The Kansas metropolis Chiefs and la Chargers confirmed on Sunday why the AFC West was a properly-favored preseason decide to be utterly the best division inside the NFL.
From the opening quarter, each starting quarterbacks launched dazzling passes all through SoFi Stadium, the sort of play that was anticipated from each Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, as properly as to Russell Wilson and Derek Carr.
In Denver, Wilson and Carr positioned on pretty the forgettable efficiency all through the late afternoon slate. That 22-sixteen Las Vegas Raiders’ overtime victory was a stark reminder of the place the AFC West is. whereas the Chiefs’ 30-27 victory over the Chargers was an event of what many thought the division would appear to be all through 2022.
The tone on Sunday evening time was set after Herbert responded to the Chiefs’ opening drive with a 50-yard touchdown move to Josh Palmer. everyone on that subject wished to be in a place to run, as a consequence of two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks had been in a place to squeeze the turbo button all evening time.
each Herbert and Mahomes averaged greater than 9 yards per try and threw for a quantity of touchdowns. the sport was thrilling virtually your whole evening time, even after Keenan Allen’s costly fumble inside the fourth quarter. The Chiefs fumbled it proper again on the following drive, and Allen redeemed himself with a forty six-yard catch to arrange a touchdown. nonetheless it took the Chiefs simply one minute and 15 seconds to retake the lead.
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By comparability, the fireworks current in Denver was two sparklers and a subject of snap and pops. Neither crew scored a touchdown inside the second half. It took a busted safety from the Broncos in overtime for Davante Adams to get free on the most important play of the sport, a walkoff TD.
The Broncos have scored greater than 20 factors in a recreation solely twice this season. nonetheless, their protection has been excellent. It was ranked third inside the NFL in weighted DVOA going into Week eleven. using the identical metrics, the Raiders’ protection was the worst inside the NFL, and their offense was seventeenth. Neither crew is wherever shut to the division lead, or a wild-card spot.
By NBC flexing the Sunday evening time soccer matchup from Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, to Chiefs-Chargers, your whole AFC West was in movement in the direction of every utterly different, and in separate house windows. this style, it wasn’t vital for Scott Hanson to narrate the distinction inside the two halves of the division. The people may see it for themselves.
The extra healthful, however nonetheless injured, Chargers have some hearth power, and may push a superb crew simply like the Chiefs. There was good set off to suppose about earlier than the start of this season that the Chargers can be a playoff crew. They’re at present a recreation out of the wild-card and may get some, however not all, of their injured gamers again this season.
Wilson and Adams had been speculated to be the key distinction makers that will push their new teams extreme, and make the AFC West utterly the best that it has been for the rationale that Nineteen Eighties. Adams has been good, nonetheless the Raiders have been getting crushed in shut video games, with a protection that will’t cease a runny nostril. This new Broncos offense, led by Wilson, has seemed choose it will most seemingly be greater with Teddy Bridgewater behind center. additionally, each teams’ head coaches have accomplished a job that is worthy of them not being given the probability to proper the ship in 2023.
Week eleven was speculated to be a showcase of most seemingly the most proficient division inside the NFL. instead, it affirmed that the AFC West has one good crew, one other one on the rise, and two which may even be steadily sinking.
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