Silver And Black Pride
The Raiders began the 2000s with three consecutive AFC West titles, but haven’t won the division since 2002, meaning Las Vegas has never taken home the crown. Meanwhile, the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers have all won the AFC West several times each, and the Chiefs are looking to be the champs for the 10th year in a row this season.
The good news is that Raiders head coach Pete Carroll won the AFC East during his first year with the New England Patriots and the NFC West in year one with the Seattle Seahawks. That will undoubtedly be one of Carroll’s goals this fall, but accomplishing that feat will be a difficult task for the experienced head coach.
The AFC West features three reigning playoff teams and could easily send three clubs to the postseason again in 2025. It’s widely considered one of the best divisions in football, partly because of its collection of quarterbacks: two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes, Pro Bowler Justin Herbert and Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist Bo Nix. As a result, our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook are giving the Raiders the longest odds to win the division.
As expected, FanDuel has Kansas City as the early favorite to win the division with a nearly even-money bet. Again, they’ve had a stranglehold on the AFC West for nearly a decade and are coming off three Super Bowl appearances. While last season’s championship game against the Eagles exposed the Chiefs’ issue at left tackle, rookie Josh Simmons appears to have settled into that role. According to Pro Football Focus, Simmons didn’t allow a single pressure during the preseason.
However, Kansas City has also had issues at wide receiver in recent years, and Rashee Rice is expected to miss some games this fall; we just don’t know when and how many yet. Rice pleaded guilty to two felony charges and is expected to be suspended by the NFL, but his hearing with the league isn’t scheduled until Sept. 30, per ESPN.
Meanwhile, the Broncos have a strong argument to be this year’s offseason champs. Their defense ranked third in points allowed in 2024, and the front office added linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga in free agency before spending its first-round pick on cornerback Jahdae Barron. Additionally, Denver went 3-0 and outscored opponents 85-35 in the preseason. Of course, those games don’t count, but it goes to show how deep that roster is.
The Chargers looked like they were poised to challenge the Chiefs for the AFC West title, but injuries have already crept up on them. Free-agent addition, running back Najee Harris, sat out all of training camp and the preseason after a Fourth of July firework incident left him with an eye injury. Harris is expected to be ready for Week 1 but missed getting valuable reps with his new teammates.
Los Angeles’ two-time...
