The AFC West is a tough, hard hitting division. From Raider-Nation and their history of being the Bad Boys of the NFL to the Chargers with a more finesse style but still known to play rough. The Raiders have played up and down the last few seasons and no one knows quite what to expect from them. The Chargers have made a steady progression up the standings and the Chiefs have been dominant for years. This season looks to be an interesting one. Look for upsets and changes. One thing is for sure: this will be the wild, wild west.
Division Winner: Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have been improving from 4-12 in 2015 to 12-4 in 2018. They lost in the divisional round of the playoffs last season. All of that was on top of a very unsettling move from San Diego. They have had a season to settle in to their new city and new field. Quarterback Philip Rivers continues to be the cornerstone of the team. Keep an eye on utility player Desmond King playing special teams along with Safety and Cornerback.
Team To Watch: Oakland Raiders
The Raiders are on HBO’s Hard Knocks this season. Everyone knows that leads to drama, but there’s always drama with the Raiders. Is there a quarterback controversy? Jon Gruden and Derek Carr seemed to be a good combination last season. Now there is speculation that Gruden has brought in Nathan Peterman as Carr’s replacement. Then we have “I Want my old Helmet” Antonio Brown. We all knew where Brown goes, there goes drama. The Raiders are definitely the team to watch in the West. They have some tremendous talent and potential and if that doesn’t pan out they still promise to be entertaining.
Biggest Disappointment: Denver Broncos
The Broncos have been without a solid reliable quarterback since Peyton Manning retired. This year is no different. They have a well past his prime Joe Flacco starting as QB. He is backed up by Kevin Hogan (played in 8 games with 60 completions out of 101 attempts since 2016) and rookie Drew Lock. Veteran and former Super Bowl MVP Von Miller will lead the defense, but even Miller may not be enough to get this team through a respectable season.
Divisional Previews
AFC North | AFC East | AFC South
NFC North | NFC East | NFC South | NFC West