Additions toughen division

When former Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli was named general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs, and former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels became head coach of the Denver Broncos, Smith knew what it meant.

The AFC West, owned by the Chargers in recent years, suddenly had a Patriotlike flair to it.

"I consider it a direct threat to us," Smith said, "and I don't like it."

Smith, who annually touts winning the division at the No. 1 goal because it clinches a playoff berth, believes a "big-time competition" lies ahead. He is not one to back down from it, but it doesn't mean he has to like it.

"I know Scott, I know how he's wired, I know how he thinks. I consider him a friend," Smith said. "He'll take that place, assess it, and they will rock and roll from top to bottom.

"I believe he's going to make them a winner. How quickly does that take place? Personally and professionally speaking, I hope it takes him a while."

Smith doesn't know McDaniels as well as Pioli, but what he's heard leaves him with little doubt.

"I know he respects and believes in the philosophy of the New England Patriots," he said. "Wherever you are, you're going to look, listen, and observe, and probably going to adopt things from where you had success.

"I did that in my career in Buffalo - my philosophy came from Marv Levy and Bill Polian - and I believe strongly in it today. So he's going to implement that in Denver, so now that's two teams with that in our division.

"Those two gentlemen believe strongly in their abilities, they came from a winning organization, and they have something that I don't have: a world championship."

While the Chiefs and Broncos have leaders with a Super Bowl pedigree and a Patriot-type vision, as it stands, they're both looking up at the Chargers when it comes to the AFC West.

San Diego, with the talented rosters Smith has helped construct, has been one of the NFL's top teams over the last five years, going 54-26; only Indianapolis, New England, and Pittsburgh have posted a better winning percentage in that span.

Yet Smith understands the reason the Chargers aren't regularly mentioned in the class of those clubs. The others have Super Bowl rings. The Chargers don't, last playing in the Super Bowl in the 1994 season.

Smith's goal is to have the Chargers in position to compete for that championship each year, and they're on the right track in that they've qualified for the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. Based on the Chargers' primary offseason moves this year, it's easy to see which area Smith believes could put them over the hump: defense.

The Chargers pounced on pass-rushing outside linebacker Larry English of Northern Illinois with their first-round draft choice (16th overall), and kept true to form by working the mid-level of free agency with inside linebacker Kevin Burnett, who should make them sturdier against the run.

"I believe defense wins championships, because it sets the tone for the rest of the team," said Smith, while being careful to point out that he doesn't ignore offense and special teams. "Until we fix our defense and have a dictating, dominating presence as a defense, the San Diego Chargers will not have a special thing happen for us.

"We need to create pressure, and any time you get pass rushers - either as linebackers or defensive ends - you get as many as you can and as fast as you can in any means.

"I feel like we've added two new pass rushers this year. When I say that, people say, 'What do you mean?' I say we've added Shawne Merriman and Larry English and I'm excited about that because when you bring the heat, you know what that does."

Smith said that Merriman, who played in just one game in 2008 because of torn knee ligaments, is progressing well. The hope is that his return is the springboard for bigger things, elevating the Chargers into that elite level where teams like the one Pioli and McDaniels just departed reside.

"We're getting better and I believe we're growing as a team, but we're not good enough," Smith said. "I told some guys here about a month ago that we're not as good as the big boys. Who are the big boys? Pittsburgh, New England, and Indy, of late. Those are the ones that finish the deal and hold the trophy and wear the rings.

"We aren't there yet. I hope we can continue on this road, and maybe one of these years if we keep going, like an Indy, if we hang together and hang tough and a special year happens for us, it could happen. That's kind of my theme right now."

Caught yapping

June 3: Ryan is a guest on WFAN radio and breathes fire into the AFC East by saying he didn't come to New York to "kiss Bill Belichick's rings" and that he's not intimidated by anyone.

June 5: At a Dolphins charity golf tournament, Crowder is asked if he has read some of Ryan's comments. "Oh, he's going crazy. He's going absolutely nuts," Crowder tells the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. "I know it's his first chance to be a head coach, and I know he's excited about life. But, like I said, I've never played a football game in June in my whole life. So congratulations to him. He's the OTA [organized team activity] Super Bowl winner."

June 9: Ryan brings up Crowder's comments at his press conference before reporters even ask. "I don't know this Channing Crowder," he says. "He's right about one thing. I'm a first-time head coach, but I've been around the game all my life. I'm no different than I've ever been, just that more people are listening . . . I think he's wrong. You do win in June. You win with your preparation. If I was younger, I'd handle him myself."

June 9: Crowder responds to Ryan's remarks while speaking with the Miami Herald later that day. "Oh, Lord, have mercy. What's wrong with him? Now he's talking about preparation? We play them twice this year. If he wants to be prepared, shouldn't he know the starting middle linebackers of his division rival? He says he'd take care of me if he was younger? I'd have beat the hell out of that big old joker. Or if he really wants to get retro, my daddy or my uncle could have handled him. Don't get big. Win with preparation? Start watching some tape and learn who your rival is. Come on now."

June 10: Ryan opens his press conference and notes that Crowder had a rebuttal to his previous remarks, so he keeps it going. "Let's see if he can top this one," Ryan says. "I've walked over tougher guys going to a fight. . . . He can send himself and his father after me."

June 11: After Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland says he wants Crowder to stop engaging Ryan, Crowder declares victory. "This is over," he tells the Miami Herald. "I'm done with this victory. I'm going to save the head coach the embarrassment of arguing with an opposing player to the media. We play twice this season, so we'll see who the better team is then."

Coverage technique caught him a little off guard

It's Leigh Bodden, the first-year Patriot.

"I think very highly of him," said Ochocinco, the receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson.

Ochocinco and Bodden matched up twice a year from 2005-07, when Bodden was in the starting lineup for the Browns and Ochocinco was terrorizing secondaries in the Bengals' passing attack.

"He did something that I hadn't seen from other corners, and I call it the 'catch' technique," Ochocinco explained. "When people play off me, it's usually 2-3 yards off, but he was 5 yards off and he waited for me. So he let me come off [the line] and caught me at 5 yards.

"That's a gamble against a player like me, because if he jumps at me and misses me, I'm gone. See you later. It's over. But he had some success with it, because of his speed and aggressiveness."

In 2007, Ochocinco got the better of Bodden when he caught 11 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2. But in other games against Bodden, he had some of his least productive performances.

"It was probably the only technique I ever struggled with," Ochocinco said.

Etc.

Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.