	15.0

NL East

Current Standings (as of 8/28)

Team	Record	Games Back – Division	Games Back – Wild Card
Washington	75-55	-----	-----
Miami	67-63	8.0	1.5
NY Mets	66-64	9.0	2.5
Philadelphia	60-70	15.0	8.5
Atlanta	48-83	27.5	21.0

NL Central

Current Standings (as of 8/28)

Team	Record	Games Back – Division	Games Back – Wild Card
Chicago Cubs	82-47	-----	-----
St. Louis	68-61	14.0	-----
Pittsburgh	67-61	14.5	.5
Milwaukee	56-74	26.5	12.5
Cincinnati	55-74	27.0	13.0

NL West

Current Standings (as of 8/28)

Team	Record	Games Back – Division	Games Back – Wild Card
LA Dodgers	73-57	-----	-----
San Francisco	71-59	2.0	+2.5
Colorado	62-68	11.0	6.5
San Diego	55-75	18.0	13.5
Arizona	55-76	18.5	14.0

Projections

American League

Division Winners

1.) Texas

2.) Cleveland

3.) Boston

Wild Card

4.) Toronto

5.) Houston

National League

Division Winners

1.) Chicago Cubs

2.) Washington

3.) LA Dodgers

Wild Card

4.) San Francisco

5.) Miami

Wild Card Round

Toronto > Houston

San Francisco > Miami

Divisional Round

Texas > Toronto 3-2

Boston > Cleveland 3-1

Chicago > San Francisco 3-2

Washington > LA Dodgers 3-2

League Championship Series

Boston > Texas 4-2

Chicago > Washington 4-3

World Series

Boston > Chicago 4-2

Alex Rodriguez

I’ve been struggling with whether or not to write a post on Alex Rodriguez potentially being done with baseball as a player.  Despite all of the PED usage and lying, I have always viewed A-Rod in a positive light; in a way that I don’t see Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, or Palmeiro.  Perhaps it is because I feel bad for him and the way that he always seemed so lost.  Or maybe it is because I felt that I could identify with him in his desire to always please people.  Whatever it is, I will certainly miss watching him play.  It is not often that you get to see a once-in-a-generation player play (think Ruth, Mays, Aaron, Griffey, and Trout) and when you do, you have to take advantage of it and cherish the opportunity.  Even the most novice of baseball fans can look at his career and see that he is one of the top ten best baseball players to ever play.

Rodriguez was selected by the Seattle Mariners with the 1^st overall pick in the 1993 Amateur draft.  He was the top prospect prior to the draft and was chosen as a prep All-American as a high school senior when he batted .505 with 9 home runs, 36 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases.  He made his major league debut in 1994 at the age of 18, becoming one of the youngest in history.  He played in first full season in 1996, when he finished 2^nd in MVP voting to Juan Gonzalez, the first of two occurences when he was runner up;  That season Rodriguez batted .358 with 36 home runs and 123 RBIs.  He played for the Mariners through the 2000 season and was a free agent during the offseason.  He infamously signed with Texas, agreeing to the most lucrative contract in sports’ history at the time, 10 years and $252 million.  He played for the Rangers for three seasons, winning his first MVP Award in 2003, batting .298 with 47 home runs and 118 RBIs.  Following that season, Rodriguez was the subject of much trade speculation and was supposed to be moved to Boston in the offseason before the Players’ Association stepped in and vetoed the trade.  Instead, he was moved to the Yankees and during his first year with New York (2004) he became the youngest players in MLB history to hit his 350^th career home run.  In 2005, Rodriguez won his second MVP Award, during a season in which he batted .321 with 48 home runs, drove in 130 runs, and scored 124 runs.  The next year, 2006, he became the youngest player ever to hit 450 home runs, a homer that also marked his 2,000^th career hit.  2007 was an eventful season for A-Rod, hitting his 500^th home run and becoming, once again, the youngest player to reach that plateau.  That season also marked his tenth consecutive season with at least 35 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 100 runs, becoming the first player ever to achieve that mark.  His 2007 season was Rodriguez’ best and one of the best in MLB history, with a .314 average, 54 home runs, 156 RBIs, and a 1.067 OPS and winning his third and final MVP Award.  In the offseason, Rodriguez exercised his opt-out right, but resigned with the Yankees to a new 10 year, $275 million contract.  Not long after signing this new contract, Rodriguez started his slow descent downward from stardom to normalcy.  Injuries plagued him from that point forward and he never played a full season again, despite seeing significant playing time as DH.  This contract also marked the time period when Rodriguez’ name was linked in the Biogenesis scandal, his admittance to PED use, subsequent suspension, and return from suspension in 2015.

