AFC West Power Rankings: Chiefs no longer in the top spot after Week 13
The AFC West is shaping up to be the best division in the conference. Let's power-rank the division following some intense Week 13 action. There could be three teams from the division making the playoffs in the 2024 NFL Season. For years, it was the Kansas City Chiefs and not much else, but all of a sudden, here come the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers.
Right now, the AFC Playoff Picture is getting clearer as the season progresses, but in our latest AFC West power rankings, there is a new no. 1 team.
Let's get into the latest power rankings following Week 13.
AFC West Power Rankings: There's a new no. 1 following Week 13 action
4. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are arguably the worst team in the NFL this year. They are one of four teams with 10 losses and are tied with the Jaguars and Giants for the worst record in the NFL right now at 2-10. The Raiders were never going to be competitive this season going into the year with Gardner Minshew II at QB and Antonio Pierce at head coach.
The Raiders need another full-scale reset, so they should target a QB early in the 2025 NFL Draft. General Manager Tom Telesco did hit on a QB in Justin Herbert in the 2020 NFL Draft, so perhaps he can do that again with the Raiders here in April.
Overall, there is just about nothing going for Vegas in the 2024 NFL Season.
3. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos probably didn't expect to get into a shootout with the Cleveland Browns, and they also probably did not expect to need two pick-sixes to beat them, but here we are. A 41-32 victory gives Denver their third win in a row. They're now 8-5 on the season and in a great spot in the AFC Playoff Picture.
Bo Nix didn't play a great game, but he definitely came through when the team needed him to. He led a game-winning field goal drive, and the defense clinched it with two interceptions late in the game. Denver being in the AFC West does kind of bury them a bit in the divisional power rankings, but we can all see that the Broncos are a legitimate football team.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
I just cannot put the Kansas City Chiefs as the top team in the AFC West. They are finding new, fluky ways to win games against teams they should blowout. They needed a game-winning field goal as time expired to beat the Carolina Panthers, needed a blocked field goal as time expired to beat the Denver Broncos in Arrowhead, and most recently were about to lose to the Las Vegas Raiders at home.
They're 11-1 but should be closer to 7-5 or 8-4. They aren't a special team in really anything and desperately need to get this first-round bye in the AFC if they hope to make it back to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row.
KC falls to no. 2 in our AFC West power rankings.
1. Los Angeles Chargers
The LA Chargers took a pretty tough loss in Week 12 versus the Baltimore Ravens at home and had to then travel across the country to Atlanta to play a Falcons team fresh off of their bye week. It was a close game, but LA got it done. I mean, this Chargers team is disciplined and tough. They aren't a Super Bowl contender by any means and clearly need more weapons, but LA a team that I'm sure no one wants to play in the postseason.
At this point, it would take a historic collapse for them to not make the playoffs this year, and this is the same roster that won just five games in 2023, so that tells you just how good Jim Harbaugh and this coaching staff is.