Tag: Denver Broncos

For the Bills, a hard truth is settling in

There might not be a better time than now for Buffalo to win a Super Bowl title

Here are the Buffalo Bills, down 21-0 to the upstart New England Patriots on a cold, snowy Sunday afternoon in Massachusetts. Maybe the gravity of the moment didn’t hit the Bills at that time, but the perceptions from the outside looking in say a window is closing, and the opportunity to seize a moment is slipping away before our eyes. See, Buffalo has been knocking on the door of at least a Super Bowl appearance, only to see the Kansas City Chiefs (among other AFC counterparts) keep them from breaking through. The prevalent thinking says as long as the Bills have Josh Allen playing quarterback for them, the window for a title remains open, but over time, the teams Buffalo has been better than start to catch up. In other words, opportunities are precious, and if one gets missed, there’s no guarantee another is coming. As the Bills looked at what was in front of them, perhaps that thought crossed their minds, and they reacted like a team who understood what was needed for the current moment.

Before getting into the details of what happened in the game, let’s take a look at the big picture. The Chiefs, who have made at least the AFC Championship Game every year since 2018, are officially eliminated from playoff contention for this season. The Baltimore Ravens, who came in right there with Buffalo as a major candidate to dethrone Kansas City, are sitting at 7-7, struggling to win the weaker-than-normal AFC North. Yes, teams like the Patriots and Denver Broncos (the Jacksonville Jaguars can get thrown into the mix) are ascending as new contenders, but questions about how viable they can be ring loud. That brings us back to the Bills, who came into their second game with New England (the Patriots won the first contest 23-20 in western New York) at 9-4, needing a win to keep their hopes of reigning over the AFC East alive. Because of the numerous playoff scars, it’s logical to think they’re more tested than the aforementioned new kids on the block, and their main contenders are in a weakened state. It’s about as perfect of a scenario the Bills can hope for, and it looked dangerously close to being squandered a bit, or at least harder to take advantage of the situation.

But sometimes, it’s forgotten there are four quarters in a football game, and plenty of time remained for Buffalo to get it together. Did they ever, as they were able to erase that 21-point deficit to take the lead 28-24. New England running back TreVeyon Henderson broke off a 65-yard touchdown run to give the Pats the lead back, but the Bills would respond to land the final blow and solidify a 35-31 victory. Suddenly, a season (and perhaps the best title opportunity remaining) that looked to be on the brink of collapse is alive and well for Buffalo. After a squad wins, it’s normal to hear how it was the ultimate team effort, but it’s especially true in this case. Allen (who had 193 passing yards with three touchdowns) didn’t have to put on the Superman cape, because they remembered they have James Cook to run the football (107 yards with two touchdowns). A kickoff return by Ray Davis set the comeback in full swing, putting the Bills in position to quickly cut into a 24-7 deficit coming out for the second half. Finally, a much-maligned defense stood up and held New England to just seven points after getting ran through in the first half.

As it stands right now, the Patriots are 11-3, still a game up on Buffalo in the AFC East, but because they couldn’t finish Sunday, the pressure to hold on to the lead could start to heat up. One thing the Bills have in their favor is experience in crucial games, and it was apparent they leaned on that in this contest. Who knows? Buffalo might still be a wild card that would have to win three games on the road to make the Super Bowl, but the comeback on New England serves as a reminder of how dangerous they are. They might not have home-field advantage, but it would be hard to find a team excited about having the Bills visit for a one-and-done playoff game, especially with the reigning league-MVP on their side. Throw in the urgency factor, combined with past heartbreak, and there could be a certain intensity unmatched by anyone else.

During title runs, there’s always a turning point where things lock in. For Buffalo, this would be the moment if they are the last one standing in February, and this looks to be the best chance to finally bring a championship back to their passionate fan base. Understanding things are falling in their favor (mainly the struggles of the Chiefs and Ravens) might have been what woke the Bills up last Sunday. Maybe the team got together to look at a hard truth. Either way, at least for now, Buffalo is aware of the opportunity in front of them, and it’s imperative they cash in, because nothing is promised for the future.

