The AFC West has been a one-sided division for the past nine seasons. The Kansas City Chiefs have been the dominant force not only in the West but also in the NFL. The end of their chokehold could be coming near; with the improvements the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers have made over the past few off seasons. Will the Chiefs win the AFC West for the tenth straight season, or will there be a new king of the division? Let’s dive into the standings!
4th Place 7-10 Las Vegas Raiders
To the surprise of no one, I have the Las Vegas Raiders finishing in last place in the AFC West. Despite their improvements, especially at quarterback and head coach, their only problem remains their division. Is this an organization that can contend in future seasons? Yes, but not in 2025. After trading for QB Geno Smith and paying him, they will be mightily better than last season. I expect Brock Bowers to have a better year than he did with the circus act he had throwing him the ball in 2024.
Vegas has nice players in key spots, like Maxx Crosby and Colton Miller. Their issue is the totality of their roster. It’s either young players, like Ashton Jeanty, or those who haven’t panned out on other teams. Pete Carroll is the coach who can return the Raiders to their glory days, but it won’t be for a few seasons. Realistically, this team is another draft or two away from contending for the division.
10-7 Los Angeles Chargers Shockingly Miss the Postseason
The Los Angeles Chargers are expected to have a solid season. What is preventing them from having a great season? Their left tackle, Rashawn Slater, suffered a torn patellar tendon at the beginning of August. When you are a run-first team and your head coach considers offensive linemen as “weapons“, your line needs to be healthy. If they were 100% healthy, this would be one of the scariest teams in the NFL.
After last season’s playoff disappointment, this was going to be the year they took another leap. It’s time Justin Herbert plays and wins in big games. He has solid enough weapons to fight tooth and nail for the 2nd place spot in the AFC West. Ladd McConkey will continue his excellent play. For all the positives the Chargers have going for them, they are not as good as the two teams above them.
11-7 Denver Broncos Make Back-to-Back Playoff Appearances
Coming in at second place is the Denver Broncos. I am a full believer in Bo Nix and Sean Payton as a QB-head coaching pair. They were exceptional in Nix’s rookie year last season and will continue to improve. Denver had arguably the best defense in the NFL last season. Did most of their wins come at the expense of lesser opponents? Yes, but let’s not take that away from what we saw. The only thing that scares me about the Broncos is their lack of depth at receiver.
In the AFC West, you need an incredible roster and a strong head coach; Denver has both. I don’t see this team being subpar for the foreseeable future. With all the additions they made this offseason, it reinforces their strengths. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Patrick Surtain II, will dominate his side of the field, and their defensive line will generate havoc on opposing offensive lines. Denver edges out the Chargers for second place in the AFC West.
14-3 Long Live the Kansas City Chiefs
Is it really a surprise? The Kansas City Chiefs will win the AFC West for the tenth straight season. When you have Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, it is a forgone conclusion that you will cruise to a division title and contend for the one seed. The only thing that concerns me is the loss of Rashee Rice for the first six games of the season. Despite his absence, the Chiefs’ Kingdom will be just fine, as it was last season.
Defensively, they should be the usual strong, hard-nosed, dominant defense they have been the past few seasons. With Chris Jones approaching a certain age, he will be a key player to monitor in terms of his health. Trent McDuffie enters this season without a contract; we all know he will be hungry to have a career year and take his performance to the bank.
Final Thoughts
It’s no surprise that I have the Chiefs winning the AFC West. Mahomes and Reid cruise to a record-tying tenth straight division title, while the Broncos and Chargers struggle to keep up. This has the potential to be the most competitive division in the NFL. Just think of the NFC North last season, three above-average teams all fighting for playoff spots.
As always, thank you so much for checking out my prediction for the AFC West for the 2025-2026 NFL season! Be sure to check out our other amazing content here at New Leaf News! We hope you’re enjoying your day, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
