Can the Chiefs Defy the Odds and Stay on Top This Season?

Every season in the AFC West is like a fresh round of chess — unpredictable moves, unexpected sacrifices, and those game-changing gambits from rookies and veterans alike. Sure, injuries can flip the board, and a surprise breakout star might just rewrite the playbook. But here’s a question that’s been buzzing in my mind: can anyone really unseat the mighty Kansas City Chiefs this year? With Patrick Mahomes still pulling the strings, Andy Reid scheming on the sidelines, and a defense that’s not just good—it’s legit tough—the Chiefs are the odds-on favorite, despite some offseason noise around Travis Kelce’s distractions. Meanwhile, contenders like the Chargers and Broncos are circling, hungry for an upset, but is their hunger fierce enough? And let’s not forget the Raiders, who seem stuck in the division’s basement—for now at least. This division’s drama isn’t just about wins and losses; it’s about who’s ready to break through and who’s just playing for pride. Buckle up, because the AFC West is shaping up to be a wild, fascinating ride. LEARN MORE

AFC West Preview

Every year brings something new to a sports season, but there are certain things that you can expect, or at least assume will happen each year. Part of the excitement about sports is that we get the opportunity to see how everything plays out. An injury can derail the entire plan or season for a team. An unexpected contribution from a rookie or rejuvenated player could give you a winning season. One division with interesting odds this season is the AFC West, and we should take a look at who could win it.

Kansas City Chiefs, 1st Place, 15-2

I’m going to start by telling you the pick: Take the Chiefs to win the AFC West one more time. Do you really want to bet against Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones? I certainly don’t want to do that. They were 15-2 last year, and yes they were very lucky, but they still made it to the Super Bowl before pooping the bed. The Chiefs have been successful without really giving Mahomes and true weapon to make his team better on offense. Kelce was terrible last year, at least by his standards. I have some concerns about his offseason. There was an article about how he slimmed down in and is rejuvenated for what could be his last season ever, but he also was in Happy Gilmore 2, doing his podcast, and flying around with Taylor Swift. How much time did he really focus on football? Rashee Rice will likely be suspended at some point. Despite all of that, just keep in mind that Patrick Mahomes is still on this team, the defense will still be good, and Andy Reid is still calling plays. You can write them in for 12 wins, and pencil them in for 14 wins. Who could dethrone them in the AFC West.

Los Angeles Chargers, 2nd place, 11-6

The Chargers are a talented team and have a good coach who turned them around almost immediately. They have Justin Herbert, Ladd McConkey, and a talented offensive line to lead their offense. They also added Najee Harris to the roster to be their running back. While I’m not a fan of him, he probably is an upgrade over Austin Eckler. Herbert also gets back his security blanket in Keenan Allen. Their defense should be a calling card of the Chargers with Jack Harbaugh as the coach. They did lose Joey Bosa from the team, and while he hasn’t been as great as he once was, he did end up playing 14 games last year which is the most he played since 2021. The defensive line is ranked lower than the Chiefs, and certainly lower than the Broncos. 

Denver Broncos, 3rd place, 10-7 

This division has three of the best coaches in the game and each team has a pretty solid roster. The Broncos seem to be virtually everyone’s pick to be the best one in the division. They had a great year last year, but I still see more question marks than sure answers. I’m not 100% sure that Bo Nix is going to have a better year than last year. I don’t love the running game from Denver, but they are ranked rather high, with pff.com having them second for the offensive line ranks. If you give enough time to a quarterback and win in the trenches, your offense should be solid. They also have the Broncos with the eighth best defensive line. There is no question this should be a good unit, but are they really ready to take down the Chiefs? 

Las Vegas Raiders, 4th place, 4-13

I won’t spend a ton of time on this team as they are once again probably going to end up in last place of the division. Geno Smith is back with Pete Carroll, where he seems to have done a great job under him the first time. There will likely be some improvements, but this offense still has some questions. I like Ashton Jeanty as a huge addition to the team. The wide receivers are going to be questionable this year with Jakobi Meyers requesting (and being denied) a trade. Brock Bowers is one of the best tight ends in the game, so there are some makings of a good team. Their offensive and defensive lines are both respectable, but below average. 

Overall, this is one of those divisions that have a lot of up-and-coming teams. And, yes, the Chiefs will eventually fall apart, but I don’t see it happening this year. You’re not going to get great odds on them to win the division regularly, but I’m going to take them here at basically even money. I think the Broncos need to prove it, and the Chargers are good, but I think might’ve played as good as they can last year. 

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