Kansas City Chiefs named most vulnerable division winner
By Matt Conner
The AFC West is definitely up for grabs in 2018 with all teams looking improved (or at least different), which means the Chiefs are quite vulnerable.
It’s very difficult for most NFL teams to stay at the top unless there’s a truly special quarterback and/or head coach in place—the sort of historic combinations in place in Pittsburgh or New England. Outside of the very few traditional powers of a generation, parity rules in the National Football League and division winners churn over season after season.
Heading into the 2018 regular season, Gil Brandt says that no team is as vulnerable atop the division as the Kansas City Chiefs. The competition has gotten better and there are plenty of questions surrounding the Chiefs roster. It wasn’t so long ago that the AFC West was the most difficult division in the NFL and they’re trending that way once again.
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Despite two West titles in a row, the Chiefs are heading into the new season with a first-year starter at quarterback and a complete defensive overhaul. Playmakers like Marcus Peters are gone, replaced by new faces who have yet to play a snap that counts within a brand new scheme. It could be a painful learning curve, even for talents like Anthony Hitchens, Kendall Fuller, David Amerson and Breeland Speaks.
As for the rest of the division, Brandt is quite taken with some teams. He writes:
"The Chargers, who finished 9-7 last season, are much improved, especially on defense — and with veteran kicker Caleb Sturgis on board, I don’t think they’ll have the kicking problems that effectively kept them from making the playoffs last year. Jon Gruden’s Raiders will be better. Denver has a QB in place (Case Keenum) who will help win some games, while the Broncos’ defense will get a huge boost from the addition of rookie Bradley Chubb. This collection of teams will make it very difficult for Kansas City to defend its division title."
Over the last few years, Andy Reid has completely dominated the division which has helped the Chiefs rise to power in the process. It will be interesting to see how the Chiefs fare with Patrick Mahomes at the helm as they once again press their way against a very tough schedule.