This might be the year to win the Super Bowl for these three teams

With parity as high as ever in the NFL, a few unlikely clubs could have their best chance to get rings

Coming into the NFL season, predictions were made on who could win the Super Bowl in February, and there’s still a good amount of time to see if those views play out. The majority of those views probably had what one could call the usual contenders: the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens topping the list in the AFC, while the Philadelphia Eagles (defending champs), Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions gathered the majority of votes from the NFC. After that’s determined, the next question centers around teams who can announce themselves as a threat in their own right. The Houston Texans (who went home after the divisional round each of the last two seasons) were a trendy pick, but have been underwhelming to this point. The Green Bay Packers, particularly after they acquired linebacker/defensive end Micah Parsons in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys, became the team everyone is supposedly chasing, but many questions remain if they can even win the NFC North (let alone make a championship run). One thing (and perhaps the only item) we have learned is there isn’t a stand out team playing right now. As a result, three squads who weren’t looked at as serious contenders may have as good a chance as ever to emerge as the top dog.

The first of this trio is the Indianapolis Colts. It would be interesting to see if even the biggest Colts fan living within the Indianapolis city limits had this on their bingo card, but this team is tied for the best record in the league at 5-1. Somewhere along the line, it was forgotten how good running back Jonathan Taylor was and is. Taylor is reminding everyone up to this point, as he leads the NFL in rushing yardage (603) and touchdowns (seven). Combine that with the efficient play of quarterback Daniel Jones (yes, that guy who flamed out with the New York Giants), and the offense is on a level that makes them hard to stop. The Colts defense has been good enough to bend, but not completely break, and they have forced nine turnovers in their six games. Complementary football has been a strength for Indy, and Shane Steichen has cooled off talk of being on the hot seat to lose his head coaching job. In other words, the Colts have the ingredients to stay in the fight for a while.

Second on the list is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who is the team tied with Indy for the league’s best record. The Buccaneers could be at least 2-4 if a play or two doesn’t go their way, but they have found a way to make those plays, and the scary thing with this squad is they can become much better as the season moves on. If there is one reason why Tampa Bay sits where they are, it probably starts and ends with QB Baker Mayfield, who would probably be the MVP if the season ended today. Mayfield has been the definition of clutch, as he has been the architect of a few game-winning drives. It’s even more remarkable when considering Mayfield is playing at this level without the team’s top-two receivers (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr.). There was a little talk about the Bucs being a contender going into the season, but the combination of how good they can be and the league being up for grabs could see them become a favorite before too long.

Finally, the Denver Broncos find themselves on the list of teams who could walk up to a championship this season. With the Broncos coming off of a wild card appearance last year, the prevalent thinking was they could continue to ascend, and perhaps, knock the Chiefs off from the top of the AFC West. The main reason is their defense, led by cornerback Pat Surtain II (the defensive player of the year in 2024) and linebackers Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper. Most people would say Denver’s defense is at championship-level, but what could make or break their visions is whether or not quarterback Bo Nix can consistently stay on the same page with coach Sean Payton, and bring the offense close to par with the other side of the ball. Throughout the year, Nix has been hit or miss with the execution of plays. If he can provide more of the good version, the Broncos could be on the cusp of a high on the Rocky Mountains.

There are other teams that could have made this list (the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots among them), but at this time, the Colts, Buccaneers and Broncos seem to have more in their favor to continue the upward trend. Of course, things can escalate quickly in the NFL, and what looks good one week might not the next, and vice versa. Who knows? Those teams who were listed as favorites might ultimately end up there come January. The beautiful thing about sports is games will be played, and everyone will get to find out as it happens. What we know is the gap between contenders and pretenders doesn’t seem to be as wide, and if that continues to be the case, don’t be surprised if this year’s Super Bowl winner is someone not exactly on the radar from the beginning.

