Making a case for and against each team to win the AFC West in 2022

Back in 2021, the AFC West was home to three teams with at least nine regular season wins. The only team that failed to reach this mark was the seven win Denver Broncos, primarily due to health issues and quarterback play. Still, Denver proved to be competitive on a week-to-week basis, never choosing to roll over and die even after the postseason was out of reach. They were scrappy on offense and relied on their two-headed rushing attack, led by Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon, to keep games within reach.

The Los Angeles Chargers fell one win shy of a playoff berth after dropping a week 18 game versus divisional rival Las Vegas Raiders. There was a scenario in play where a tie would have put both the Chargers and Raiders in the postseason, but this did not come to fruition. There is still plenty to be positive about nonetheless. Justin Herbert ascended to the upper echelon of quarterbacks in the NFL in 2021, and wide receiver Mike Williams had a career year. Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen continued their steady play, as well.

The Las Vegas Raiders used their aforementioned win against the Chargers to propel themselves to a postseason appearance. The team ultimately fell short, losing to the eventual AFC Champions, the Cincinnati Bengals, in the wild-card round. Derek Carr and Co. were dealt an impossible hand when their head coach was fired and their best wide receiver was arrested after a DUI wreck that resulted in the death of an innocent bystander. Through it all, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia kept the team on track and led them to a successful season.

The Kansas City Chiefs have won the AFC West for six straight seasons, a streak that predates Patrick Mahomes’ time as the starting quarterback. Alex Smith helped lay the foundation for what the Chiefs have become, and Mahomes has gone on to take the franchise to unbelievable heights. Although it could be considered a down year for Kansas City in 2021, they still reached the AFC Championship Game. They lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime, marking the second time they have lost an AFCCG in OT during the Mahomes-Reid era. Their floor is going to always be higher than others around the league because their quarterback-head coach duo will always have the team in any game they play.

It is amazing the talent that this division had on display in 2021, but even more top-end players have found their way into the AFC West since the season concluded. From a Hall-of-Fame quarterback to a couple Hall-of-Fame pass rushers, and even a couple of new head coaches. Things are much different now than they were last year, but one thing you can continue to expect is a dog fight in this division. Even with the Chiefs asserting their dominance, the division still produced multiple playoff teams in three of the past six seasons. It would be stunning if this division failed to send at least two teams to the postseason in 2022.

You could reasonably make an argument for any of these teams to win the AFC West in 2021, and that’s exactly what I plan to do. Each slide will consist of an argument for and against each team’s chances of winning the division. Included will be additions and losses to the roster, coaching staff changes, and any other pertinent information. The Las Vegas Raiders are going to be the first team to step up into the examination room.