5. Denver Broncos (11)
#DEFWU. Don’t ever mess with this team. The Broncos had their way with the Texans on this night, proving to Brock Osweiler that it’s not always greener on the other side. The offensive line that had been atrocious for the past two weeks blocked for 190 yards against a very good Texans front. Trevor Siemian wasn’t flashy but was efficient. The defense was dominant, holding Osweiler to 3.2 yards per attempted pass—second lowest total in NFL history for a passer with more than 40 passing attempts. The defense may not be the all-time great it was a season ago, but to those who think they have severely regressed, they are sorely mistaken.
6. Green Bay Packers (6)
Green Bay got back on the winning track last Thursday, but still things don’t seem quite right. They still trailed in the third quarter to a Bears team that lost their backup quarterback to injury and was playing with Matt Barkley. The offensive line of the Packers has been fantastic, providing Rodgers with more time than ever to throw. This would seem to be a great recipe for success—but something just isn’t quite right.
7. Kansas City Chiefs (10)
Since taking a serious licking by the Steelers, the Chiefs have looked like a very good football team. Once he’s fully healthy, the combination of Jamal Charles and Spencer Ware will be deadly in the run game. The defense is not as dominant as in recent years, but at some point they hope to get Justin Houston back. Even now, while they do a lot of bending, they also force a lot of turnovers as well. The Chiefs are easily the second best team in the AFC West and should have a good shot to get back to the playoffs.
8. Oakland Raiders (12)
The Raiders continue to win games, but don’t have that signature win against a good team on their resume yet. They will get their chance in the second half of the year as their schedule turns from cake to terror. It’s hard to imagine the Raiders not getting to 9 or 10 wins, but coming soon, we shall find out if this team is for real or not.