Rest of the AFC West: Chiefs gain ground over Raiders, Broncos
The Kansas City Chiefs take command of the division in a week when every other member of the division took a loss.
The Kansas City Chiefs are now in first place by themselves in the AFC West. With a win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Chiefs improved to 3-0. Elsewhere, the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders both lost, bringing them both to a 2-1 record. The Chargers round out the division with a record of 0-3. It’s some nice early breathing room for the Chiefs in a division that’s respected around the NFL as one of the best overall.
Here are some takeaways from the rest of the AFC West in Week 3
Denver Broncos 16, Buffalo Bills 26
Trevor Siemian takes a step backwards
The Denver Broncos lost their first game of the season on the road against the Buffalo Bills. Many Broncos fans will blame a questionable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Von Miller, but the biggest reason was a down game from quarterback Trevor Siemian. After a hot start to the 2017 season, Siemian had one of his worst games on Sunday. He ended the game 24/40 with 259 yards and no touchdowns. Siemian also threw 2 brutal interceptions, one of which occurred deep in Buffalo territory.
Aside from the interceptions, the Broncos had a decent game. They outgained the Bills 366 to 272. The offensive attack was balanced with 259 yards passing and 111 rushing. The defense held the Bills to only 272 total yards. Tyrod Taylor was held to 213 yards passing. The Broncos defense remained stout against the run, allowing only 75 rushing yards for 2.3 yards per carry. This was against a Bills defense that ranked 1st in rushing yards last season.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, turnover margin is incredibly important. Denver gave the ball away twice as opposed to the Bills who had no turnovers. These turnovers cost the Broncos a win in a game where they otherwise played well. Siemian will have a good chance next week to rebound. The Broncos will host the Raiders and their leaky secondary.
Quick Notes
The lone Broncos touchdown came on a 12 yard run by former Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles, who ended the game with 9 carries for 56 yards. Charles doesn’t have the jaw-dropping agility anymore, but his vision remains elite. His ability to navigate through the defense was on full display as he averaged a healthy 6.2 yards per carry.