After Week 3 of the 2024 NFL Season, let's power rank all four defenses in the AFC West. Where do the Denver Broncos stand? Through three games, teams across the NFL will begin to settle into their own. The Broncos earned their first win of the season, blowing out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Denver was one of two AFC West teams to win in Week 3. The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Atlanta Falcons, but the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders both lost, which allowed Denver to gain a game on each. And both the Chargers and Raiders are definitely dealing with their own drama.
For the Chargers, it's the injury bug, which always seems to hit them, and for the Raiders, head coach Antonio Pierce seems to have some "business decisions" to make, as the Raiders got blown out in Week 3.
Let's power rank all four AFC West defenses after Week 3.
AFC West defense Power Rankings: Where do the Broncos stand after Week 3?
4. Las Vegas Raiders (27 points per game allowed)
Just a poorly coached and ran team from top to bottom; the Las Vegas Raiders were somehow able to beat the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 but do have two double-digit losses through three weeks. Antonio Pierce is a defensive-minded coach but has his unit surrendering 27 points per game, which is among the worst in the NFL.
If the defense isn't going to be as good as once thought, the Raiders are even more done than they were when the season began. Gardner Minshew is a middling QB who would be best as a backup, but they've give him the starting duties. The Raiders are just not in a good spot and will most definitely be in the QB market in 2025.
They may be able to play spoiler here and there, as they sometimes play with a unmatched edge to them, but they're not constructed to win many games and may be huge sellers at the trade deadline.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (20.7 points per game allowed)
The Kansas City Chiefs are a flawed team and always seem to get the benefit of the doubt from the officiating. I'm not trying to say anything, but it's quite interesting. Anyway, their defense has been just OK through three weeks. They're allowing nearly 21 points per game, which is just not typical of a Steve Spagnuolo-coached unit.
I would guess that the unit improves as the season goes on, but the Chiefs being average at defense in 2024 could be a huge chink in their quest to three-peat.
2. Denver Broncos (15.3 points per game allowed)
The Denver Broncos have played some decent offenses through three weeks but are just taking care of business in a big way. They have a top-10 scoring defense through three games and are among the most efficient units in the NFL at sacking the QB and generating pressure.
It's a great sight, as the unit was just not good in 2023. The run defense is definitely leaving some yards out there, and I could hope that gets cleaned up, but the pass rush has taken a step forward and the secondary has been top-3 in the NFL thus far. The safety play from Brandon Jones and PJ Locke III is key here, but the emergence of Riley Moss as a viable CB2 has been the biggest factor on the backend.
Zach Allen and Jonathon Cooper lead one of the most explosive pass rushes in the NFL, but the unit may have their hardest test of the season when they play the New York Jets and Aaron Rodgers in Week 4.
1. Los Angeles Chargers (11 points per game allowed)
The Los Angeles Chargers have won two of their first three games in 2024, and they've fielded a great defense thus far. They were able to take care of business in Weeks 1 and two against the lowly Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, but got their rear ends handed to them in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Chargers are also dealing with an injury bug a this point, so this could be shaping up to be a typical Chargers' season. The roster itself isn't very good and definitely needs another offseason or two worth of talent, but they seem to be well-coached and will probably finish with a winning record.
All of Justin Herbert, Rashawn Slater, and Joe Alt are hurt, so their three best players perhaps on the entire roster could miss some coming games.