Another NFL Draft, another chance for teams to get right at quarterback

For these three clubs, the hope is 2024 brings a player to build the foundation around

In sports, there might not be a more important position than the quarterback in football. While some teams have had unprecedented success finding their guy to build a team around, others have gone through purgatory to find something remotely close. With the NFL Draft behind us, there were front offices everywhere who spent countless nights trying to make sure they have the right QB (if they don’t already) to be the face of the franchise. This is especially true for three clubs, all who have had tremendous difficulty finding someone to lean on for various reasons. It’s time to dive into why they may have finally got it right, or maybe, why their search will continue far beyond this draft.

The obvious team to start with is the Chicago Bears, who had the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year. The Bears haven’t had a bonafide starter since Jim McMahon was the man during the 1980s. Since then, the quarterbacks who have played in the Windy City have provided mixed results at best. Rex Grossman (Remember him?) was the man when Chicago went to the Super Bowl in 2006 (losing to the Indianapolis Colts), and the franchise thought the found their man in Jay Cutler in 2009, but inconsistencies and turnovers equaled disappointment at the end. The latest experiment involved Justin Fields, who the Bears selected with the 11th pick in 2021. The reasons for why Fields would end up being traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers can and have been debated for weeks, but the next man is former USC QB Caleb Williams. The feelings about Williams will be discussed later, but for now, let’s say the belief in him isn’t as high as what the mainstream media displays.

Sitting with the second pick of this year’s draft was the Washington Commanders. Like the Bears, it’s been musical quarterbacks for the better part of the last three decades for Washington, who have seen 27 players take their turn at the position since 2000. In 2012, they thought they had their man in the form of Robert Griffin III, and there was reason to believe this was the case after Griffin III won the Rookie of the Year. Unfortunately for the player and the team, injuries would derail RGIII’s career, and the Commanders would turn to Kirk Cousins, who was taken in the fourth round of that same draft. Cousins played pretty well overall, but was never able to lead Washington past the wild card round of the playoffs during his tenure. Since seeing Cousins leave to sign a record contract (at the time) with the Minnesota Vikings before the 2018 campaign, they haven’t settled on a consistent starter. The latest contender, Sam Howell, was just traded to the Seattle Seahawks last month. So who is next to try their hand at solidifying the QB position in Washington? That question seemed tougher to answer than it would be for Chicago, but former LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is the choice. For the Commanders’ sake, let’s hope No. 28 is more consistent than the last 27.

Lastly, let’s slide down the draft order to No. 12, where the Denver Broncos resided. In the grand scheme of things, the Broncos haven’t been as bad off as the first two squads. After all, they have been fortunate to see two of the best quarterbacks ever to wear their uniform (John Elway and Peyton Manning). Outside of those years, it’s been up-and-down. Before the 2022 season, Denver felt they had a roster that was ready to compete for a championship, and the missing piece was that QB. So they decided to trade a nice haul of draft picks and players to the Seahawks for Russell Wilson, then signed him to a five-year, $245 million contract extension. The two years that followed were nothing short of disastrous, and Wilson is now with the Steelers (like Fields). Meanwhile, the Broncos are eating $85 million in dead cap money, and they’re once again in the market for a quarterback. In an attempt to remedy this ongoing problem, they acquired Zach Wilson from the New York Jets Monday, and it wouldn’t have been surprising if they reached for another one. As it turned out, it’s Bo Nix who could be next in line, depending on who wins the competition to start that’s coming in Denver.

It’s no secret the quest to find the quarterback of the future is never-ending in the NFL. A few teams (the Kansas City Chiefs among others) get it right, but it appears most of them can’t. More often than not, it’s different year, same problem. In this year’s edition of the quest, six of the first 12 picks were QBs. The Bears, Commanders and Broncos hope this is the year they end their nightmare search. Of course, we have to see these men actually get on the field and play before making any determinations, but if we’re going off of a projection before the draft, I would say nay on Chicago, yay for Washington and neutral for Denver. Personally, I felt Daniels was the best quarterback in the draft, and was never high on Williams (probably an unpopular opinion). For Nix, I can see a solid starter, but that probably won’t be enough for starving, impatient fan bases. The beauty is we’ll start to get right or wrong answers soon enough, and for these three teams, a rest off of the QB carousel would be close to heaven.