When the Yankees announced that they were going to look into releasing Rodriguez, it felt like a piece of my childhood had ended.  Then, with the way Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi handled A-Rod’s playing time during his final week, it felt like a slap to the face for Alex.  At the very leasae, with Yankees having conceded this season, Girardi should have given Rodriguez the start at DH each game and a start at third base in his last game.  It seems like th Yankees owed him that much, especially since he played a pivotal role on their 2009 World Series championship team. 

I greatly hope that this isn’t the last time we see A-Rod on the diamond as a player.  But if it was, we had the privelige of watching one of the best of all-time.  He will have finished his career with lifetime numbers of: .295 batting average, 3,115 hits, 696 home runs, 2,086 RBIs, 329 stolen bases, .390 OBP, .550 slugging percentage, .930 OPS, and a lifetime WAR of 117.7.  If it weren’t for his PED issues (and he was still a great player without the steroids), Cooperstown would be a lock for.  However, if the current voting results continue, the Hall of Fame seems unlikely.  Hopefully this changes.  Regardless of whether or not he plays again, we will see him around baseball for a long time.  His undying love for the game will cause him to return as a manager or owner, which is better than nothing.  Until then, I will miss him greatly.

*all statistics and information came from wikipedia and baseball-reference.

NFL Team-by-Team Preview - AFC West

Denver Broncos

2015 Record	12-4-0
2015 Divisional Standing	1st AFC West
Head Coach	Gary Kubiak

2015 Top Passers

• Peyton Manning - 9 games, 59.8 completion percentage (cmp%), 2249 yards, 9 TDs, 17 INTs, 67.9 passer rating
• Brock Osweiler - 7 games, 61.8 cmp%, 1967 yards, 10 TDs, 6 INTs, 86.4 passer rating

2015 Top Rushers

• Ronnie Hillman - 863 yards, 4.2 yards/attempt (y/a), 7 TDs, 1 fumble lost
• C.J. Anderson - 720 yards, 4.7 y/a, 5 TDs, 2 fumbles lost

2015 Top Receivers

• Demaryius Thomas - 105 receptions, 1304 yards, 12.4 avg, 6 TDs, 418 Yards After Catch (YAC)
• Emmanuel Sanders - 76 receptions, 1135 yards, 14.9 avg, 6 TDs, 337 YAC
• TE Owen Daniels - 46 receptions, 517 yards, 11.2 avg, 3 TDs, 260 YAC

2015 Top Defensive Performers

• LB Danny Trevathan - 109 total tackles, 3 Tackles For Loss (TFL), 2 INTs
• LB Brandon Marshall - 102 total tackles, 8 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 Forced Fumbles (FF)
• LB Von Miller - 35 total tackles, 2 TFL, 11.0 sacks, 4 FF
• CB Aqib Talib - 45 total tackles, 1 TFL, 3 INTs

2015 Notes

• QB Peyton Manning retired
• T/G Tyler Polumbus retired
• QB Brock Osweiler signed with Houston
• WR Andre Caldwell signed with Detroit
• WR Kyle Williams signed with the Jets
• TE Vernon Davis signed with Washington
• G Evan Mathis signed with Arizona
• T Ryan Harris signed with Pittsburgh
• DE Malik Jackson signed with Jacksonville
• LB Danny Trevathan signed with Chicago
• DB Omar Bolden signed with Chicago
• DB David Bruton Jr signed with Washington
• LS Aaron Brewer signed with Chicago
• T Ryan Clady was traded to the Jets in exchange for QB Mark Sanchez

