NFL standings: Chargers, Chiefs and Raiders tied atop crazy AFC West race
By Matt Conner
The Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders are all tied atop the AFC West in a race that’s taken some crazy turns this year.
Their journeys to this point could not look any different. Yet no matter how they arrived, the Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers will head into Week 14 of the regular season tied atop the AFC West standings at 6-6.
For the Chiefs, they were just swept by all three New York teams—make that lesser New York teams. They’ve also lost six of their last seven games. After starting the season 5-0 with wins over the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, the Chiefs have found ways to lose games to even the most pitiful teams.
For the Chargers, the journey is heavier on the good news in recent days. The Chargers have won six of their last eight games. Their only losses in that span have come at the hands of the Patriots and an overtime loss to the 8-4 Jacksonville Jaguars. What’s amazing about the streak is that the team started 0-4 on the year and appeared headed toward another showing in the AFC West basement. Now they have a chance to control their own destiny and win a division title.
As for the Raiders, it’s a weird journey of middling steps that have kept them somewhat relevant. Despite the tied records, the reality is that Oakland hasn’t looked that great all season other than their 2-0 start. They beat up on the teams they should and then lose to everyone else. The future doesn’t look good down the stretch when you consider their last four opponents are the Chargers, Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles. It’s not hard to see them going 1-3 or even 0-4 in that span.
The Chiefs have a very easy schedule from here on out, but that’s exactly what we said about the last 3 games against the New York Giants, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills. It remains to be seen if they can right the ship or whether their problems are too large in scope to overcome.
The Denver Broncos, by the way, are now 3-9 after losing to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.