Broncos have only themselves to blame for Wilson debacle

Things were destined for failure once Denver decided to trade for the beleaguered QB

In football, it’s no secret everything is centered around who a squad has playing the quarterback position. When this assessment is seen or heard, laughter is what comes to me at times, because this sport is the ultimate team game that needs so many moving parts to come together. At any rate, QB has become arguably the most important position in all of sports, and who’s there could be the difference between a team winning or losing at championship levels. In the summer of 2022, the Denver Broncos felt they had assembled a roster ready to compete for a Super Bowl title, and quarterback was the missing piece to their puzzle. With that in mind, the Broncos decided to go all-in on their search, and Russell Wilson was identified as the man who could lead the franchise back to the promised land.

Knowing my personal feelings are not important for this article, I could go on and on about how much I disagreed with this move. I never thought Wilson was a QB who could put a team on his back and bring titles home. It’s understood he won a championship with the Seattle Seahawks in 2013, but the identity of that particular squad was a strong running game (Marshawn Lynch) and a great defense led by the “Legion of Boom” secondary (Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas among others). When the Seahawks decided to give more responsibility to Wilson, there were moments where the QB played at an elite level, but at the end, Seattle never made it past the NFC divisional playoff round since the 2014 season (the fateful Malcolm Butler interception in SB XLIX). After 2021, it was apparent Wilson’s time in the Pacific Northwest had run short, and the Seahawks brass, namely head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider, were open for business. Now, it was just a matter of who was willing to trade with them and acquire the QB. This is where Denver comes back into the story.

Let’s not forget the Broncos felt they were a quarterback away from truly being championship contenders, and getting Wilson was seen as a significant upgrade from the combined play of Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock. Therefore, Denver decided to do a deal with Seattle, where Wilson would come to the Mile High City in exchange for the 2022 and 2023 first- and second-round picks (and players to include Lock). To show how serious they were in this investment, the Broncos gave Wilson a five-year, $245 million extension (There was a season left on the four-year, $140 million contract signed with the Seahawks in 2019). In the NFL, the trend is to do what’s possible to win right now, even if it means getting rid of future assets. What Denver said was they were good enough to win right now and in the future, and Wilson was the man who would lead them there. As everyone knows by now, those dreams haven’t come close to becoming a reality.

2022 was a nightmarish season for the Broncos, finishing 5-12 in a campaign that saw first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett get fired before the finale. As for Wilson, the argument could be made for the QB taking a step back from the 7-10 record in 2021. Everyone knows the quarterback probably gets too much credit and/or blame, depending on the final tally, but if that’s the standard, there wasn’t much good Wilson brought to Denver. If anything, it was drama, from reports of teammates not getting along with him, to his rumored accommodation of having his own office. Yes, all of the off-field stuff matters to an extent, but on the field, Wilson looked like a player who has seen his best days. In a word, washed was a common term to describe his play, as he threw 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 15 games. Needless to say, changes were in store for the Broncos, and Sean Payton was brought in to steady the ship at head coach. Things started off ugly this season, with the team beginning 1-5 (which includes giving up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins in Week 3). To their credit, Denver recovered to give themselves a puncher’s chance in the AFC playoff picture, but after a disappointing 26-23 loss at home to the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve, hope was all but lost. Soon after, Payton would come out with the announcement Wilson was being benched for the final two games, saying they needed a spark to win. So the man of choice to replace Wilson is Jarrett Stidham (sounds suspect), and now, the stage is set for an offseason mess.