2016 Draft Results

RD 1, no. 26	Paxton Lynch	QB	Memphis
RD 2, no. 63	Adam Gotsis	DT	Georgia Tech
RD 3, no. 98	Justin Simmons	S	Boston College
RD 4, no. 136	Devontae Booker	RB	Utah
RD 5, no. 144	Connor McGovern	G	Missouri
RD 6, no. 176	Andy Janovich	FB	Nebraska
RD 6, no. 219	Will Parks	S	Arizona
RD 7, no. 228	Riley Dixon	P	Syracuse

Free Agent Pickups

• RB Cyrus Gray signed from Kansas City
• WR Bralon Addison signed as an undrafted free agent
• WR DeVier Posey signed from the Jets
• T Russell Okung signed from Seattle
• T Donald Stephenson signed from Kansas City
• DE Jared Chick signed from Houston
• DE Billy Winn signed from Indianapolis
• DE Lars Koht signed from Seattle
• DT Kyle Peko signed as an undrafted free agent
• LB Dekoda Watson signed from New England
• S Brandian Ross signed from San Diego
• LS Casey Kreiter signed from Dallas

2016 Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	My Guess
1	9/8	Vs Carolina	L
2	9/18	Vs Indianapolis	W
3	9/25	Vs Cincinnati	L
4	10/2	@ Tampa Bay	W
5	10/9	Vs Atlanta	W
6	10/13	@ San Diego	L
7	10/24	Vs Houston	L
8	10/30	Vs San Diego	W
9	11/6	@ Oakland	L
10	11/13	@ New Orleans	W
11	Bye	Week
12	11/27	Vs Kansas City	L
13	12/4	@ Jacksonville	W
14	12/11	@ Tennessee	W
15	12/18	Vs New England	L
16	12/25	@ Kansas City	L
17	1/1	Vs Oakland	W

2016 Outlook

• The Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl in 2015, upsetting the Carolina Panthers in the process.  They achieved this through stellar defensive play, an elite wide receiving corps, and relatively mediocre quarterback play, with Brock Osweiler taking over for Peyton Manning after Manning got hurt.  Both of those quarterbacks are gone now (Manning retired and Osweiler going to Houston via free agency) and embattled veteran Mark Sanchez, 2015 7th round pick Trevor Siemian, and 2016 1st round pick Paxton Lynch all battling for the starting job. Whichever QB wins the job, he will be helped out greatly by a trio of solid running backs and two of the best wide receivers in the NFL.  The Broncos also return nearly all of their defense, with the only major exceptions being defensive end Malik Jackson and linebacker Danny Travathan, both of whom were lost to free agency.  The Broncos will most likely take a significant step back this season, as the competition in their division has gotten better, and their lack of a quality quarterback could hurt them greatly. I think they will go 8-8 and stay in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Kansas City Chiefs

2015 Record	11-5-0
2015 Divisional Standing	2nd AFC West
Head Coach	Andy Reid

2015 Top Passers

• Alex Smith - 16 games, 65.3 cmp%, 3486 yards, 20 TDs, 7 INTs, 95.4 passer rating

2015 Top Rushers

• Charcandrick West - 634 yards, 4.0 y/a, 4 TDs, 1 fumble lost
• QB Alex Smith - 498 yards, 5.9 y/a, 2 TDs
• Spencer Ware - 403 yards, 5.6 y/a, 6 TDs

2015 Top Receivers

• Jeremy Maclin - 87 receptions, 1088 yards, 12.5 avg, 8 TDs, 324 YAC
• TE Travis Kelce - 72 receptions, 875 yards, 12.2 avg, 5 TDs, 533 YAC
• Albert Wilson - 35 receptions, 451 yards, 12.9 avg, 2 TDs, 220 YAC

2015 Top Defensive Performers

• LB Derrick Johnson - 116 total tackles, 5 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 2 INTs, 2 FF
• DB Ron Parker - 78 total tackles, 2 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 3 INTs, 1 FF
• LB Justin Houston - 30 total tackles, 3 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 FF
• CB Marcus Peters - 60 total tackles, 2 TFL, 8 INTs, 1 FF

2015 Notes

• QB Chase Daniel signed with Philadelphia
• T Donald Stephenson signed with Denver
• G/T Jeff Allen signed with Houston
• DB Sean Smith signed with Oakland
• DB Tyvon Branch signed with Arizona
• G Ben Grubbs retired
• DE Mike DeVito retired
• DB Husain Abdullah retired

