NFL Power Rankings: Where do Chiefs rank?
So what do you think, is that about right for the Chiefs going into training camps? My opinion is that it’s pretty close. It gives KC the respect they deserve but puts them just outside the NFL’s elite. On one hand, the Chiefs were one of the final eight teams alive in the playoffs last season. On the other hand, it was their first playoff win in 20 years and teams that win with the running game and good defense aren’t trendy media picks. So tenth feels pretty fair to me.
The other interesting thing was where the other AFC West teams averaged out in these consensus rankings. Here are all four of the AFC West teams, their averaging ranking and where that put them in the consensus rankings:
Denver – 7.4 avg – 8th
Kansas City – 9.7 avg – 10th
Oakland – 10.9 avg – 11th
San Diego – 27.7 avg – 29th
As you can see the Broncos, Chiefs, and Raiders are all within a four spot range in the overall rankings. That’s about as even and open of a division as you can find (not counting the Chargers).
As a Chiefs fan, I can justify the Chiefs being the favorite in the division with the Broncos having a huge question mark at quarterback and the Raiders having a lot of promise but not having actually proven anything.
Then again, the Broncos are the defending Super Bowl Champions and if they can get Von Miller signed and on the field their defense should still be a major force. I expect the Raiders to be good, but I think the Chiefs are still ahead of them in their overall team development.
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