AFC West Performance Watch After Week 1

Week 1 is in the rearview mirror, and to the surprise of many (some Raider Ramble staff included), the entire AFC West is undefeated. Let’s take a look at who excelled most and in what areas, and who could be in for a rude awakening in Week 2.

Most Impressive Win: Kansas City

I can see the lovely responses to this in the Bleacher Report comment section now.

Yes, the Las Vegas Raiders’ win over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football was a joy to watch. However, like it or not, it came against a banged up team that arguably never should have been spotted a fourteen point lead to begin with. The Los Angeles Chargers came within a drive of losing to a Washington Football Team missing its starting quarterback. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos bullied the hapless New York Giants. 

The Chiefs took a shot in the mouth from a Cleveland Browns team that’s arguably just as talented as they are. A Browns team that has no fear of the 2019 Super Bowl champion. After falling behind 22-10, the Chiefs would do what the Chiefs do, outscoring the Browns 23-7 after halftime. While it’s hard to understate how potent the Mahomes-Kelce-Hill trio continues to be, you have to give credit to the Kansas City defense for their second half play as well. 

The margin is slight, but the Chiefs showed why they’re the class of the entire AFC.

Runner up: Las Vegas Raiders

Offensive Player of the Week: Derek Carr

Do you hear that? It’s the sound of franchise quarterback Derek Carr dragging his cajones into the meeting room after bringing the Raiders back from the dead on Monday. 

Carr is easily the most polarizing player at his position, if not the entire NFL. During the first half of Las Vegas’s matchup against the Ravens, the scrutiny was justified. The Silver and Black’s usually potent offensive attack was disjointed and lethargic. Carr was as big an issue of anyone on that side of the ball. But once Carr stopped ignoring wide open options, overthrowing guys and attempting to force feed tight end Darren Waller, the game shifted.

Once the second half began, #SleeveSZN would show what few choose to accept; few quarterbacks are as reliable with the game on the line. Carr would throw for 267 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and overtime alone. 

The last quarterback to achieve that feat? Well that would be Carr himself. This was also DC4’s 22nd fourth quarter comeback since entering the league.

The start wasn’t pretty, but the finish was a beautiful thing.

Runner up: Tyreek Hill

Defensive Player of the Week: Maxx Crosby

This one was easy wasn’t it?

Maxx Crosby looked like an elite defensive end on Monday night, beating both Ravens tackles with relative ease and making Lamar Jackson uncomfortable on a regular basis. ‘Mad’ Maxx would finish the night with six tackles, two sacks and 13 pressures. The former fourth round pick was a mainstay in the backfield showing off a motor that seemed otherworldly. 

One can only hope his new edge-rushing partner in crime, Yannick Ngakoue, makes a speedy recovery; the duo helped spearhead a Raiders pass rush that generated pressure on 54.5% of dropbacks, per NextGen Stats. 

Runner up: Derwin James 

Biggest L of the Week: Jerry Jeudy

Injuries are never fun, especially not to young emerging talents like Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy. The former Alabama product’s sophomore campaign was off to a great start when disaster struck. Jeudy’s foot would get rolled up underneath him on a tackle causing a bad high ankle sprain. Just as Denver’s new quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was building a rapport with him, the 2020 first-round pick will spend the foreseeable future on IR.

Runner up: Raiders lose Denzelle Good for the season

Who Falls in Week 2: Las Vegas Raiders

This pick was originally the Chargers facing Dallas at home, but the Cowboys will be without their starting right tackle La’el Collins due to suspension and just lost arguably their best defensive player in Demarcus Lawrence to a broken foot. 

The Raiders have the unenviable task of following up an overtime win on Monday with a short week visit to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers at 10am PST. Las Vegas’s home opener is the perfect example of a pyrrhic victory. Head coach Jon Gruden will have to navigate through the loss of starting guard Denzelle Good for the season, the nagging calf of the other starting guard Richie Incognito and a banged up Josh Jacobs. Let’s not forget the loss of defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and a possible major injury to the previously mentioned Yannick Ngakoue. 

The Raiders offensive line will be heavily tested by a fearsome front that doesn’t need to blitz in order to generate pressure. The Steelers will just take the leash off of All-Pro Linebacker TJ Watt, letting him create havoc. Pittsburgh just held the high powered Bills to sixteen points in Week 1. 

And while Ben Roethlisberger is not the mobile threat Lamar Jackson is, the amount of weapons Pittsburgh has is on an entirely different level.

The Raiders better ice up. 

*Top Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports