The AFC West Standings For Monday, Nov. 5, 2012

Medley-US PRESSWIRE

The Kansas City Chiefs are 1-4 and logic indicates they are a bad football team with plenty of more losing ahead of them.

It makes sense. KC turns the ball over too much. They play inconsistently on defense. Some of their most talented players are having bad seasons (see Berry, Eric) and their starting QB just went down with a concussion, meaning they may have to turn things over to backup QB Brady Quinn.

The Chiefs are doomed, right?

Not so fast.

I present to you, my predicted AFC West Standings on Monday morning, Nov. 5th, 2012.

San Diego Chargers 4-4
Kansas City Chiefs 4-4
Denver Broncos 4-4
Oakland Raiders 3-5

How?

I think Brady Quinn is going to play Sunday and I think he is going to play pretty well. At the very least, I anticipate that he plays a better game than Matt Cassel would. Much like Matt Moore sparked Brian Daboll’s offense when he became the starter in Miami last season, I think Quinn has the ability to do the same thing in KC. I think the Chiefs’ fortunes are about to change.

After a strong performance by Quinn and a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday, coupled with a Denver Broncos victory in San Diego, the Chiefs will be but one game out of first place in the West. The Raiders will fall to the Falcons this week.

Next week, the Chiefs, Chargers and Broncos are on their Bye while Oakland will play Jacksonville and win. If all goes as planned, the AFC West Standings come Monday morning on Oct. 15 will be:

Chargers 3-3
Broncos 3-3
Chiefs 2-4
Raiders 2-5

The following week, the Chiefs will host the Raiders at Arrowhead. With a week to prepare, the Chiefs will be rested and will be ready for the Oakland. They get the win, once again led by Quinn, who will be announced the official starter during the Bye week.

Meanwhile, the Chargers will go to Cleveland and beat the Browns while Denver falls to the New Orleans Saints.

AFC West standings on Monday morning, Oct. 29th:

Chargers 4-3
Broncos 3-4
Chiefs 3-4
Raiders 2-6

Then comes a short week for the Chiefs. This will be the team’s most crucial preparation of the season. They will be traveling to San Diego to take on the Chargers and for the second time this season, they will play for first place in the AFC West. No secrets here: the Chiefs have to go into to San Diego, in prime time and knock off the Chargers.

That week will also see the Broncos take care of business in Cincinnati and the Raiders will tack up another win against the Bucs.

And so, the AFC West Standings on Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 will be:

Chargers 4-4
Chiefs 4-4
Broncos 4-4
Raiders 3-6

Will it be hard for the Chiefs to win their next three games? Sure. Will they need some help? Sure.

But I think the Chiefs have enough talent to beat the Bucs, Raiders and Chargers. I think it is entirely possible that San Diego could lose to Denver and just as likely that the Broncos will stumble against the Saints or even the Bengals.

The NFL is a strange league and the season is longer than it seems. On Oct. 30, 2011, the Buffalo Bills were 5-2 and had big wins over the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles.

They went on to lose their next seven games. They won only one more game the entire season.

The Chiefs may not turn this thing around, but I think they can and if I’m right, the Kansas City Chiefs will be tied for first place in the AFC West before Thanksgiving.

It’s a long road back for the Chiefs.

But the road ain’t closed.