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Division Preview: AFC West

By Aric Manthey

Jun 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; The Vince Lombardi Trophy and an honorary jersey rest on a table prior to a ceremony honoring the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos in the Rose Garden at The White House. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; The Vince Lombardi Trophy and an honorary jersey rest on a table prior to a ceremony honoring the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos in the Rose Garden at The White House. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Before the Broncos can properly defend their title as World Champions, they must first reclaim their title as AFC West champions for a sixth straight year. Will the Broncos have the necessary “horsepower” to get the job done again in 2016? I’ll give you my analysis and answer to that question in today’s division preview.

Until proven otherwise, our beloved Broncos are the World Champions. Yeah, it still hasn’t sunk in for me.  Five months after the the Broncos great triumph in San Francisco, many fans in Broncos Country have become skeptical about the prospects of a repeat in 2016.  Much of this skepticism can be directly tied to the sporadic activity that surrounded the Broncos this off-season.

Between the starting QB retiring, the back up bolting for the Alamo state, losing two key

Jun 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (L) looks on as retired Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (2L) presents President Barack Obama (M) a team autographed Broncos helmet at a ceremony honoring the NFL Super Bowl Champion Broncos in the Rose Garden at The White House. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 6, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Denver Broncos outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (L) looks on as retired Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (2L) presents President Barack Obama (M) a team autographed Broncos helmet at a ceremony honoring the NFL Super Bowl Champion Broncos in the Rose Garden at The White House. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

defenders and enduring a sometimes heated contract dispute with the Super Bowl MVP, Broncos fans were given plenty of reasons to be concerned about their team’s chances next season.

Fortunately, fans can take solace in knowing that despite the drama that has hung around Dove Valley this off-season, the vast majority of the team and coaching staff that won Super Bowl 50 remains in tact and there has been a great effort to shore up the weaknesses that the team had in 2015 this off-season.

While the losses the team has sustained throughout the past few months have forever altered the shape of the team going into 2016, the additions will have the opportunity to form their way in the mold and keep the team strong. It will be paramount that the team keep its consistency, as the first true step to defend the world title is to win the division.

Now there have been plenty of Wild Card teams that have gone on to Super Bowl greatness over the years, but history has shown us that being Division champions and having at least one home playoff game establishes a much clearer path to a Lombardi Trophy.

With all of that said, where do the Broncos stack up against their counterparts in the AFC West for the 2016 season. Can they breeze their way through like they have the previous five years or will 2016 be the year that somebody else claims the Division title?

I will give my analysis of each team in the AFC West and my prediction of their regular season record in 2016. Will the Broncos win the AFC West for a sixth straight year? Well, let’s find out.

Let’s begin…

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