Warren Loukota
We can all agree that the AFC West is going to be the hardest and most entertaining division to watch in football this year. Not only did the best team in the division lose their best player, but the lesser three teams all added top-end talent as well. Today I’m going to be your unofficial guide to the 100% accurate prediction of how these four teams will stack up this year.
- The Los Angeles Chargers
I don’t know if any of you are truly surprised by their placement here but if you are then you shouldn’t be. This team was one bad coaching job away from being in the playoffs last year and they only got way better. Their offense will remain as potent as it’s always been with the University of Oregon’s own Justin Herbert at the helm. Not only will they still have an elite offense but, Khalil Mack and JC Jackson got added to their defense, which is so incredibly scary considering their head coach is a ‘defensive mind’. (Although his play-calling makes me question the idea that he has a mind). Those big defensive names being added to a team with Joey Bosa and Derwin James Jr means that the pro bowl games AFC defense might as well just all wear Charger’s helmets. This team should be a playoff shoo-in.
- Las Vegas Raiders
I’m sure many of you reading this right now have already clicked off after not seeing the Chiefs at this spot, but those of you still here just hear me out. Derek Carr has only ever gotten better every season he’s been in the NFL, not to mention the fact that his team just gave him the weapon of all weapons in Davante Adams. I dare you to tell me that Davante Adams isn’t gonna make this offense better. Also, something to keep in mind is the fact that this division has four extremely potent offenses, making a lot of these games turn into shoot-outs. And would you rather have Davante Adams as part of the final drive of a close game, or Juju Smith-Tiktok dancer? Yeah, that’s what I thought.
- Kansas City Chiefs
Does this team still have Patrick Mahomes? Yes, they do. Does that make me too scared to put them at the bottom of any division? Maybe. But I mean, I feel like that only makes me human. The Chiefs maybe lost their number one receiving target, BUT they still have the consensus TE1 in the league. Also, I would argue it’s not the worst idea to give a Quarterback as good as Mahomes a grouping of pretty good receivers rather than reinforce the habit of launching an absolute moonshot down the field every few plays and it working because he has a receiver faster than Marquise Brown in a car. This team will definitely no longer be the giants they were for a few years, but they’re still a team to be reckoned with.
- Denver Broncos
Apparently, I’m the only person on the planet who doesn’t think that Russell Wilson is about to have an MVP season. I don’t know, after last season when he looked so mortal I just am going to need a lot of convincing to believe in this offense. I could be wrong but I feel like the timelines maybe just don’t match up here. Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and Javonte Williams are just finding their own in this league, and they’re paired up with a Quarterback that is going to want to win now? This is a win-now team in a few years but not this year. I will say before the Broncos fans try to flay me that this doesn’t mean I think their team is bad. Heck in the AFC East this team is probably second, their defense is pretty legit. But just not in this super division where even the slightest disadvantage leaves you at the bottom of the heap.