2016 Draft Results

RD 2, no. 37	Chris Jones	DT	Mississippi State
RD 3, no. 74	KeiVarae Russell	CB	Notre Dame
RD 4, no. 105	Parker Ehinger	G	Cincinnati
RD 4, no. 106	Eric Murray	CB	Minnesota
RD 4, no. 126	Demarcus Robinson	WR	Florida
RD 5, no. 162	Kevin Hogan	QB	Stanford
RD 5, no. 165	Tyreek Hill	WR	West Alabama
RD 6, no. 178	D.J. White	CB	Georgia Tech
RD 6, no. 203	Dadi Nicolas	LB	Virginia Tech

Free Agent Pickups

• QB Nick Foles signed from Los Angeles
• FB Trey Millard signed from San Francisco
• WR Rod Streater signed from Oakland
• WR Mike Williams signed from Buffalo
• WR Kashif Moore signed from Pittsburgh
• T Mitchell Schwartz signed from Cleveland
• T Jordan Devey claimed off waivers from San Francisco
• DE Dominique Davis signed from Pittsburgh
• DE Jonathan Massaquoi signed from Tennessee
• DT Alameda Ta'amu signed from Arizona
• LB Andy Mulumba signed from Green Bay
• LB Terrance Smith signed as an undrafted free agent
• LB Tyrell Adams signed from Seattle
• CB Daveron Carr signed from Washington
• S Brock Vereen claimed off waivers from New England
• S Jeron Johnson signed from Washington
• S Stevie Brown signed from the Giants

2016 Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	My Guess
1	9/11	Vs San Diego	W
2	9/18	@ Houston	W
3	9/25	Vs New York Jets	W
4	10/2	@ Pittsburgh	L
5	Bye	Week
6	10/16	@ Oakland	L
7	10/23	Vs New Orleans	W
8	10/30	@ Indianapolis	W
9	11/6	Vs Jacksonville	W
10	11/13	@ Carolina	L
11	11/20	Vs Tampa Bay	W
12	11/27	@ Denver	W
13	12/4	@ Atlanta	W
14	12/8	Vs Oakland	W
15	12/18	Vs Tennessee	W
16	12/25	Vs Denver	W
17	1/1	@ San Diego	L

2016 Outlook

• The Kansas City Chiefs come into 2016 looking to capitalize on the perceived backslide of the Denver Broncos.  Last season, the chiefs went 11-5 and finished second in the division.  Had it not been for a five game slide in last September/early October, they would have won the division and may have had an easier draw in the second round of the playoffs than the New England Patriots.  The Chiefs return nearly their entire team and will be led once again by quarterback Alex Smith who is as much of a game manager as a QB can get.  They will also get Jamaal Charles back this season, who missed all but five games last season to injury.  Smith would probably be better served if he had better receivers but wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and tight end Travis Kelce are certainly above average weapons.  Defense is where Kansas City is truly elite, ranking third in the league in scoring defense.  There is no one area of their defense that stands out above the rest, with elite players starting in all three areas and some quality players to rotate with them.  During the 2015 season, the Chiefs ranked fourth in sacks with 47 and second in interceptions with 22, marking them as truly elite.  I think the Chiefs will be able to take another solid step forward this season, especially with the Broncos taking a step back and that they will go 12-4.

Oakland Raiders

2015 Record	7-9-0
2015 Divisional Standing	3rd AFC West
Head Coach	Jack Del Rio

2015 Top Passers

• Derek Carr - 16 games, 61.1 cmp%, 3987 yards, 32 TDs, 13 INTs, 91.1 passer rating

2015 Top Rushers

• Latavius Murray - 1066 yards, 4.0 y/a, 6 TDs, 1 fumble lost
• QB Derek Carr - 138 yards, 4.2 y/a, 1 fumble lost

2015 Top Receivers

• Amari Cooper - 72 receptions, 1070 yards, 14.9 avg, 6 TDs 395 YAC
• Michael Crabtree - 85 receptions, 922 yards, 10.8 avg, 9 TDs, 275 YAC
• Seth Roberts - 32 receptions, 480 yards, 15.0 avg, 5 TDs, 138 YAC

