Another week is in the books, which means it is time to update the AFC West power rankings. A divisional matchup helped clarify the picture, offering a little more context for where each team stands as we enter Week 14.
With that added insight, here is how the division stacks up now.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
Trending: Steady
At this point, “steady” is little more than a placeholder, as the Raiders have reached a level where they simply cannot fall much further. Regardless of the opponent, Las Vegas is losing by double digits, and firing Chip Kelly has done nothing to change that trajectory.
Pete Carroll and Geno Smith continue to oversee an offense that shows no signs of improvement, and the broader team performance remains stuck in the same rut. That outlook is unlikely to shift next week as the Raiders prepare to host the Broncos.
3. Los Angeles Chargers
Trending: Steady
It is difficult to give the Chargers much credit for beating a struggling Raiders team, but the win did offer some signs of progress. Several backups pressed into service are beginning to settle in, and the roster could soon get a boost with Omarion Hampton expected to return in the coming weeks.
However, none of that momentum matters as much as Justin Herbert’s latest setback. The quarterback injured his left hand against the Raiders and underwent surgery to repair it, though there remains a chance he could return as early as this week.
If the injuries continue to pile up, it may be time to consider whether the Chargers are simply cursed.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
Trending: Down
The Herbert injury is the only thing keeping the Chiefs from sliding in the rankings. Kansas City’s lack of star power beyond Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones is starting to show, and the roster’s thin margins are becoming harder to mask.
Offensively, the Chiefs’ mediocre receiving corps failed to exploit a vulnerable Dallas secondary. Defensively, they looked overmatched against the Cowboys’ pass-catchers, raising further doubts about their ability to string together a late-season surge. That does not resemble a team poised to suddenly catch fire.
Next up, Kansas City faces the Texans on Sunday Night Football, a matchup that could determine whether its fading playoff hopes survive another week.
1. Denver Broncos
Trending: Steady
Coming out of the bye, it was reasonable to expect the Broncos to clean things up for the stretch run. After Sunday night, it appears little has changed.
In their usual style, Denver managed to secure an overtime victory against a struggling Commanders team, extending what could be considered the most unattractive nine-game winning streak in recent memory. While the outcomes continue to pile up, the overall performance remains challenging to endure.
That streak will likely reach ten, as the Broncos head to Las Vegas for what amounts to a de facto bye week against the Raiders.
*Top Photo: Ramble Illustration/Getty Images