We are 5 weeks from the first game of the NFL Season so it’s time to start my divisional breakdowns starting with the Winning West. Why am I calling it the winning west? Because just like DJ Khaled, all they do is win. Over the past 8 years, these divisions have made up 10 of the 16 Super Bowl participants and they are a Dee Ford offsides and a Bo Nix broken ankle from making it 12 of 16. They have won 5 of 8 Super Bowls. There hasn’t been a Super Bowl in the past 8 years without a West division team in it. The AFC west has made every final four during that time (mostly to the Chiefs making 7 in a row) and the NFC West has made it 6 of the 8. What does it mean? It means there is a very good chance you are going to see one of these teams in the Super Bowl and there is a better than 50% chance that the winner comes from this bunch as well if the trend continues. So lets dive into the story lines and predictions for two of the best divisions in Football.

AFC WEST

First Place: Denver Broncos

I’m not sure why everyone is sleeping on the Broncos this year. Maybe Sean Payton is just such an arrogant prick that the media doesn’t want to talk about him. But this team brings almost everyone back and added Jaylen Waddle. I’m not sure what’s not to like about this team. Well, besides Sean Payton. I mean I think he is a good coach but I don’t like him. The questions revolve around Bo Nix, I guess. Will he comeback strong after the ankle injury? Will Waddle help him develop to the next level? Will the new play caller help him out? Will he be able to play good football for 4 quarters instead of just the last one? All good questions but the kid comes through when it matters. This is a very good football team with a very good coach. The opening schedule is brutal: @Chiefs, Jags, Rams, @49ers, @ Chargers and Seahawks. But after that, the schedule gets relatively easy minus back to back games against the Bills and Pats at the end of the season. As long as they start 3-3 they should be able to navigate it the rest of the way to a division winning season.

Final Record: 12-5

Second Place: Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers have 2 new coordinators but the story is all about the offensive one because that is no other than nerdy Mike McDaniel. He had some success in Miami with Tua at quarterback so he should be able to do even better with media darling, Justin Herbert. Justin is like JV Josh Allen. Everyone loves him and thinks he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league. During the preseason, he and his team get all talked up and all the story lines are that all the problems have been solved and he is now an MVP candidate and the Chargers are a Super Bowl contender and then when they ultimately fail, all the excuses come out again. The difference is Josh Allen has actually at least won something. Herbert has been good in the regular season but just awful in the post season. But on paper they do look good. They got their offensive tackles back, added to the interior line and got more running back depth. Their defense should still be good although I do think they will miss their defensive coordinator. But if McDaniel and Herbert don’t have first round playoff loss written all over them I don’t know what does.

Final Record: 11-6

Third Place: Kansas City Chiefs

I’m sure many readers think I am a homer because since I started this blog back in 2022, I always pick the Chiefs to win. But to be fair to me, until last year all the Chiefs did was win. But I am a realist and mostly unbiased writer. The Chiefs were not a good football team last year even before Pat got hurt. But they got extra exposed for how much they relied on him when we saw what they were without him. I think they will be better this year. Part of it is just winning a few more close games. The Chiefs made a killing winning close games in 2023 and 2024 so it is no surprise that the pendulum swung the other way last year. But the chances that they go 1-9 again in one score games is highly unlikely. If they just win half of those they are probably a playoff team. The O-line was banged up last year too but is pretty solid when healthy and they added Kenneth Walker which should help a ton. But their receivers can’t stay healthy or out of jail. Kelce is another year older and there isn’t a lot of faith in what is behind him and I think the defense will be worse. I think this will be a winning season but they may get left out of the playoffs due to so many good teams being in the AFC. But if they do get in, I’m not betting against the guy who is 14-2 in the AFC Playoffs and has never lost in regulation. I think the Chiefs will be back but need another draft and free agency round to get back on top.

Final Record: 10-7

Fourth Place: Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders can’t be worse can they? They upgraded at coach. They upgraded at quarterback. They got better at offensive line. But their defense will still be bad…and ya know…they are the Raiders. We don’t know if Mendoza will be a good quarterback or not. We don’t know if Kubiak will be a good head coach or not. What we do know is that Tom Brady is heavily involved and we will hear about that every time they play on TV. Meanwhile, Brady will be covering games, interviewing players and coaches across the league and gaining all sorts of entail. Which seems totally unfair and illegal to me but what do I know. Anyhoo, the Raiders suck and will still suck but will suck a little less.

Final Record: 6-11

NFC WEST

First Place: Rams

The Rams, or as I like to call them, the Dodgers of the NFL, added some fire power on defense in the offseason. They filled their biggest need at corner with two former Chiefs. Then they traded for arguably the best pass rusher in the league in Myles Garrett. And now the rumor mill is swirling over the potential return of Aaron Donald. Meanwhile, they have last year’s MVP at quarterback, a top 5 wide receiver, a very solid running game and perhaps the best coach in the league. Does that seem fair? No. Am I mad about it? nope. I’m all about former St. Louis teams having success. I thought they were the best team last year and then they went and got even better this offseason. Only injuries and them beating themselves should be able to stop this juggernaut. I won’t make my Super Bowl Prediction until the week of the first games, but unless something bad happens between now and then, I’m leaning towards the Rams.

Final Record: 14-3

Second Place: Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks won it all last year and no one besides the Rams could really move the ball on them. Their coach is excellent and Sam Darnold silenced the critics by playing well when it mattered most. But they lost Kenneth Walker and some defensive guys and their other running back tore his ACL. They still have offensive player of the year in JSN. And I’m sure other players will step up in the void of the departed. Mike MacDonald can coach but they will also miss their offensive coordinator. This team will be competitive and I think make the playoffs but it will to tough to repeat last year with all the departures.

Final Record: 12-5

Third Place: San Francisco 49ers

On paper, this team looks real good. Unfortunately for 49ers fans, these guys ligaments tear as easily as paper. George Kittle is still working his way back from his Achilles. Ricky Pearsal is already out for the season. They brought in Mike Evans and he is already banged up. The receiver they drafted is already hurt. One of their defensive end’s tore his ACL. It’s week 1 guys. Of practice. CMC had a massive workload last year and so I’m just assuming he will get injured. And Brock Purdy missed half the season last year. Even their head coach is currently on IR. The team is old and they lost their defensive coordinator. If any team can overcome all those things, it is the 49ers but I’m not betting on it.

Final Record: 9-8

Fourth Place: Arizona Cardinals

This is a bad football team. They signed Tyler Allegier in the offseason to help the running back room. Tyler ran for a thousand yards his rookie season but then the Falcons drafted B’jan Robinson. He lived in his shadow for 3 years and now he will finally be the guy! Or so he thought, because then the Cardinals turned around and drafted Jeremiyah Love. Tyler just can’t get a break, much like the Cardinals. Not only is this a bad football team with bad quarterback play, they also play in a division with 3 of the best teams in football. The only good news about the Cardinals is their pass catchers might be able to help you in fantasy football because they will be playing from behind all season.

Final Record: 4-13

Tune in next week when we move to the South!