AFC West Week 12 Recap
The AFC West closed out another week as the Kansas City Chiefs continue to hold the top spot, with three other teams fighting for second place. As two teams continue to make their playoff push, the other two might be looking towards next season.
Denver Broncos 29, Cleveland Browns 12
Broncos Country is riding, grabbing their fifth straight win this week as they handled the Browns 29-12. The game was defined by the Broncos run game, as they enforced their will with 39 carries for 169 yards. The Browns could not stop the Broncos from controlling the line of scrimmage as they continued to run their way to a playoff spot. The defense forced three turnovers, continuing their streak of stingy defense. In the Browns defense, Myles Garrett and their starting quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, left the game with injuries, but at the end of the day, the team still faces a tough challenge to stay in the playoff race as their three-game win streak is snapped.
As the Broncos continue to win, their newfound identity continues to push them to the playoffs. Even though they are still on the outside looking in, the season has a much different feel to it than it did only a few weeks ago. They have been moving up in recently, and another chance lies before them this coming weekend.
The Denver Broncos (6-5) look ahead to playing at the 6-5 Houston Texans this Sunday at 1 p.m.
Kansas City Chiefs 31, Las Vegas Raiders 17
The Antonio Pierce train continued to slow down as the Raiders lost to the Chiefs by 14. The Raiders, after starting the game with an early 14-0 lead, watched themselves be outscored 31-3 for the rest of the game. The run game continued to be strong for the Raiders at first, as Jacobs put up 110 yards and a touchdown, but it faltered towards the end of the game.
The biggest disappointment was certainly the defense, as they gave up large numbers in the passing game, leading to the 31 points that the Chiefs put up. However, even with the conservative play calling and the poor performance from the defense, the Raiders have a bright side: Aidan O’Connell. O’Connell threw for 250 yards and a touchdown with a 101.6 passer rating. The quarterback is showing clear improvement, which is something the team can build off of as they look at a season in which they have nothing left to lose.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, continue to feel better and better about their chances. While the defense gave up 14 early points, they quickly adjusted and halted the Raiders’ conservative offense for the rest of the game. The offense is seemingly trending in the right direction as well. While the Chiefs only put up 360 total yards of offense, it was a very efficient game. Mahomes put up 300 yards and two touchdowns in a high-flying game, with the rookie Rashee Rice continuing to look better and better as he was the beneficiary of 100 of those yards and one of the touchdowns.
And finally, to Chiefs fans’ relief, the team got Kelce involved. Kelce had an impressive 91 yards on six receptions, and his impact showed. When the team gets Kelce involved and defenses have to plan for him, the offense opens up as it did Sunday afternoon. If the Chiefs have found their answer on the offensive side of the ball with this balanced attack of playmakers, the NFL needs to watch out.
The Las Vegas Raiders (5-7) will have an extra week to plan for their next game as they head into a BYE.
The Kansas City Chiefs (8-3) will head to Lambeau Field this weekend where they will play the 5-6 Green Bay Packers.
Los Angeles Chargers 10, Baltimore Ravens 20
The season may be over for the Chargers as they drop another winnable game. The Chargers stayed in it throughout all 60 minutes, but they could not do enough to avoid losing by 10. The Chargers offense turned the ball over four times, and while the defense had a strong first-half performance, they ultimately squandered it in the second half. Behind a strong run game that put up 197 yards, the Ravens controlled the game, especially in the second half, and the Chargers had no answers.
The offense struggled throughout the game for the Chargers, especially the run game. After only putting up 86 yards, Herbert was the rushing leader with only 47 yards. Herbert also only threw for 217 yards, splitting a touchdown and an interception. Besides Keenan Allen, who put up 106 yards on 14 receptions, the rest of the receiving corps was non-existent.
As the Chargers continue to struggle, and the season seems to be coming to an end, fingers continue to be pointed toward Staley and the higher-ups. Staley, who said the team is still coaching its hardest to make the playoffs, might actually be coaching to keep his job. The hot seat is getting hotter, and the Chargers will have a lot of questions as the season begins to close out.
For now, though, the Chargers (4-7) will continue to play with their season on the line as they face a must-win game at the (2-9) New England Patriots.
AFC West Standings
Kansas City Chiefs (8-3)
Denver Broncos (6-5)
Las Vegas Raiders (5-7)
Los Angeles Chargers (4-7)