Thinking logically, it’s probably fair to say Stidham isn’t giving the Broncos a better chance of winning than Wilson. At the same time, all indications say the squad is looking at the contract they gave to Wilson, and are seeing a huge mistake based off the results of the last two seasons. Apparently, Denver wanted the QB to adjust his contract, or risk being benched, which happened after the Broncos’ playoff hopes took that deafening blow from the defeat to the Patriots. In other words, this rocky marriage looks like it’s headed for a messy end, and Denver is about to take a nice-sized cap hit if and when they decide to cut Wilson (unless they can find someone to trade with). Clearly, the return on investment hasn’t been matched on the field, but this whole situation could have been easily avoided if the Broncos didn’t fall victim to the vaunted quarterback chase. For this debacle, Denver should look at themselves in the mirror if they want to place blame, and because of this move, the franchise might have lost a few years in a supposed championship window that could have been a mirage all along.

The Rams’ path to glory is not the model to copy

From Thursday to Saturday, the NFL Draft is taking place in Las Vegas. With these picks come eternal hope, for teams and their fans alike, that the players selected can be a part of building something special. Entering the draft, eight squads didn’t have a pick in the first round. One of those teams come in the form of the newly-crowned Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, who have famously put a value on veterans over draft picks in their pursuit of championships. It a high-risk, high reward strategy, and even if the reward is a title or two, the result of future futility is almost certain.

We all know Rams general manager Les Snead is known for saying “F*** Them Picks,” even wearing a t-shirt with the phrase on it during the team’s championship parade. When it comes to a winning window, there’s no telling how long that could last. Since the New England Patriots went back-to-back in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, there hasn’t been a repeat champion. So the question a squad’s front office has to answer is how to go about building a team that can compete for titles. Is it being patient to build through the draft and develop young players, or is stacking the team with established veterans to enhance the all-in, win now mentality? For L.A., the answer was clearly the latter.

So the frenzy of trading the draft picks began, and the Rams turned to free agency to fill the rest of the holes on the roster. The main chess piece was quarterback Matthew Stafford, who the team sent previous starter Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-rounder to the Detroit Lions to receive before last season. It took a couple more first-rounders and a fourth-round pick to get cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019. Wanna get linebacker Von Miller (now with the Buffalo Bills) from the Denver Broncos? L.A. said here’s a second and third-round pick in return. Looking for a wide receiver to complement Cooper Kupp? Let’s sign Odell Beckham Jr. While trading all of these picks seem a little insane, one can respect a team going for it when the opportunity presents itself.

Let’s not forget the Rams played in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2018 season, losing to the Patriots 13-3. Getting that close to the title can definitely drive motivation to get back and finish the job. Seeing what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did in winning a Super Bowl in their home stadium, combined with knowing this past title game was in SoFi Stadium, only added to the fire. All of this equaled L.A.’s willingness to sacrifice the future for a potentially-brighter present, and with Snead and head coach Sean McVay on the same page, “F*** Them Picks” became one of the most famous memes out there.

If a win-now strategy pays off, fans and media will say it’s all worth it to win a championship, especially when celebrations are happening at the time. If that’s the case, there shouldn’t be any complaints when their squad has no future to build upon because of the lack of draft picks. The purgatory is probably coming for the Rams, and with the world living in the moment more than ever, those same fans who said the title was worth it will be the ones calling out the future being in peril. With that said, there are multiple ways to put a team together to win. L.A. found one that worked for them, but by no means should it be a model to copy. Therefore, the standard is not the standard in this case. There is still a lot of value in the draft, and over time, the Rams will see that also.

It’s time to stop making excuses for “elite” quarterbacks

If we are truly being honest with ourselves, hearing the news about Tom Brady retiring, only to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers five minutes later, should come as no surprise. Besides, it’s not like Brady’s game was falling off from the standard we’ve become accustomed to. The seven-time Super Bowl winner threw for 5,316 yards, with 43 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season, which is not bad for a 44-year-old. It’s no secret the National Football League was shaken up by what Brady was able to do in leading the Buccaneers to a title in 2020. As a result, franchise quarterbacks everywhere felt it was time to flex their muscle and demand more say-so in personnel decisions. It’s one thing to demand that, but it’s another to make the sacrifices necessary to get what’s desired. Too many times, the other QBs want money and power, and that turns into a never-ending chase for glory that often ends in disappointment. As we move forward, it’s important to remember teams win championships, not individual players. The quarterbacks I will mention are supposed to be in the elite category with Brady, but have not elevated their respective teams when it matters most. Therefore, it’s time to call them out for coming up short.

