Another week of AFC West football is in the books, and the division picture is starting to settle in. The Chiefs are still out front, the Raiders have made themselves impossible to ignore, and the Broncos and Chargers are both trying to stop the slide before it gets worse.
The Chargers are the easiest team in this group to read right now, and that’s not a compliment. A seven-point loss to the Seahawks has reached the point where it barely raises an eyebrow, and the final score makes the game look closer than it was. Seattle had a 21-point lead in the third quarter, and Los Angeles never really threatened to change the script.
At this stage, the Chargers are not just dealing with a bad start. They look like a team that simply is not very good.
There is still time to turn things around, but the schedule is about to get brutal. Denver, Kansas City and the Rams are next, which means 0-7 is very much in play.
Denver is in a different kind of trouble. The Broncos tried to survive against the 49ers by doing almost nothing on offense for half the game, and that plan fell apart fast. Bo Nix showed a little life after halftime, but San Francisco took over from there, and Brock Purdy carved up the defense with two touchdown passes after the break.
The Broncos are 2-2 now, and that record comes with a warning label. Losing both starting cornerbacks to injury hurts any team, but it hits harder here because Denver’s defense is the whole operation. If those losses drag the unit closer to average, the offense will have to carry more weight - and so far, there’s not much evidence that group can do it.
Las Vegas took its turn in the spotlight against Kansas City, and even in defeat, the Raiders gave themselves something real to build on. This was a classic moral victory, but it was more than empty spin.
Before Week 4, there were fair questions about whether the 3-0 start was for real. After going toe-to-toe with the Chiefs, the answer looks a lot clearer.
The Raiders didn’t play like an overmatched team. They looked like a peer.
That said, the loss also showed where the cracks are. The offense has some obvious limitations in a game that turns into a shootout, and the defense has leaned heavily on forcing turnovers.
Those are the kinds of flaws that matter more now because Las Vegas has earned a higher standard. Next up is another serious test against the defending AFC champion Patriots.
At the top, Kansas City is separating itself from the rest of the division. The Chiefs are 4-0 and rolling into the bye week with full control of the AFC West.
The difference this year is that the conversation is not just about Patrick Mahomes carrying everything on his shoulders. He is still working back into form after injury, but he has not had to do it alone.
The ground game is giving him real help, and Kenneth Walker was the standout in the latest win over the Raiders. He ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, giving Kansas City the kind of balance that changes how a game feels.
That running threat pairs with a defense that has been steady and productive, with young talents like Mansoor Delane and R Mason Thomas adding to the picture. Right now, the Chiefs don’t just look like the team to beat in the AFC West - they look in control of it.
In Other News...
Raiders Fans Are Noticing One Kubiak Habit That Says A Lot
Klint Kubiaks sideline routine has already become one of the more talked-about parts of his early run with the Raiders, and it is not just because of the way he prepares. The new coach is known for bringing a meticulous approach to the job, but fans also have started noticing the faith-based touches that show up around him, a reminder that his coaching identity is rooted in more than just game planning.
During a recent game, Kubiak was spotted with AMDG on his playsheet, an acronym often used for Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, which points to the religious convictions that shape how he works and carries himself. It is the latest detail to draw attention to a habit that has followed him into Las Vegas after a similar gesture with the Seahawks, and it adds another layer to a coach whose presence already has people watching closely for what he does next. [Read more 🡒]
Caleb Rogers Is Quietly Shaping A Raiders Culture Fans Will Notice
While much of the attention around the Raiders has centered on line play and weekly lineups, Caleb Rogers has been building a different kind of presence in his second season. The guard has been active in supporting teammates through his faith and constant encouragement, even leaving notes for them, a small but telling sign of the tone he is trying to set inside the locker room.
Rogers has also been on the field enough to matter, logging 89 offensive snaps this season and showing real strength as a run blocker. The challenge has come in pass protection, where he has struggled at times, including a recent game against the Chiefs in which he gave up multiple quarterback pressures. For a Raiders team trying to find both steadiness and identity up front, Rogers remains an intriguing part of the conversation on and off the field. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans May Not Love This Tom Brady Front Office Debate
Tom Bradys move into the Raiders ownership picture already made him one of the most intriguing figures around the franchise, but the debate over how involved hell be in the front office has only sharpened since his retirement. Around the league, Brady and Matt Ryan are being compared as former quarterbacks who have stepped into executive roles, with Ryan now serving as the Falcons president of football and Brady balancing his Raiders stake with other commitments.
According to a coach cited by Mike Florio, Ryan is viewed as the more fully committed and potentially more impactful of the two because he has thrown himself entirely into that job. Brady, by contrast, is seen as having divided interests, which is the kind of assessment that could sit uneasily with Raiders fans hoping his influence will translate into a sharper football operation. [Read more 🡒]