The AFC West quarterback picture got a little clearer after Week 7, and Bo Nix has given the Denver Broncos something real to build on.
Denver has now gone two straight games without ever trailing, and the offense has started to show some life. Against Seattle in Week 6, the Broncos put together two touchdown drives that helped them jump out in front of the defending Super Bowl champions. Then in Week 7, they never found themselves behind at all and stacked up six scoring drives overall, counting Wil Lutz’s three field goals.
That matters because Nix finally delivered a more complete showing. It wasn’t the kind of stat line that jumps off the page in a conventional way, but the offense looked much cleaner, and Nix did enough to keep Denver moving.
Here’s how the AFC West quarterback rankings shake out after Week 7:
- Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert has three more interceptions than touchdown passes this season, and that is not the kind of balance anyone wants from a starting quarterback.
The Chargers are the only winless team in the NFL, and there may not be an obvious path to their first victory. Herbert has looked overwhelmed and broken, but the mess around him matters too. The supporting cast was overrated entering the year and has only gotten more banged up after six games.
Herbert deserves plenty of blame, but this isn’t a one-man collapse. The season already feels gone.
- Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Nix gave Denver one of the wildest quarterback plays you’ll see in Week 7, breaking loose for a 62-yard touchdown run in the first half. Nobody from Arizona was around him, but he still got up near 20 miles per hour and showed enough pocket movement to find open space.
He also hit RJ Harvey on a screen for a touchdown, which helped turn this into the Broncos’ first real start-to-finish offensive performance of the season. That’s why Nix lands at No. 3 for now.
The gap ahead of him is shrinking fast, though. The quarterback sitting above him has lost four straight starts, and Nix is close to climbing again.
- Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
Cousins has generally held up his end of the bargain, even if there’s a ceiling on what he can do. The problem is that the Raiders have dropped four in a row, and he’s not the kind of quarterback who can drag a team out of that kind of slide on his own.
Even so, the production has been there. Cousins has 16 touchdown passes, and he’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in six of seven games. Las Vegas also ranks sixth in points scored per game.
That said, if the losses keep piling up, the Raiders may eventually turn to Fernando Mendoza, especially since Cousins was a temporary answer to begin with.
- Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Yes, there was some disappointment coming out of Sunday Night Football, but Mahomes stays at No. 1 in the division.
The Chiefs are 5-1 and still leading the AFC West. Mahomes has been sacked only seven times in six games, and he’s still producing at a strong clip despite not having much help beyond Kenneth Walker III.
One shaky week doesn’t knock him off the top spot. Nix and the Broncos may have more upside to chase Kansas City down later, and Nix could heat up enough to change this picture in a few weeks. For now, though, Mahomes’ overall body of work and the Chiefs’ record keep him in front.
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