A SERIES
#4 Denver Broncos 6-11
For years the Broncos have suffered from John Elway’s poor decisions. Super Bowl L and QB great Peyton Manning are distant memories as the Broncs continue searching for a quality play caller. Remember these guys? Brock Osweiler, Paxton Lynch, Case Keenum, and others like Kendall Hinton. Denver passed on a QB in the 2021 draft electing to nab cornerback Pat Surtain ll instead. Therefore, Drew Lock or vet Teddy Bridgewater will man the offensive helm. However, their arsenal isn’t full. Jerry Jeudy had a mediocre 2020 with more drops than any receivers on the Broncos roster. K.J. Hamler was slightly better than Jeudy, but still inconsistent. Tim Patrick was a surprise, leading the Broncos in receiving yards and touchdowns. On the flip side, the defense retains Von Miller and AJ Johnson, but Bradley Chubb is not reliable. The Broncos have too many “up in the airs” to contend with the Chiefs and Raiders.
#3 Los Angeles Chargers 8-9
The Chargers have a bright future ahead. Justin Herbert was brilliant in 2020, winning OROTY, and acquired more weapons. Rashawn Slater could turn out to be the steal of the draft, and 3rd rounder Josh Palmer could potentially be a big red-zone contributor. Austin Ekeler had some trouble adjusting to the number one back role, but turned it around. The Chargers have an improved defense with draft pick Asante Samuel Jr, son of the former Patriots and Eagles Pro Bowler, Asante Samuel. Derwin James should be 100% in 2021 and Kenneth Murray is expected to progress in his second year. The Chargers should be competitive, but they still have some ways to go.
#2 Las Vegas Raiders 10-7
The Raiders are the wild card of the West due to their split personality in 2020. The Raiders started 5-3 and finished 8-8. Derek Carr maintains his Pro Bowl level play. Josh Jacobs dropped off slightly from his electric rookie campaign, but did reach 1,000 yards and received a Pro Bowl nod. Jacobs will now be splitting carries with recent acquisition Kenyan Drake. Darren Waller proved that he is an elite tight end in 2020, with his 1,000+ yard season. The receiving corps are questionable. 2020 first-rounder Henry Ruggs was stagnant and Nelson Agholor left for New England. The defensive needs work, but Las Vegas’s offensive power should hold things together in 2021.
#1 Kansas City Chiefs 14-3
Unquestionably, Kansas City remains an offensive powerhouse even after their humiliating defeat in the Super Bowl. You may recall that the Chiefs’s O-line suffered under the pressure of the Bucs’s elite defensive line. Therefore, KC made some serious upgrades, starting with the signing of former Patriots guard Joe Thuney and trading for Orlando Brown Jr. Additionally, the Chiefs brought former Pro-Bowler Kyle Long out of retirement. Meanwhile, the running backs are strong and Travis Kelce is still at his All-Pro level. Tyreek Hill anchors the strong receiver corps with Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson. While the defensive side of the ball is average, Pat Mahomes will want revenge and that should drive Kansas City all the way.
