AFC West playoff picture: Broncos in control, but Chiefs are lurking
Nov 9, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) runs for a touchdown as the Buffalo Bills defense pursues during the second half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Chiefs beat the Bills 17-13. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
As week 12 approaches, division playoff races are as tight as ever. There are only two divisions in which the first place team is more than one game ahead of the second place team. It may surprise many that the AFC West is this tight, as three weeks ago the Denver Broncos looked like they were going to be the clear-cut Nr.1 seed in the AFC. Suddenly, this division features three teams that are only one game apart. In this article I will analyze their current situation, their remaining games and give my final predictions for how this division will play out. Since the Oakland Raiders are mathematically eliminated, I will not focus on them in this article.
Current state of teams:
Denver Broncos (7-3): The Broncos have hit a rough patch in what looked like a clear path towards the top seed in the AFC and possibly another Super Bowl appearance. Before their loss against the Rams, Denver had two losses on the road in Seattle and New England, which are extremely difficult places to play in. While many were a bit surprised at how easily the Patriots walked through the Broncos, nobody seemed to question the Broncos elite status, and for many people they were still the beat in the AFC. This quite embarrassing loss in St. Louis has changed things significantly, especially since the Kansas City Chiefs had a statement win over the Seahawks.
This sudden fear that Denver fans could be feeling can be calmed quickly, if the Broncos manage to show their dominance on Sunday vs. a good Miami Dolphins team. The Broncos are still the most talented in this division, having an offense that can light up the scoreboard in matter of minutes and an extremely solid defense. They can feel fortunate that Emanuel Sanders and Julius Thomas´s injuries were not more severe. So Broncos fans, don´t presh the panic button just yet.
Kansas City Chiefs (7-3): Currently the Chiefs are one of the hottest teams in football. In what is said to be a passing league, Kansas City has run it down their opponents throats, and have been extremely succesful at doing that. Their average pass yards per game ranks second to last in the NFL, ranking only ahead of the New York Jets. This is not because their passing attack is bad, but simply because they don´t call many pass plays. The only team that calls less passing plays than them, are the Houston Texans.
The Chiefs are getting it done with an explosive running game and a top-notch defense, that is being led by Justin Houston, who leads the NFL in Sacks. This approach has worked, but it does not mean it will continue to work. The defense has done a superb job in not letting teams take a large lead, but if that does happen, the Chiefs will have trouble attempting a comeback if they are not able to move the ball through the air. Alex Smith is a more than capable quarterback, but the weapons he has around him are meager. Their approach is working, and if continues to work nobody will criticize it, and currently the Kansas City Chiefs are tied for first place with the mighty Broncos.
San Diego Chargers ( 6-4): The Chargers can consider themselves fortunate to be 6-4 and still in the playoff race, because they have been truly awful over the past month. They are 2-3 over their last five games, and both victories came over the winless Raiders, and both wins were by a margin of seven or less. Nobody knows what happened to this Chargers team that looked so good early in the season. Especially Phillip Rivers has been a disappointment over this five game span, which is surprising because early in the season he looked like a viable MVP candidate. Rivers might be hurt, but if he is, the Chargers need to hope he gets healthy quickly. They will also look to Ryan Matthews to give this team a boost, which they desperately need. Currently they are only one game out of first place, but if they continue to play like they have been, they will fall very quickly.
Next: What does the future entail?