The Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders will clog the top of the AFC West this season as they stomp on the Broncos and the Chargers. They simply have too much firepower to be stopped, and they will be in a dogfight that will show which team is mentally tougher for the balance of the season. The team that can play the best during the course of the season will win the division, and the next best team will likely take a wild card spot.
The Chiefs are solid
They are solid, but they are not spectacular. They are good enough to have a good season, but their team does not do anything that isn't stellar.
They are the middle of the road team that will compete without getting in the way too much, and they will need to be much more productive if they want to scare other teams. There are many ways that The Chiefs could improve, but they are in a situation where they are preparing Patrick Mahomes to be the future. Will they take the time to outplay the Raiders for a Playoff Berth this year when they could have several years in the future with a new quarterback?
The Raiders are powerful
The Raiders have an even more powerful offense that could outscore the Chiefs in both of their games, and they will put the Chiefs behind the eight ball in their quest to win the division. The team itself will have an improved defense, and they have a very good offense with Marshawn Lynch running the ball.
It would not be surprising at all to see them win 12 games, and that will likely be more than the Chiefs can win.
Derek Carr is the key
Derek Carr is the key to this battle for the Afc West. The Raiders will win the division if he plays well, and they will not win the division if he does not. It is that simple, and the Raiders are hoping that their newly minted quarterback will give them the offense that they need to outshine their opponents.
The Chiefs simply cannot look as good as the Raiders can, and the Raiders will go as far as Derek Carr takes them. The defense is icing on the cake for Oakland as they push to get back to the AFC title game, where they could do some real damage against the Patriots.
Fighting for wild cards
The AFC wild card spot that opposes the loser of the AFC North will go to either the Chiefs or the Titans.
The Titans could be in very good shape for the future, but they may not be as good as the Chiefs this year. It would seem right to watch the Chiefs go into the playoffs this year, then miss them next year as the Titans get better. It is a tight race in the AFC.
