AFC West standings: KC Chiefs, Chargers set up ultimate showdown

After three-quarters of a season in which the best and worst teams within the AFC West were largely indiscernible from one another, the pecking order is finally starting to take shape—even as the teams remain quite close to each other from first to last place in the standings. Things could get even closer if the Los Angeles Chargers have their way.

The Kansas City Chiefs are now all alone in first place with a full game between them and the Chargers. This is the most breathing room that any team has had atop the AFC West this season given that most weeks have featured numerous teams sitting within a single game of the lead.

For the Chiefs, their present position is a complete role reversal from their position in the AFC West basement for most of the first half of the season. While the team never bottomed out with a terribly long losing streak, their division rivals were busy winning multiple games in a row while the Chiefs struggled to keep their footing as a middling .500 team.

The Chiefs and Chargers look set up in the standings for an AFC West showdown.

Over the last six games, however, the Chiefs have taken control of the division as they’ve turned their season around with their well-rounded play. The defense has generated a pass rush and forced turnovers. The offense has overcome hiccups and stopped forcing things. Special teams units have minimized mistakes and played exceptional football.

As for the rest of the division, everyone is still relatively close but the season is closing fast and there’s little hope at this point for the Denver Broncos or Las Vegas Raiders. The former couldn’t hang with the Chiefs in Week 12 and faces serious questions at quarterback this offseason. The latter was just embarrassed by the Chiefs in Week 13 and will likely face a complete organizational overhaul in the months ahead.

This means the upcoming Week 15 matchup on Thursday Night Football between the Chiefs and Chargers is going to be a major showdown that will either hand the division title to the Chiefs (unofficially) or give the Bolts control of their own destiny with the tiebreaker in hand.

Here’s a full rundown of the AFC West standings after Week 14:

Kansas City Chiefs – 9-4

Los Angeles Chargers – 8-5

Denver Broncos – 7-6

Las Vegas Raiders – 6-7