Three of the AFC West teams underwent significant changes this offseason. Let's try to make some bold predictions for the division and for the Denver Broncos. Honestly, if all goes well, the AFC West could end up being a two-horse race in 2024.
For a time in 2023, it actually was. Denver and KC were 7-6 and 8-5 at one point in 2023, and with the Broncos at the time surging, the end of the year could have led to some fireworks, but Denver won just one game over their final four contests.
We are still a few months away from the start of the 2024 regular season, but that won't stop us from making some bold predictions.
3 bold predictions for Denver Broncos, AFC West in the 2024 NFL Season
Houston Texans beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs
I've already proclaimed the Houston Texans as the Super Bowl champions in 2024, and for them to get to the big game, they may just have to go through Kansas City, and I think they can do that. Top to bottom, I like Houston's roster better than Kansas City's, and the Chiefs aren't immune to losing in the playoffs.
In fact, they weren't a great team by any means in 2023, as their offense was just flat-out average. Defensively, they had one of the best units in the NFL, but KC wasn't bulldozing over teams like they have done in previous seasons. You could also argue that the team didn't get appreciably better this offseason.
Sure, Chiefs GM Brett Veach is among the best at his job in the NFL, so it's not like this team is going to fall off and miss the postseason, but let's not assume that they'll again make it to the Super Bowl. Whether it's the Divisional Round or the AFC Championship Game, the Texans will get the best of the Chiefs.
Denver Broncos finish second in the division
Why can't they? They have a better roster and head coach than the Los Angeles Chargers, and it's hard to take the Las Vegas Raiders seriously. The Broncos did go 8-9 in the 2024 NFL Season and finished the year winning seven of their final 11 games. They did lose both games to the Raiders, but the Raiders did get a bit worse, and it's hard to argue that the Broncos did not get better.
Obviously, the Kansas City Chiefs have a stranglehold on the division and on the NFL, winning the AFC West each year since 2016 and winning three out of the last five Super Bowls. The Chiefs might not lose the division for another seven years, so it's just been a brutal stretch for Denver and the other AFC West teams.
However, finishing second in this division in 2024 would be a solid accomplishment, especially if Bo Nix ends up being the primary starter. It'd be hard to not be extremely optimistic about the Broncos for 2025 and beyond if they were able to not only finish second but perhaps finish with a winning record as well.
Let's all remind ourselves just how shaky this Denver Broncos team was in 2023, yet they managed to win eight games. The defense was historically bad for about six weeks, which contributed to the team's 1-5 start. Russell Wilson was also a bottom-10 QB most of the year, save for some fourth-quarter dramatics.
The run game was inconsistent, and the Broncos' defensive line was among the worst in the NFL. The secondary couldn't stop a nosebleed, and the offense ranked just 19th in the NFL in points scored. When you look at the additions and subtractions that the Broncos have made, it's hard to see this team winning less than they did last season.
Las Vegas Raiders finish with the worst record in the NFL
The Las Vegas Raiders have had a hysterical offseason.
First off, their players pressured the organization into making Antonio Pierce the full-time head coach. Pierce was only a position coach in 2023 before being named the interim HC after Josh McDaniels got fired. They also hired a failed, retread general manager in Tom Telesco, who had an underwhelming tenure with the Los Angeles Chargers.
They overpaid for a backup QB in Gardner Minshew during free agency, missed out on a first-round QB, and used their first-round pick on a tight end. The tight end thing is especially funny, as the Raiders used a second-round pick on a tight end in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Overall, this team clearly has no plan or competent structure in place. It's comical that they are actually going to seriously field this team in 2024. They'll be the worst team in the NFL and finish with the worst record, which actually could benefit them, as they'd then hold the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But regardless, this Raiders team is going to be terrible.