As the only NFL team to win its division in each of the last three seasons, the San Diego Chargers didn’t merely dominate the AFC West. They commandeered it, making themselves quite comfortable by winning the three division championships by the enormous total of nine games.

All the while among San Diego’s rivals, only Denver could so much as win half of its games.

That led to suspicions about San Diego’s superiority, that it might have had more to do with the inferiority of those rivals than any strength on its part. That theory seemed to be confirmed when the Chargers had a mediocre 3-3 playoff record.

So it was with more than a little concern to Chargers general manager A.J. Smith that in one January week, two of those seemingly directionless division rivals got serious about changing the game.

The Broncos replaced long-time coach Mike Shanahan with Josh McDaniels, and the Chiefs dumped 20-year general manager Carl Peterson in favor of Scott Pioli. Of most worry to Smith was not necessarily the identities of McDaniels and Pioli, but that the Broncos and Chiefs raided the NFL’s most successful team of the 2000s to make the hires.

The Patriotization of the AFC West is on.

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Legendary left tackle Willie Roaf started all 189 games he was a part of during his 13-year NFL career and conquered just about every pass rusher he faced.

During Memorial Day weekend, Roaf will be coaching offensive linemen at the mypassionisfootball.com High School Combine at Bushland High School.

Roaf was the eighth overall pick in the 1993 NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. He started at left tackle immediately and played nine seasons before signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent in 2002. He played in Kansas City from 2002-05 before retiring in 2006. He was named to the NFL's all-decade team for the 1990s and played in 11 Pro Bowls. He was named All-Pro nine times.

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Last year, a claim that the Dolphins or Falcons would reverse their disastrous fortunes and make it to the playoffs would have been met with instructions to submit to reasonable-cause drug testing.

This year, everyone is looking for the next team to make the same stunning turnaround.

The candidates are the Lions, who won zero games in 2008, and the Chiefs, who actually have won fewer games over the past two seasons that the Lions.

But the Chiefs were competitive in more than a few of their games last season, and they've added the man who nearly carried the Pats to the playoffs in the absence of Tom Brady.

Besides, K.C. plays in a wide-open division, where a .500 record was good enough to get to the playoffs last season.

So my (Delaware) money is on the Chiefs.

Which likely means the Lions will be the team to make a Fins/Falcons-style turnaround.

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Reason to be optimistic: I am not thrilled with the trade of Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta, but the offense has some decent pieces.

There is good leadership on the unit and it starts with new head coach Todd Haley. He proved as the offensive coordinator in Arizona that he is an innovator and a leader.

Then there is new quarterback Matt Cassel, who was stolen from New England along with linebacker Mike Vrabel for a second-round pick. Cassel has yet to prove he is anything more than a one-year wonder. But he will be put in a position to succeed in Kansas City and will be running a similar system to what he ran with the Patriots. If Cassel can develop a fast chemistry with receiver Dwayne Bowe, the offensive line comes together and Larry Johnson, assuming he is on the team, still has something in the tank, the offense has a chance to decent.

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The recent experience of former Chiefs and current Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez provides a valuable lesson to other veteran players who are hoping to land with a new team.

If you want out, don’t try to force your way out.

Gonzalez took the high road (eventually), keeping quiet about his frustrations and discreetly working with the organization to make a move that worked for everyone.

“I said, ‘Look, I’m on board. If you guys want me here, I’m going to play ball for you.’” Gonzalez recently told 610 Sports Radio in Kansas City (via NFL.com, via FanHouse).  “But, having said that, I also said, ‘Look, if you guys want to trade me, go ahead and do it.  I’m on board with that too.’”

It was a very different outcome from last year, when Gonzalez was vocal regarding his desire to leave.

“It was incredibly, incredibly frustrating,” Gonzalez said.  “Obviously, last year, when I did ask for a trade, that was on my mind.  It’s not that I didn’t believe in the team and believe in the direction it was going.  It was just how quickly were we going to get there?  That’s frustrating when you’re on a team with a bunch of young guys and you’re not winning.”

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