Let’s start with Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the first example. We can all agree Rodgers is one of the most talented people ever to play the position, and the two straight regular season MVP awards add to the verification. When Rodgers and the Packers won the title in 2010, it was almost a certainty it would be the first of many coming in his career. Here we are in 2022, and the 38-year-old drama king is still stuck on that one title. When the failures occurred, many media members and fans were quick to point out the team, or the coaches, around Rodgers as to why he couldn’t get over the hump. That might have been a legitimate point in years past, but not in the last two seasons. Green Bay had the best record in the NFC in both, but were knocked out in the conference championship game (by Tampa Bay) and divisional playoff (by the San Francisco 49ers), respectively. Against the Buccaneers, Rodgers could not take advantage of three Brady second-half interceptions, and the 49ers won without scoring an offensive touchdown. The league’s MVP stunk in the playoffs, and even the biggest Rodgers supporters would have to dig deep to deny that.

For the second example, lets look at the new quarterback for the Denver Broncos, Russell Wilson. Wilson was acquired via trade from the Seattle Seahawks, and the thinking for the Broncos is the 33-year-old is the missing piece for the team to be a legit Super Bowl contender. A common phrase heard for the last couple of years is “Let Russ Cook.” Well, letting the chef cook has produced mixed results, with the bad seeing him get sacked 427 times in his career. It got to the point Wilson ran to “The Dan Patrick Show” to voice his frustration about getting hit too much. The Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll, received much criticism for trying to establish a running game. If his quarterback is on his back all the time, who can blame Carroll for wanting to provide a little balance? While it might be true Seattle’s offensive line hasn’t been the best, Wilson does hold the ball too long at times, which contributes to the sack total. It’s also worth pointing out since the Seahawks decided to gear the offense more towards Wilson and the passing game (around the start of the 2015 season), the team hasn’t made it past the divisional playoff round. Now Wilson arrives in Denver, and there’s a lot of chatter about the Broncos being a Super Bowl favorite. That might be the case, but it’s also possible even with the upgrade at quarterback, Denver might not even be the best team in their own division.

Finally, let’s take a glance at current Houston Texans QB Deshaun Watson. Yes, Watson’s off the field troubles are well-documented, but we can keep things about football for the sake of this article. Most people (including myself) would acknowledge the 26-year-old is a top-5 quarterback at his peak, but his individual success hasn’t contributed to much in terms of team wins. In 2020, Watson led the NFL in passing yards, but the Texans went 4-12 that season. Since he was drafted by Houston in 2017, Watson has one playoff win, which came in 2019. Looking forward, there are a good amount of teams willing to trade for his services, but the Texans are going to ask for a lot in return. That means there’s a good possibility the club Watson goes to won’t be too far away from what Houston was (and is) record-wise. As bad of a situation the Texans have on their hands, there’s no guarantee the grass is going to be greener on the other side, especially if Watson is running for his life from lack of protection.

So what does Rodgers, Wilson and Watson have in common? They all want to be like Brady, but they aren’t willing to do the things the greatest winner in league history does. For starters, Brady routinely takes less money on his contracts, which gives the team he’s on more flexibility to build around him. The other three have large contracts that eats salary cap room for their respective squads. While I would never fault anyone who fights for their payday, the flipside is the team around them might lack in other areas. If that’s the case, said quarterback has to elevate the club to championship heights. Rodgers, Wilson and Watson have all failed in this category in recent years, but they’re constantly called elite QBs. Is it fair to call them just elite regular season players? Maybe not, but if this is the quarterback-driven league I keep hearing about, then lets call a square a square. It’s time to question who is truly elite, and for me, there’s only one QB that at the level. That man resides in Tampa.

