Due to a very busy offseason, the AFC West looks pretty stacked in 2020.
Something to ponder as the 2020 NFL season approaches. The league will now send 14 teams to the postseason, seven per conference. Which means it is possible that an entire division could be in the playoffs. And given the talent in the AFC West, a foursome that includes quarterback Patrick Mahomes and current defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and three other organizations that were proactive this year, could this entire quartet wind up in the playoffs?
It appears that the Los Angeles Chargers have the most work to do. But it wasn’t long ago that the Bolts were tied for the best record in the conference and Anthony Lynn’s club still has its share of talent. The Raiders were a 6-4 team after 10 games a year ago before going belly-up but under Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock, the franchise bound for Las Vegas had another productive offseason. And the Denver Broncos went 7-5 after losing their first four games in 2019 and appear ready to make some noise after missing the playoffs the past four seasons.
And there are the Chiefs. Andy Reid’s champions looked primed for a sixth straight postseason appearance and could become the first team since the 2003 and ‘04 New England Patriots to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Was there a more disappointing team this past season than Anthony Lynn’s squad? The Los Angeles Chargers won a dozen games in 2018 and knocked off the Ravens in Baltimore in the playoffs, albeit they were routed by the eventual Super Bowl champion Patriots in the divisional round. The Bolts figured to vie for a Super Bowl title this past year.
But the offseason which troubling as running back Melvin Gordon was a holdout and Derwin James was injured and wound up missing the majority of 2019. The club stumbled to 5-11 and were a mind-boggling 0-6 vs. their division rivals. Now quarterback Philip Rivers has moved on to Indianapolis, Gordon is a member of the Broncos and the team has a new outlook at quarterback with promoted backup Tyrod Taylor and sixth overall pick Justin Herbert (Oregon).
Wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and tight end Hunter Henry give the Bolts plenty of firepower and the offensive line has been bolstered by the additions of five-time Pro Bowl guard Trai Turner – via a trade with Carolina – and veteran tackle Bryan Bulaga. The club bolsters great defensive talent in James, pass rushers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram and veteran additions Chris Harris Jr. and Linval Joseph. But no team in the league forced fewer turnovers than the Chargers (14) in ‘19.
It’s the third year in head coach Jon Gruden’s second stint with the Silver and Black as the franchise makes the move to Sin City. The Raiders have certainly made progress under his guidance and hiring Mike Mayock to be the general manager in 2019 has proven to be a plus as well. The club has drafted extremely effectively in recent years and will once again need some of their young players to step up sooner than later.
The team’s three first-round picks were all solid selections a year ago, although safety Johnathan Abram missed most of the season. Running back Josh Jacobs finished eighth in the league in rushing yardage and defensive Clelin Ferrell was a boost to Paul Guenther’s young front.
Quarterback Derek Carr has been much maligned but his best seasons in terms of completion percentage have come these past two years. His two most productive pass catchers were tight and Darren Waller and rookie Hunter Renfrow, while former Chargers’ wideout Tyrell Williams led the club with six TD grabs. The team used its initial first-round selection this year on former University of Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III.
This was a football team that won six of its first 10 games a year ago before slumping down the stretch. Can 2019 prove to be a learning experience? Obviously, it won’t be easy in this division.
John Elway’s club is coming off three consecutive losing seasons. But hope springs eternal for the Denver Broncos as the team overcame a 0-4 start this past year and won seven of its final 12 outings. A lot of the optimism surrounds young quarterback Drew Lock, who was the team’s third different starting signal-caller of 2019 and played well in the club’s final five games for Vic Fangio’s squad.
The defense got off to a slow start in terms of sacks and takeaways but by season’s end, Ed Donatell’s unit had allowed only 28 offensive touchdowns and 40 quarterback traps. The new offensive coordinator is Pat Shurmur, who spent the last two seasons as head coach of the New York Giants. The key additions include former Chargers’ running back Melvin Gordon, five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey, and quality cornerback A.J. Bouye. Add in a trio of rookies in wideouts Jerry Jeudy (1-Alabama) and K.J. Hamler (2-Penn State) and center Lloyd Cushenberry (3b-LSU) and there’s plenty of reason for optimism. And outside linebacker Bradley Chubb returns after missing the final 12 games of ’19.
Of course, there is that little matter of nine straight losses to the Chiefs, which brings us to…
The defending NFL champions appearing loaded and enter 2020 with a nine-game overall winning streak. Head coach Andy Reid waited an awfully long time to hoist his own Lombardi Trophy and now the Kansas City Chiefs appear primed to pick up where they left off this past year.
Lost somewhat among the recent excitement regarding quarterback Patrick Mahomes and defensive tackle Chris Jones – both who have signed huge contracts (via ESPN’s Bill Barnwell and NFL.com’s Kevin Patra, respectively) and the firepower this team brings on offense is how well Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive unit came on after a slow start a year ago. It took some time for the overhaul to take form but it’s worth noting that the Chiefs allowed only 308 points in 16 regular-season outings – quite an improvement from 2018 when they allowed 421 points. And it’s worth noting that safety Tyrann Mathieu was voted the club’s MVP this past season.
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From wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins to tight end Travis Kelce and playoff standout running back Damien Williams and perhaps the most underrated offensive line in the league. Reid’s team is going to be tough to topple this fall.