POLL Who will win the AFC West?

[cdumler7]

Poll is going how I thought so far. No majority, but a reasonable plurality voting Chiefs.

Chiefs right now have the most stable situation. A good majority of the same team that just went 11-5 returning. Easily the most balanced team in the division last year with both the offense and defense showing at times they can win games. So yeah doesn't shock me to see people picking the Chiefs at all. Going to be a fun division to watch and should be one that comes down to week 17.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Chiefs right now have the most stable situation. A good majority of the same team that just went 11-5 returning. Easily the most balanced team in the division last year with both the offense and defense showing at times they can win games. So yeah doesn't shock me to see people picking the Chiefs at all. Going to be a fun division to watch and should be one that comes down to week 17.

Definitely the division to watch. Very tricky to tease out what team is doing what for a myriad of reasons. Should be a very entertaining division to watch all the way up to week 17.

 

[Clayton]

Chiefs right now have the most stable situation. A good majority of the same team that just went 11-5 returning. Easily the most balanced team in the division last year with both the offense and defense showing at times they can win games. So yeah doesn't shock me to see people picking the Chiefs at all. Going to be a fun division to watch and should be one that comes down to week 17.

I have the Chiefs down as the most likely to win the division and the least likely to win the Super Bowl. Not sure how I feel about that.

 

[cdumler7]

I have the Chiefs down as the most likely to win the division and the least likely to win the Super Bowl. Not sure how I feel about that.

They do look like that type of team that is good enough to make the playoffs but just doesn't look like a Super Bowl winner. I like Andy Reid as a coach but I do just have a feeling that in a big game he is going to do something that costs his team the game. I couldn't believe what I was seeing in that game against the Patriots. I know the OC was the one calling the plays but there has to be a point that you as a HC step in and say "hey maybe we should speed this up a bit I mean we are losing and need to score twice here."

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I think the Chiefs need to get the bye and have a pretty healthy team for them to win the SB. Arrowhead is a nice advantage to have, but if Houston is down, or Maclin, Kelce, or a couple other guys, it becomes considerably easier to eliminate players such as Dontari Poe and Travis Kelce like New England did. Last year for instance they just ran out of gas with the injuries finally catching up to them.

That New England game also really shakes my faith in the idea of extending Poe for mega-NT money.

 

[Clayton]

They do look like that type of team that is good enough to make the playoffs but just doesn't look like a Super Bowl winner. I like Andy Reid as a coach but I do just have a feeling that in a big game he is going to do something that costs his team the game. I couldn't believe what I was seeing in that game against the Patriots. I know the OC was the one calling the plays but there has to be a point that you as a HC step in and say "hey maybe we should speed this up a bit I mean we are losing and need to score twice here."

My big issue with the Chiefs in terms of Super Bowl is that Alex Smith leaves about 2 plays on the field every game and Super Bowl winning teams dont have that from their QB. That in tandem with potential Andy Reid clock management issues means they can never get more than 8 points behind a team in the playoffs imo without a lot of luck. A lot of what the Chiefs do is really rock solid but they dont have a ton of margin for error. A team like the Raiders who will likely finish 7-9 could hit a streak with a couple of elite players and maybe make some big plays in the passing game if Carr takes off. San Diego has Rivers and could theoretically put something together if Gordon doesnt suck and they put a D on the field that doesnt suck.

 

[Clayton]

That New England game also really shakes my faith in the idea of extending Poe for mega-NT money.

Im hoping Poe was just really banged up last year. He was really mediocre imo.

 

[cowboys5xsbs]

I think the Chiefs are the safer pick but Oakland is the trendy pick.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Im hoping Poe was just really banged up last year. He was really mediocre imo.

I suspect that back had quite a bit to do with it. Still respect his play a lot with how many snaps he can put on, even in sub-packages which is very unusual for a NT. But yeah, there's not a chance in the world this team needs to pay him Dareus money if that is what this comes down to.

 

[cdumler7]

My big issue with the Chiefs in terms of Super Bowl is that Alex Smith leaves about 2 plays on the field every game and Super Bowl winning teams dont have that from their QB. That in tandem with potential Andy Reid clock management issues means they can never get more than 8 points behind a team in the playoffs imo without a lot of luck. A lot of what the Chiefs do is really rock solid but they dont have a ton of margin for error. A team like the Raiders who will likely finish 7-9 could hit a streak with a couple of elite players and maybe make some big plays in the passing game if Carr takes off. San Diego has Rivers and could theoretically put something together if Gordon doesnt suck and they put a D on the field that doesnt suck.