2015 Top Defensive Performers

• LB Malcolm Smith - 122 total tackles, 10 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 1 INT, 2 FF
• LB Khalil Mack - 77 total tackles, 12 TFL, 15.0 sacks, 2 FF
• S Charles Woodson - 74 total tackles, 1 TFL, 5 INTs, 1 FF

2015 Notes

• WR Jeremy Ross signed with the Jets
• WR Rod Streater signed with Kansas City
• T J'Marcus Webb signed with Seattle
• G/C Tony Bergstrom signed with Houston 
• DE Benson Mayowa signed with Dallas
• DB Taylor Mays signed with Cincinnati
• DE Justin Tuck retired
• DB Charles Woodson retired

2016 Draft Results

RD 1, no. 14	Karl Joseph	S	West Virginia
RD 2, no. 44	Jihad Ward	DE	Illinois
RD 3, no. 75	Shilique Calhoun	DE	Michigan State
RD 4, no. 100	Connor Cook	QB	Michigan State
RD 5, no. 143	DeAndre Washington	RB	Texas Tech
RD 6, no. 194	Cory James	LB	Colorado State
RD 7, no. 234	Vadal Alexander	G	LSU

2016 Free Agent Pickups

• RB Jalen Richard signed as an undrafted free agent
• WR Nathan Palmer signed from Chicago
• G Kelechi Osemele signed from Baltimore
• DT Darius Latham signed as an undrafted free agent
• LB Bruce Irvin signed from Seattle
• CB Sean Smith signed from Kansas City
• FS Reggie Nelson signed from Cincinnati
• S Brynden Trawick signed from Baltimore
• LS Andrew East signed from Seattle

2016 Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	My Guess
1	9/11	@ New Orleans	W
2	9/18	Vs Atlanta	L
3	9/25	@ Tennessee	W
4	10/2	@ Baltimore	W
5	10/9	Vs San Diego	W
6	10/16	Vs Kansas City	W
7	10/23	@ Jacksonville	L
8	10/30	@ Tampa Bay	W
9	11/6	Vs Denver	W
10	Bye	Week
11	11/21	Vs Houston	W
12	11/27	Vs Carolina	L
13	12/4	Vs Buffalo	W
14	12/8	@ Kansas City	L
15	12/18	@ San Diego	L
16	12/24	Vs Indianapolis	W
17	1/1	@ Denver	L

2016 Outlook

• The 2015 Oakland Raiders went 7-9 which was a great step in the right direction considering they hadn't had more than 4 wins since 2011.  Last season's record is proof that the team is doing things the right, building through the draft and developing their own players.  Quarterback Derek Carr took another step forward during in his sophomore year last year, throwing for nearly 4000 yards and 32 TDs to only 13 INTs.  It's pretty clear that Carr is on the fringe of the elite quarterback status and the Raiders have to be happy with what they have in him. Running back Latavius Murray is has been a diamond in the rough for the Raiders, having been drafted in the 6th round in 2013 and rushing for over a 1000 yards last season.  They also have one of the best wideouts in the league in Amari Cooper, who lived up to all of the hype as a rookie last season and veteran Michael Crabtree has revived his career with Oakland.  On defense, the Raiders have re-ignited the stellar defense that they have always been known for. Considering most of the members of their defense are relatively young still, the D looks to be great again this season and for seasons in the future.  I think the Raiders take another step forward as a team and go 10-6, competing for the playoffs.

San Diego Chargers

2015 Record	4-12-0
2015 Divisional Standing	4th AFC West
Head Coach	Mike McCoy

2015 Top Passers

• Philip Rivers - 16 games, 66.1 cmp%, 4792 yards, 29 TDs, 13 INTs, 93.8 passer rating

2015 Top Rushers

• Melvin Gordon - 641 yards, 3.5 y/a, 4 fumbles lost
• Danny Woodhead - 336 yards, 3.4 y/a, 3 TDs

2015 Top Receivers

• RB Danny Woodhead - 80 recceptions, 755 yards, 9.4 avg, 6 TDs, 688 YAC
• Keenan Allen - 67 receptions, 725 yards, 10.8 avg, 4 TDs, 261 YAC
• TE Antonio Gates - 56 receptions, 630 yards, 11.3 avg, 5 TDs, 241 YAC

