AFC West has morphed into rusher’s paradise

You are forgiven if you still think of the AFC West as the Bombs Away Division. With a lineage of top-flight quarterbacks spanning four decades – think Daryle Lamonica, John Hadl, Len Dawson, Ken Stabler, Jim Zorn, Dan Fouts, Trent Green, Rich Gannon and John Elway – the division has always been about QBs putting up huge numbers. Even stars at the end of their careers, such as Jim Plunkett and Joe Montana, found the passing good.

Nowadays, though, the division is defined as much by its running backs.

There may not be a more formidable quartet of backs in any other division entering this season than the Chargers’ LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chiefs’ Priest Holmes, the Broncos’ Mike Anderson and the Raiders’ LaMont Jordan.

We don’t know for sure because both Holmes and Anderson are coming off injuries, and Jordan is entering his first season as a starter after backing Curtis Martin for four years with the Jets. But the potential for big rushing numbers is staggering. Tomlinson, Holmes and Anderson have had at least one 1,400-yard season.

“My goal is always over 2,000,” Tomlinson said last week at the Chargers’ training camp. “I set my goals high. It gives me something to really reach for. I would love to rush for over 2,000 yards, and if I’m going to do that, to break that record. I want to take E.D. (Eric Dickerson, holder of the single-season rushing record, 2,105 yards, in 1984) down. I told him that, too.”

Around the league

Count Bill Parcells as a no vote on the new rule that allows receiving teams the option of taking the ball at the 20-yard line after punts if a player on the punting team illegally touches the ball inside the 5-yard line.

“A lot of what they’re doing there is to keep the speed of the game up,” Parcells said. “It’s really eliminating a lot of kicking play.”

•NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a guest of Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs at practice Thursday. Earnhardt is a Redskins fan, but is Gibbs’ opponent in the stock car world. Asked whether he’d leave his DEI Racing one day to join Joe Gibbs Racing, Earnhardt said, “If I ever did get that opportunity, I’d have to seriously consider it.”

Countered Gibbs: “I tell you how you could do that – if I had about $100 million. That’s what he left out with you. He makes about $50 million a year, so I think if I could top that, I’d have a chance. You know you’re in the wrong sport when both your drivers have Learjets and helicopters, and I don’t. I’m driving a beat-up car going to the race.”