Yeah definitely agree with this. The Chiefs are a team that needs things to stay on track throughout the game. If they get a lead on you rarely do they ever give it up. They have a strong run game and defense to squelch any team that tries. We saw with the Patriots game though that they looked a bit lost of what to do if they did fall behind.

I still think in the end though for the division this is a 2-team race with the Broncos and Chiefs again. Always seems like the dark horse team that everybody is high on falls flat on their face. The Raiders are depending on a lot of new faces to get integrated quickly into their systems and a lot of times when you do that there is some early chaos that costs teams some precious games down the stretch. I view them as that 8-8 type team this year.

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

I pick the RAIDERS to win the AFCW.. We just have the better team imo.. I could be wrong, buts that's my pick..

 

[Broncosr0k]

I pick the RAIDERS to win the AFCW.. We just have the better team imo.. I could be wrong, buts that's my pick.

You are

 

[DJ]

Raiders!!!!

We're officially back, bitches!!!!

 

[DJ]

1-Oakland=10-6
2-(tie) KC and Denver=9-7
4-San Diego=7-9

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

You are

Am i, or are you?? Hmmm

 

[NWPATSFAN]

CD would pimp his mother off to wild gorillas to have Joe Flacco in Denver, and you would sell your soul to the Devil for him ,if he didn't already own it !!!

View attachment 125378 It's in your DNA.

You can whine all day. No one is taking that ridiculous contract nor that retarded looking QB off your hands.

Well you could like put Ray Ray back on the pay roll. He seems to have a knack of getting rid of people and suits.

 

[cdumler7]

CD would pimp his mother off to wild gorillas to have Joe Flacco in Denver, and you would sell your soul to the Devil for him ,if he didn't already own it !!!

View attachment 125378 It's in your DNA.

I wouldn't touch Flacco and his overinflated ridiculous contract with a 10-foot pole! I mean the guy with an 84 career passer rating in a time when QB Stats have been going crazy. Yeah no thanks. Throw in since he got paid his team has struggled for the most part showing he needs lots of talent around him which won't happen because he is taking up so much of the cap every single year. That contract is why I feel confident in our bet that even with a guy like Sanchez the Broncos will have a better record than the Ravens.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Joe Flacco is an absolute albatross of a contract. Nobody "wants" him attached to his contract. Except apparently Ozzie who put himself in this predicament.

Ye of the one winged angel...

 

[cdumler7]

Joe Flacco is an absolute albatross of a contract. Nobody "wants" him attached to his contract. Except apparently Ozzie who put himself in this predicament.

Ye of the one winged angel...

Which baffles me. Ozzie is usually a pretty bright guy but this is twice now he has done this same mistake. I understand the league is struggling to find anything even resembling a quality QB these days but come on. I guess guys like Bradford and Osweiler have Flacco to thank for average QB's getting paid ridiculous money these days.

 

[Broncos6482]

It hurts- especially in play action, but the Chiefs were still #1 in running efficiency even without the alltime YPC leader. It'd be more like cutting off the head of a hydra if Charles got hurt. The Chiefs passing game is plenty competent (acceptable yards per pass metrics) though not great; screen happy or not. The Chiefs defense while vulnerable while without Houston, still has plenty of ammo all around and has Gaines coming back from injury as well. The Chiefs are well ahead of Denver on offense- and I'd argue that's enough to make them the favorites.

This is a bit of an optimistic outlook on the defense IMO. I do agree with you about the offense, Andy Reid will scheme them up and they'll be just fine, but that defense, I don't know. Where does the pass rush come from without Houston? Hali is a nice secondary option, but you can't rely on him to get consistent pressure. Dee Ford has over half of his sacks in one game.

Then you look at the secondary, they lost their best corner to free agency. How will Peters handle being the number 1 guy? Gaines is unproven. There isn't much depth at safety.

And for as great as Derrick Johnson has been, how long can that continue? He'll be turning 34 this season, can he continue to play at an elite level?

Now of course it's possible that Houston comes back quickly from his injury and still dominates, Poe returns to form, Hali holds off father time for one more year, Ford finally shows he's the pass rusher the Chiefs thought they were getting, Derrick Johnson continues to star, Peters thrives as the number 1 corner, Gaines steps in and plays well as the number 2 corner, and the Chiefs defense is again one of the best in the league. But that seems like it's counting on a lot of things to go right for that to happen. I don't know, I just think with all of those question marks it wouldn't surprise me if the Chiefs defense takes a step back to the middle of the pack this year.