For the first time in what feels like forever, the Broncos put together a win that never really felt in doubt. Denver cracked 30 points on the Arizona Cardinals and walked out with a double-digit victory, a much-needed get-right night for an offense that had been searching for rhythm.
That result pushed the Broncos to 5-2 for the second straight season, and the path ahead suddenly looks very real. If Denver can handle the Kansas City Chiefs at home in Week 8, it would move to 6-2 and into first place in the division. There’s even a clear line to a 7-2 record by the Week 10 bye.
With Week 7 in the books, here’s how the AFC West stacks up.
- Los Angeles Chargers (0-6)
The Chargers are still the lone winless team in the league, and there’s not much to cling to right now. Nothing has clicked, and the roster construction has become impossible to ignore.
Mike McDaniel, their offensive coordinator, also looks like a bad fit for the group. At this point, it’s hard to point the finger in just one direction because everyone from the front office to the coaching staff to the quarterback has some blame here.
Los Angeles went 11-6 in both 2024 and 2025, and it has already matched its loss total from those two seasons combined.
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-4)
The Raiders have dropped four straight, which has brought the division back to something closer to normal. After a sharp 3-0 start, the good vibes have faded fast.
Kirk Cousins gives Las Vegas a capable quarterback, but the pocket presence is limited, and the lack of reliable playmakers beyond Brock Bowers is showing up every week. The Raiders are now looking like a team that should not be taken seriously in 2026.
There’s also a chance that Fernando Mendoza starts to eat into Cousins’ role sooner rather than later.
- Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)
The Chiefs got blasted on Sunday Night Football by the Seattle Seahawks in what may have been one of the ugliest performances of the Patrick Mahomes era. Kansas City scored only three points, and the outing exposed the same roster issues that have been bubbling under the surface.
Kenneth Walker III has been giving the Chiefs great production, but if a defense can at least slow him down, Kansas City does not have the offensive pieces to consistently win anyway. Their easier schedule through Week 7 has also helped keep the record looking cleaner than the play has.
- Denver Broncos (5-2)
Denver deserves the top spot here. The Broncos did beat the Seahawks, and more importantly, they continue to look like the more complete team.
Yes, the Week 1 loss to Kansas City was ugly, but early-season results can be misleading, and Denver has already answered that blowout with a 5-1 stretch since then. Along the way, the Broncos have picked up some serious wins.
Bo Nix and the offense looked more alive in Week 7, and the defense has been stepping up over the past few weeks. Pound for pound, Denver does more things better than Kansas City, and after Week 7, it’s tough to argue otherwise.
In Other News...
Broncos Head Into Chiefs Rematch With One Big Reason For Confidence
A 30-16 win over Arizona gave Denver a needed boost and nudged the Broncos to 5-2, but it also offered a reminder that this team can find different ways to win when the game calls for it. Bo Nix helped set the tone with his legs, and rookie running back Jonah Coleman made a noticeable return from injury, giving the offense a little more balance as Denver heads toward a Chiefs rematch with momentum.
The bigger part of the week, though, may be how the Broncos handled the game without Patrick Surtain II on the field at all. Denver was forced to adjust on the fly after he was downgraded shortly before kickoff, and the defense still managed to get through a solid test against Arizona. How that holds up against Kansas City is the next question, especially with another divisional heavyweight waiting and the Broncos trying to prove this early run is built to last. [Read more 🡒]
Jonah Coleman Just Reopened A Broncos Backfield Debate
Jonah Colemans return gave the Broncos a fresher look in the backfield in Week 7, and it came at a time when Denver needed one. After missing several games with an ankle injury, Coleman was back in the mix against the Arizona Cardinals and quickly made his presence felt in a win that pushed the Broncos to 5-2. His workload stood out right away, especially in a rotation that had been searching for a clearer answer on the ground.
Coleman led Denvers running backs with nine carries for 54 yards and added two catches for 15 yards, a solid showing that gives the team something to think about going forward. It was the kind of return that can change how a coaching staff views its weekly distribution, and for a Broncos offense still sorting out its identity on the ground, his timing could not have been much better. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Nix Just Changed The Feel Around Denvers Chiefs Test
Bo Nix did enough against the Arizona Cardinals to quiet any noise that might have built up around Denvers quarterback spot, and Sean Payton made sure the message afterward was clear. Nix handled the offense with efficiency, throwing for 222 yards and a touchdown while also adding a score on the ground, giving the Broncos a steadier-looking answer as they try to keep their momentum heading into a tougher stretch.
Paytons tone after the win mattered as much as the box score, because the Broncos have been navigating a matchup-driven season where confidence can swing quickly from one week to the next. With Kansas City looming, the support from inside the building leaves Nix in a much different spot than a few hours earlier, and it sharpens the attention on how Denvers offense will look when the stakes rise again. [Read more 🡒]