The AFC West is shaping up to be an intriguing division as we enter Week 3 action. The Denver Broncos sit atop the division at 2-0, but the remaining three teams are tied at 1-1 on the year.
Here’s a look at how the AFC West teams will fare this week.
Oakland Raiders at Cleveland Browns, 1:05 p.m. EST
The Oakland Raiders pulled off the upset last week, defeating the Baltimore Ravens 37-33 in a surprising shootout. The offense showed up when needed, but the same can’t be said for the Oakland defense, which has really struggled the first two weeks, allowing 33 points each game.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s affair, the Raiders will seek a road win in the eastern time zone. The silver and black’s struggles on the east coast are apparent, but they showed potential in their Week 2 game, and a win in Cleveland would put them at 2-1 on the year, be a huge confidence boost, and provide the team momentum heading into another road game in Week 4.
If the Raiders want to show they have what it takes to compete in this league, they have to win on the road. This is a big test for them against one of the lesser teams in the NFL.
The Browns have the worst ranked run defense in the league, so it will be up to Latavius Murray to execute a big game.
Cleveland is also starting Josh McCown at quarterback over Johnny Manziel after McCown was cleared to play earlier in the week.
This is an important game for the Raiders. It can be a huge step forward for this organization, or they can show that last week against the Ravens was a fluke.
Final Score Prediction
Raiders 23 Browns 17
San Diego Chargers at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday 1:05 p.m. EST
The Chargers lost to the Cincinnati Bengals last week in a close 24-19 game. The Chargers were working on a comeback, but Philip Rivers final pass was intercepted, and the Bolts were handed a loss in Week 2.
Entering the game the quarterback had a streak of 20-consecutive completions, which he tacked on two more for a Chargers record. The 22-consecutive completions is third best in the NFL, tying Peyton Manning.
This week, the Chargers face the 1-1 Minnesota Vikings.
For the Chargers, one of the biggest keys to this game will be stopping Adrian Peterson and the run. San Diego has struggled against the run, and AP is having a solid season thus far with 39 carries and 165 yards.
The pressure is on the defense to make important stops and feed the offense the ball.
San Diego’s offense has been one of the best in the league, averaging 26 points per game and marching downfield.
Rivers and company always seem to be right in the middle of games battling throughout all four quarters.
This will be an interesting matchup for both teams. For the Vikings they’ll be playing a solid team with a very good offense, and for the Chargers, they don’t want to fall too far behind the first-place Broncos with sights set on postseason play.
Final Score Prediction
Chargers 27 Vikings 24
Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions, Sunday 8:30 p.m. EST
The division leading Broncos will take on the Lions on primetime, a week after their exciting win 31-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football.
Denver is 2-0, but Peyton Manning has looked off in the first two games, not as dominant as he has been throughout his career. He led an impressive comeback last week against the Chiefs, and as usual, delivers when called upon, but was off early in the game.
This victory marked Denver’s seventh straight against the Chiefs.
The Lions are 0-2 afters some tough losses, especially Week 1 when they should have secured a win against the Chargers.
This is a team that has struggled, but is capable of putting points on the board with the help of one of the best receivers in the league in Calvin Johnson. Johnson will be an interesting challenge for the Denver secondary in this game, but the Broncos defense is one of the strongest.
Manning has proved time and time again he can go against the best of defenses without looking phased, as the Sheriff continues to add on to his historic career.
The Broncos will look to go 3-0 to start the season and take reins in the division.
Final Score Prediction
Broncos 31 Lions 24
Kansas City Chiefs at Green Bay Packers, Monday 8:30 p.m. EST
The Chiefs suffered a tough loss when Jamaal Charles fumbled in the final seconds of the game last week, as the Broncos went on to 2-0 and the Chiefs fell to 1-1 on the year.
They played a good game, and were toe-to-toe with the division leaders, but it was an overall sloppy game and both teams benefitted from turnovers.
This week they put that game behind them as they play the always tough 2-0 Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
This is a big game for the Chiefs as they face a playoff caliber team early on, and in enemy territory.
The Packers defense will look to attack Alex Smith, and eliminate Charles and the run game.
The Chiefs defense will have their hands full with Aaron Rodgers and that fast paced Green Bay offense. They may be without Jordy Nelson, but Randall Cobb has been a top target for Rodgers.
This will be a tough matchup for the Chiefs, but they can make a huge statement if they are able to leave Green Bay with a win.
Final Score Prediction
Chiefs 17 Packers 28