Only one AFC West team won their Week 9 matchup, and that’s the Kansas City Chiefs, who seem to be on a roll. The Broncos received a serious reality check courtesy Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, the San Diego Chargers are in trouble losing their third straight, and the Raiders continue to search for their first win of the season. The Chargers have their bye this week, as they will try to regroup and get back to their winning ways in Week 11.
Lets take a look at how the AFC West matches up this week.
Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills, Sunday 1:05 pm EST
The Chiefs have won three in a row to reach a record of 5-3 entering Week 10. While some believed the Chiefs to show some regression this season, they have in fact come up with some big wins against a few of the better teams in the league. They have also been able to dominate lesser opponents, which is what good teams are capable of doing.
Last week, they defeated the New York Jets 24-10 behind another solid performance by quarterback Alex Smith. Smith has been efficient all season, and was able to take care of business against the Jets depleted secondary throwing for 199 yards, two touchdowns, and zero turnovers. KC’s defense has also been a huge contributor to their success, especially Justin Houston who recorded his twelfth sack of the year last Sunday afternoon.
The Bills have also been a good story this year with a 5-3 record of their own. Buffalo is coming off the bye, but dominated the Jets in Week 8 for a final score of 43-23. In that game, Kyle Orton threw for 238 yards and four touchdowns; one of which was to rookie Sammy Watkins, who has been impressive in his first year.
This matchup will feature two teams with playoff hopes and talented rosters. Neither team was expected to be where they are right now in the standings or on the field, so this makes for an intriguing game. With the Chiefs only a game out of first in the West, they will look to continue their win streak, and keep pace with the Denver Broncos.
Final Prediction: Chiefs 24 Bills 17
Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders, Sunday 4:05 pm EST
The Broncos entered Week 9 following an important 35-21 victory over the San Diego Chargers, creating some breathing room in the standings; but Week 10 came and went, and the Broncos continue to be in the middle of a tight division race. Denver is coming off a 43-21 defeat by the Patriots in New England in what was expected to be a close game, as two of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game faced each other for the sixteenth time in their careers. After Sunday’s loss, Manning fell to 2-7 when facing the Pats on their home turf, and 5-11 overall against Brady. Overall, the Denver defense just couldn’t stop the Pats offense, despite a strong performance by the Denver offense. Luckily for the Broncos, they follow-up their tough loss by playing the winless Raiders in Oakland, which should be a game where the Broncos are able to dominate and enter Week 11 with a boost of confidence.
While the AFC West is considered one of the best divisions in all of football, the Raiders continue to be nonexistent in the close race for first. The silver and black are riding a 14-game losing streak, and are 0-8 on the year, after yet another close game in which they weren’t able to get it done. Last week, they lost 30-24 to the defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. They played a good game, and kept it close behind a strong defensive effort, but offensively there was no rhythm. Rookie Derek Carr also threw two interceptions, one being a devastating pick-six, but was able to adjust and improve his play in the second half to make it a game. The Raiders seem to continue to find ways to beat themselves whether it be by committing a crucial turnover, or petty penalties, they just haven't been able to find their way into the win column.
When it comes to this matchup, it is the first time these two division rivals will meet in 2014. These two organizations have a storied history which has created a great division rivalry over the years, as both teams always play hard for AFC West supremacy. The Raiders have played close games against some tough opponents this year, but the Broncos are one of the best in the league with a quarterback who can lead his offense downfield in a fast and dominating fashion. Denver’s defense could potentially have a field day against young Carr and a Raiders offense that has struggled all year to enter the red zone. Oakland has a poor run game, which has forced Carr to throw the ball, which could cause havoc for Oakland against one of the better secondaries in the league led by Aqib Talib. This should be an easy match for the Broncos, and while Oakland may put up a fight, they are facing their fifteen consecutive loss for an 0-9 record.
Final Prediction: Broncos 35 Raiders 17