Everything is fine in Chiefs Kingdom…right??

This past Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs had what a lot of people looked at as a “get right” game against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road. The Chiefs did win 42-30 at Lincoln Financial Field to even their record at 2-2, but it looked eerily similar to a good amount of games involving Kansas City. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes looked good in throwing five touchdowns, including three to wide receiver Tyreek Hill. That in and of itself is no surprise, but what’s also no surprise is the leaky defense, and the lack of a consistent running game to compliment Mahomes. The assumption from most in the sports media is the two-time defending AFC champions will get it together, and eventually, be back in the Super Bowl for a third consecutive season. The reality is the Chiefs have serious issues that need fixing before any postseason play can be thought of. Three of those issues have nothing to do with the team itself, and those are the rest of the clubs in the improving AFC West. They (at least after the first month of NFL action) are turning what was seemingly a walk in the park for Kansas City into anything but.

Let’s start with the Los Angeles Chargers, who are sitting at 3-1. The Chargers, under first-year head coach Brandon Staley and the next big thing (maybe) in quarterback Justin Herbert, look like they are starting to turn the corner after years of inconsistency. It’s no secret Los Angeles has one of the most talented rosters in the league, but bad coaching blunders and inexcusable penalties have kept the club from even coming close to reaching their potential. Lack of mental toughness has also hurt the Chargers, but based off of what we have seen in the last couple of weeks, there’s reason to believe that might be past history. Los Angeles beat the Chiefs on the road and the Las Vegas Raiders at home (there were far more Raiders fans than Chargers supporters in SoFi Stadium on Monday night). In both games, the Chargers had to stave off comebacks from their opponents, and in years past, those games would have been losses. So far, L.A. has been able to show why this year will be different, and if it continues, they could factor into results impacting not just the division, but the conference.

Speaking of Las Vegas, they, like the Chargers, also sit at 3-1. It would be reasonable to say the Raiders and Los Angeles have a good amount in common when it comes to talking about what holds them back (undisciplined play, clock management issues, etc.), but Vegas has also found ways to win games that would be losses any other year. The Raiders have had to come from behind to win in all of their victories, including two from double-digits against the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins, respectively. From the exterior, it looks like head coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr are finally on the same page (stay tuned to see if this continues), and the defense looks respectable for a change. Slow starts in games is something the Raiders will have to fix going forward. If the loss to the Chargers taught them anything, they would learn it’s hard to win week after week having to climb out of huge holes, especially a 21-0 deficit at halftime. If Vegas can remedy that problem, they can find themselves in the middle of the playoff picture. On top of all this, the Raiders believe they should have swept Kansas City last season, so anyone can bet those two games are circled on the calendar.

Finally, there are the Denver Broncos. Any guess what their record is? If your answer is 3-1, that would be correct. Yes, the Broncos caught a loss to the Ravens last Sunday, but that doesn’t take away from the identity they have built through the first four games. Unlike L.A. and Las Vegas, Denver’s strength lies on the defensive end, where they are fourth in the league in total yardage allowed. The offense doesn’t lack for talent either if they can stay healthy. Wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler both suffered significant injuries (Hamler is gone for the year with a torn ACL in his left knee), and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who has played well after winning the job from incumbent Drew Lock, is battling a concussion. The running game, led by Melvin Gordon, has been solid. Long story short, if the offense can catch up to the defense, this is a team that is also dangerous to the Chiefs chances of running away with the division.

Keep in mind I still expect Kansas City to win the AFC West. Like many others, the Chiefs were my pick at the beginning of the year, and it’s far too early to jump off of that wagon. Having said that, there are a few issues the team has to deal with in a quick manner, or the percentage of things not being okay go up in a hurry. The defense is a turnstile, and the lack of a consistent ground attack is a red flag. These factors, along with the other three teams in the division, could combine to be too much for even the great St. Patty (Mahomes) to overcome. In other words, it’s not safe to assume all is well in Chiefs Kingdom, because right now, that’s far from the truth.