The Kansas City Chiefs are trying to secure their tenth consecutive AFC West title. It would be a historic achievement for the team, and given how tough it was to win consecutive AFC West titles before Head Coach Andy Reid joined, the Chiefs won’t overlook anything as they head into the 2025 season.
There’s little doubt every team in the AFC has upgraded its franchise either with new talent and/or coaching. Have any of them closed the gap on the Chiefs? Maybe, but passing Kansas City to win the AFC West this season will be a challenging task.
Suppose the body language and rhetoric spilling out of the offseason workouts surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs are any indication. In that case, this franchise is as focused as ever since their Super Bowl loss. What does not bode well for the Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, and Los Angeles Chargers’ quest to dethrone the champion is that this team has a chip on its shoulder that it plans to erase.
So, which team has the best chance to stop the Chiefs from winning the AFC West this season?
The Las Vegas Raiders might have the longest shot to catch the Chiefs, but the addition of Pete Carroll as head coach should bring stability to their coaching staff. Carroll is one of the top motivators in the NFL coaching tree.
With Tom Brady’s input, he approved the hiring of Carroll and new General Manager John Spytek. The fact that both men are competent is a big plus for the Raiders’ competitiveness.
Their most notable move so far was signing quarterback Geno Smith. Although I’m not a fan, he will put an end to the revolving door at that position. Additionally, when the team used their first-round draft pick on Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, they gained a genuine superstar.
I’m confident that Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly will create an offense that features not only Smith and Jeanty but also world-class tight end Brock Bowers. He is the centerpiece of the offense, and the second-year tight end is ready to post even bigger numbers than he did in his rookie season.
On defense, the team signed a long-term extension with defensive end Maxx Crosby, and his willingness to buy into the new Raiders’ philosophy was rewarded. The Raiders have a strong defense, and with the addition of free agents like linebacker Germaine Pratt and cornerback Eric Stokes, they have enough to suggest they can compete in the division defensively.
In Summary, it’ll take Carroll a couple of seasons to catch up to the Chiefs. Changing the negative culture with the Raiders takes time, and if anyone can do that, it’s their seasoned head coach.
The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the best young quarterbacks and a seasoned head coach in the division and the NFL. Justin Herbert is a record-setter during the regular season, and Jim Harbaugh is one of the greatest coaches of all time.
In his second stint in the NFL, Harbaugh accepted the Chargers’ job a year ago, hoping to alter the course of the division. Although his team struggled toward the end of the 2024 season, there is still much to like about the Chargers.
They drafted North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton in the first round. He’s a standout with speed, field awareness, and the talent to be a featured back for Harbaugh. The Chargers’ new philosophy is to run first, control the clock, and use play-action in the passing game.
Herbert has potent weapons at receiver, including Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, and the return of Mike Williams. They also boast a solid offensive line led by tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. However, they are still looking for a tight end because Will Dissly isn’t the right fit.
On defense, they still have Khalil Mack on the edge and rookie Da’Shawn Hand; they have some solid pieces to work with, and honestly, they have more versatile guys on that side of the ball. In other words, this defense has enough talent to be considered one of the top 15 units.
In summary, I’m not convinced that Herbert can win big games in December and January. He’s one of the top regular-season quarterbacks in the NFL, but this is a crucial season in Los Angeles. If he can overcome his inconsistency in big games, the Chargers have a real chance to make an impact this year.
The Denver Broncos have the best chance to unseat the Chiefs. They possess the AFC’s top defense, a young playmaking quarterback, and a head coach willing to take on the challenge of beating the Chiefs.
Head Coach Sean Payton isn’t always my cup of tea, but make no mistake—he released Russell Wilson, sending a clear message to the organization that there’s a new sheriff in town.
Payton was impressive in quickly making rookie quarterback Bo Nix NFL-ready. He was the biggest surprise in the division, and the Broncos have a winner in their young quarterback. If he can avoid the sophomore slump, which I believe he will, he has a wealth of weapons.
Behind a solid offensive line, the firepower with the playmakers should make Broncos fans very excited. Receivers Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mimms, Jr., Devaughn Vele, and free agent tight end Evan Engram round out a highly competent group. Add all that with the one-two punch of running backs J.K. Dobbins and rookie RJ Harvey—what’s not to like about the Broncos’ offense?
However, defensively, they have no weak spots. You can go down the line from Defensive end Zach Allen, linebacker Nik Bonitto, and Cornerback Patrick Surtain II to see that’s a massive trio of talent. The Broncos proved last season that they could give the Chiefs a tough time on offense.
Now they head into 2025 locked, loaded, and motivated to end the Chiefs’ AFC West dominance. If there’s a team that can do just that, it’s Denver.
Overall, they have the best chance, but they also have to deal with expectations, and the belief within NFL circles is that they are not as good as the Chargers. I think that’s nonsense, to be honest with you.
Final AFC West Predictions:
Chiefs 14-3
Broncos 12-5
Chargers 12-5
Raiders 9-7
