With the second week of the NFL season now in the books, we’ve seen some movement within the AFC West. As of this publication, one team is dominating the division, while another faltered under the national spotlight.
Los Angeles Chargers (2-0)
The Chargers are rising fast under Jim Harbaugh, with both sides of the ball firing early. Offensively, they’ve come out hot through the air and continue to press all the right buttons. Sixth-year quarterback Justin Herbert is off to one of the best starts of his career, carving up zone coverages, beating blitzes and selling play-action like sunscreen at the beach.
Defensively, Los Angeles has smothered the hype surrounding both the Chiefs and Raiders. Their Cover 2, backed by superior athletes, has looked nearly untouchable. Adding to the frustration, officials swallowed whistles on multiple late hits against the Raiders’ quarterback as well as several clear pass interference and holding calls. To be fair, Las Vegas hardly needed help unraveling—but the Chargers were more than willing to oblige.
Las Vegas Raiders (1-1)
Death, taxes and the Las Vegas Raiders stumbling under the primetime lights of a home opener. Losers of four straight openers at Allegiant Stadium and seven consecutive AFC West games, the Raiders once again looked like the “same old Raiders.” A turnover on the first play set the tone, and they never recovered.
After leading the league in passing yards in Week 1, Geno Smith has now swung to the opposite extreme. Facing the Chargers’ Cover 2, he failed to complete a pass beyond 10 yards and threw three interceptions. Through two games, Smith has 542 passing yards, one touchdown and four picks.
Rookie back Ashton Jeanty’s transition hasn’t been smooth, either. The Boise State star has been met with poor run blocking—six of his 11 carries went for negative or neutral gains. While Pete Carroll insists the team is easing him in, the lack of commitment to the ground game raises eyebrows. The Raiders ran seven red-zone plays and didn’t hand it off once. Overall, their 33.9% run rate ranks fourth-lowest in the league, dipping to 36.5% in one-score situations.
Defensively, the run stop remains a strength, but inconsistency in the pass rush left Justin Herbert comfortable. Their only clear shot at him came on a late hit after a quarterback slide. Bend-but-don’t-break may work in spurts, but allowing long drives and relying on red-zone stops is a losing formula.
Denver Broncos (1-1)
Going from the league’s top defense to collapsing in a single quarter is no easy feat, but the Broncos managed just that in a fourth-quarter meltdown against the Indianapolis Colts. A missed game-ending field goal appeared to seal a win, only for a penalty to force a rekick. Cue déjà vu—and another crushing loss.
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor ran wild, torching Denver for 165 yards on 25 carries and adding 50 receiving yards with a touchdown. Quarterback Daniel “Indiana” Jones continued his career resurgence, throwing for 316 yards and a score while tacking on another touchdown with his legs.
The lone bright spot for Denver came on offense. After a brutal outing last week, rookie quarterback Bo Nix was kept clean by his line—no hits, no sacks—and responded with three touchdown passes and more than 200 yards through the air. JK Dobbins took charge of the backfield, rushing for 76 yards and a score on 14 carries.
For a team that once prided itself on defense, the Broncos suddenly find themselves searching for answers.
Kansas City Chiefs (0-2)
Owan Two isn’t a new practice squad call-up. It’s the Kansas City Chiefs’ record. In a Super Bowl LIX rematch, the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles shoved the Chiefs into an early-season purgatory with another win—this time at GEHA Field.
Through two games, Kansas City’s offense has managed just 38 points while the defense has surrendered 47. The Chiefs have run 43 times for 219 yards and two scores, but Patrick Mahomes is leading the team in rushing with 123 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. He’s thrown for only 445 yards with two touchdown passes in the same span.
Returned offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is floundering. Rashee Rice remains four weeks away from eligibility, while Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy are nursing shoulder issues. Travis Kelce has seen just 10 targets and six catches from Mahomes’ 68 attempts, a sharp decline for the All-Pro tight end.
On defense, Chris Jones highlighted holding Jalen Hurts to 101 passing yards with no touchdowns—before Hurts kneeled to drain the clock on another Eagles victory.
What does it all mean?
Two weeks in, the Chargers look like the class of the AFC West. A convincing 20-9 win over the Raiders has them eyeing a quick division stranglehold.
The Broncos remain unpredictable—ignite Bo Nix and the offense sputters. The Raiders, meanwhile, embody inconsistency: up one week, down the next. The Chiefs, on the other hand, are rapidly losing ground. For once, Kansas City must find answers beyond Patrick Mahomes. The bigger question: can they even get past the New York Giants?
Related: AFC West Power Rankings Ahead Of Week 3
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images