2015 Top Defensive Performers

• LB Manti Te'o - 83 total tackles, 5 TFL, .5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF
• FS Eric Weddle - 78 total tackles, 2 TFL, .5 sacks
• LB Melvin Ingram - 65 total tackles, 6 TFL, 10.5 sacks, 3 FF
• CB Jason Verrett - 47 total tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INTs

2015 Notes

• RB Donald Brown signed with New England
• TE David Johnson signed with Pittsburgh
• TE Ladarius Green signed with Pittsburgh
• TE John Phillips signed with Denver
• G/T Jeff Linkenbach signed with Jacksonville
• DE Kendall Reyes signed with Washington
• DE Ricardo Mathews signed with Pittsburgh
• LB Donald Butler signed with Arizona
• LB Kavell Conner signed with Baltimore
• LB Chi Chi Ariguzo signed with Detroit
• S Eric Weddle signed with Baltimore
• DB Patrick Robinson signed with Indianapolis
• DB Brandian Ross signed with Denver
• WR Malcom Floyd retired

2016 Draft Results

RD 1, no. 3	Joey Bosa	DE	Ohio State
RD 2, no. 35	Hunter Henry	TE	Arkansas
RD 3, no. 66	Max Tuerk	C	USC
RD 4, no. 102	Joshua Perry	LB	Ohio State
RD 5, no. 175	Jatavis Brown	LB	Akron
RD 6, no. 179	Drew Kaser	P	Texas A&M
RD 6, no. 198	Derek Watt	FB	Wisconsin
RD 7, no. 224	Donavon Clark	G	Michigan State

Free Agent Pickups

• QB Zach Mettenberger claimed off waivers from Tennessee
• WR Travis Benjamin signed from Cleveland
• WR James Jones signed from Green Bay
• WR Rasheed Bailey claimed off waivers from Jacksonville
• TE Jeff Cumberland signed from the Jets
• C Matt Slauson signed from Chicago
• DT Brandon Mebane signed from Seattle
• DT Bruce Gaston signed from Minnesota
• CB Casey Hayward signed from Green Bay
• S Dwight Lowery signed from Indianapolis
• S Dexter McCoil signed from the CFL

2016 Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	My Guess
1	9/11	@ Kansas City	L
2	9/18	Vs Jacksonville	W
3	9/25	@ Indianapolis	W
4	10/2	Vs New Orleans	W
5	10/9	@ Oakland	L
6	10/13	Vs Denver	W
7	10/23	@ Atlanta	L
8	10/30	@ Denver	L
9	11/6	Vs Tennessee	W
10	11/13	Vs Miami	W
11	Bye	Week
12	11/27	@ Houston	L
13	12/4	Vs Tampa Bay	W
14	12/11	@ Carolina	L
15	12/18	Vs Oakland	W
16	12/24	@ Cleveland	W
17	1/1	Vs Kansas City	W

2016 Outlook

• The Chargers last season were a mess in nearly every way possible, except for quarterback Philip Rivers, who has been their one steadying force over the last ten seasons.  Since becoming the starter in 2006, Rivers has started every game for the Chargers and has had a Hall of Fame career in the process, despite playing on some really bad teams.  Last season, the Chargers reached the lowest point during the Rivers' era, with many players having shortened seasons due to injury and players, including running back Melvin Gordon, giving the ball to the other team too many times.  Going into 2016, the Chargers will finally be able to start the season with a full healthy group of players.  On offense, if Gordon can develop further and prove he was worth a first round draft pick, the Chargers will be able to take some pressure off Rivers and they can succeed.  On defense, the team drafted defensive end Joey Bosa with the third overall pick (hasn't signed yet) to anchor their defensive line.  Their linebacking corps is guided by players all drafted in the first or second rounds.  Lastly, in the secondary, turnover took place as veteran safety Eric Weddle left for Baltimore and San Diego brought in Dwight Lowery to take his place.  I think that the Chargers will get back to their winning ways this year and Rivers will lead them to another successful season, going 10-6.

*all information and statistics are from espn.com, rosterresource.com, and pro-football-reference.com.