The Denver Broncos are in position to take a lead in the AFC West.
After back-to-back wins–over the Bengals and Super Bowl champion Eagles on the road–a stretch of mediocre and bad teams face the Broncos.
First up, they face the 0-5 Jets this Sunday in London, while divisional foes all try to bounce back from losses last week.
AFC West Roundup: Broncos can make a move the next month
The Broncos are riding high right now. They just enjoyed their biggest win since Super Bowl 50 over the previously unbeaten Eagles, and now face the winless Jets in London. That game kicks off at 7:30 a.m. MT on Sunday.
Denver’s got to avoid the possible trap game on the other side of the pond and earn their third straight victory. If they do, their momentum will be sky-high, and a stretch of other winnable games are up next.
The Broncos face the Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Texans, and Raiders over the next month. Combined, their record is 7-18-1 (.269 winning percentage). Yes, the Giants just beat the same Eagles Denver did, but it’s tough to say whether that game said more about New York or Philly.
Some may say the Broncos broke the Eagles last week, and they suffered through the hangover last night. The Cowboys and Texans have been up and down, but neither seems overly worrisome. And the Raiders are downright awful once again. There’s a world where the Broncos go on a wild run and are 8-2.
Following that five-game run, the Broncos face the Chiefs in new Mile High Stadium. Meanwhile, the Chiefs and Chargers have a tougher schedule ahead of them between now and then.
Currently, the Chargers and Broncos are tied in the AFC West, but LA holds the head-to-head tie breaker.
AFC West standings going into Week 6:
- LA Chargers, 3-2
- Denver Broncos, 3-2
- Kansas City Chiefs, 2-3
- Las Vegas Raiders, 1-4
LA Chargers
The Chargers go against a reeling Miami Dolphins team in South Beach this week at 11 a.m. MT. The Phins lost late last week to the sorry Carolina Panthers and the Chargers should win this game. Then, the face in order: the Colts, Vikings, Titans, Steelers, and Jaguars.
Their opponents’ combined record is 17-12 (.586 winning percentage). The Chargers could easily go 3-3 between now and Nov. 16 (when the Broncos and Chiefs play) and be 6-5. LA is dealing with a ton of injuries, including both top running backs–Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton–being out currently. Their offensive line is missing guys like stating tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, and Khalil Mack dislocated his elbow earlier in the year and remains out.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are missing guys, too. Xavier Worthy has returned since injuring his shoulder when running into Travis Kelce in Week 1, but he may be out this week. And they’ve been without Rashee Rice all year since he was suspended six games for driving 119 MPH and injuring six people in the offseason. Plus, their offensive line is in shambles.
This week, KC, who is now 0-3 in one-score games this year, hosts the 4-1 Lions. If the Chiefs aren’t careful, they could get blown out at home. Then, the play the Raiders, Commanders, and Bills before their bye week. That’s a 12-8 combined record (.600 winning percentage). Detroit is certainly a tough game this Sunday night, while the Raiders should be an easy win for the Chiefs. Then, the Commanders are a toss up, and the Bills in Buffalo will be extremely difficult.
If the Chiefs go 2-2, they’ll be 4-5 when they come to the Mile High City on Nov. 16. Even if Kansas City goes 3-1, they’ll be 5-4, and Denver will likely have a better record than them for their first matchup of the year.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are again one of the worst teams in the NFL. Pete Carroll hasn’t been able to turn them around like Jim Harbaugh in LA or Sean Payton in Denver. Las Vegas’ offense is 30th in points per game at 16.6 and their 25th in points allowed. They’re also dead-last in red zone scoring, at a mere 35.7%.
This week, Vegas plays the Titans, in a game they could actually win. It kicks off at 2:05 p.m. MT. But then it gets very tough for the black and silver: Kansas City, Jacksonville, Denver, and Dallas are up next. Combined, that’s a 12-12-1 record (.500 winning percentage). The Raiders need to win this week or they could go 0-5 on that stretch.
