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Predict the AFC West in 2022


Bolts223

Who wins the AFC West in 2022?  

80 members have voted

  1. 1. Who wins the AFC West in 2022?

    • Denver Broncos
      13
    • Kansas City Chiefs
      35
    • Las Vegas Raiders
      16
    • Los Angeles Chargers
      16


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On 5/8/2022 at 5:04 PM, Bolts223 said:

I don't think the Raiders are a bad team per say but I think people are overrating them based on last year.

And before Raiders fans interject with "We beat out your Chargers lol". Yes you did. Chargers still have a lot to prove, obviously.

But I'll also remind Raiders fans that your team has made the playoffs a total of 2 times in the last 20 years. Your expected W-L last year based on point differential was 7-10. You overperformed last year. Carr is a solid QB, but he's easily the worst in the division. The Raiders also have by far the worst O-line in the division. Your defense has some pretty major holes in it, particularly at CB and the interior D-line.

The Raiders aren't a bad team. But in this division I just don't see them being serious contenders.

 

I agree 100%. All 4 teams have their question marks, but the Raiders are the team I trust the absolute least among the 4. Its a combo of their secondary still being a massive question combined with the fact that I feel like they were riding a emotional high through last season with all of the controversy. We have also seen this before with Carr, plays great one year, average the next. I dont think Carr has ever put together back-to-back great seasons. They also have a new HC whose last gig went up in flames.

Lastly, feel like people are sleeping on Denvers defense a bit. 

Defensive Rankings 2021 (points allowed)

DEN- #3

KC- #8

LV- #26

LAC- #29

They were the 3rd ranked defense without Bradley Chubb for 1/2 the year and no Randy Gregory. Denvers defense is quite easily the best in the division regardless of what pieces other teams added in the offseason, and they got better as well.

So your basically taking an established top 5 defense in the NFL and pairing it with Russell Wilson and a skill position group that is arguably deeper than anybody else in the division.

Thats my case for them, flame away.

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1 minute ago, AkronsWitness said:

I agree 100%. All 4 teams have their question marks, but the Raiders are the team I trust the absolute least among the 4. Its a combo of their secondary still being a massive question combined with the fact that I feel like they were riding a emotional high through last season with all of the controversy. We have also seen this before with Carr, plays great one year, average the next. I dont think Carr has ever put together back-to-back great seasons. They also have a new HC whose last gig went up in flames.

Lastly, feel like people are sleeping on Denvers defense a bit. 

Defensive Rankings 2021 (points allowed)

DEN- #3

KC- #8

LV- #26

LAC- #29

They were the 3rd ranked defense without Bradley Chubb for 1/2 the year and no Randy Gregory. Denvers defense is quite easily the best in the division regardless of what pieces other teams added in the offseason, and they got better as well.

So your basically taking an established top 5 defense in the NFL and pairing it with Russell Wilson and a skill position group that is arguably deeper than anybody else in the division.

Thats my case for them, flame away.

The Broncos defensive success was inflated because they had a soft schedule and shut down terrible teams. They were 3rd in ppg allowed but were also 17th in DVOA, so in reality their defense was slightly below average. And that was with Vic Fangio who is widely regarded as one of the best defensive coaches in football. Their new defensive coordinator, Ejiro Evero has never been a coordinator at any level and they lost a few defensive starters as well. So to expect a rookie coordinator to step in and be able to replicate what Fangio did for them last year is wishful thinking, imo. 

Their OL was also pretty damn bad in pass protection and they might be losing Jeudy, not sure how you can argue they have the best skill position group in the division.

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15 minutes ago, AkronsWitness said:

We have also seen this before with Carr, plays great one year, average the next. I dont think Carr has ever put together back-to-back great seasons. They also have a new HC whose last gig went up in flames.

When has Carr had any type of stability or multiple elite players around him? He played well under the circumstances considering we had one of the worst group of pass catchers in a league and a horrific play caller. Assuming health and with Renfrow's emergence he'll have by far the most talented group of players around him that he has ever had in his career and by far the best offensive mind/play caller that he has ever played for in his career. 

Denver's staff gets praised but Hackett has never been a head coach and the majority of his offenses have been absolutely terrible outside of his time with Rodgers. 

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4 minutes ago, NYRaider said:

The Broncos defensive success was inflated because they had a soft schedule and shut down terrible teams. They were 3rd in ppg allowed but were also 17th in DVOA, so in reality their defense was slightly below average. And that was with Vic Fangio who is widely regarded as one of the best defensive coaches in football. Their new defensive coordinator, Ejiro Evero has never been a coordinator at any level and they lost a few defensive starters as well. So to expect a rookie coordinator to step in and be able to replicate what Fangio did for them last year is wishful thinking, imo. 

Their OL was also pretty damn bad in pass protection and they might be losing Jeudy, not sure how you can argue they have the best skill position group in the division.

So because their schedule was average that means their defense was actually below average? Not sure if Im following that one. Their defense has been consistently in the top 10 every year for the past decade, its not like its some sort of abirritation that they were very stout last year.

Their OL was terrible in pass-pro, but one of the better run blocking OLs in the game. I wonder how much of that has to do with Teddy/Lock just sucking and not being able to put pressure on the defense resulting in a bunch of sacks.

As far as the skill positions go-- Sutton, Patrick, Jeudy, Hamler, Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon and Albert O is just as talented as any skill position group in the division IMO. They certainly have the best RB group in the division and their WRs could explode with a real life QB throwing them the ball for the first time in 6 years. I would take the Broncos WR group top to bottom over the Cheifs/Raiders. The Chargers group is fantastic. 

Just my opinion

 

 

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1 minute ago, AkronsWitness said:

So because their schedule was average that means their defense was actually below average? Not sure if Im following that one. Their defense has been consistently in the top 10 every year for the past decade, its not like its some sort of abirritation that they were very stout last year.

Their OL was terrible in pass-pro, but one of the better run blocking OLs in the game. I wonder how much of that has to do with Teddy/Lock just sucking and not being able to put pressure on the defense resulting in a bunch of sacks.

As far as the skill positions go-- Sutton, Patrick, Jeudy, Hamler, Javonte Williams, Melvin Gordon and Albert O is just as talented as any skill position group in the division IMO. They certainly have the best RB group in the division and their WRs could explode with a real life QB throwing them the ball for the first time in 6 years. I would take the Broncos WR group top to bottom over the Cheifs/Raiders. The Chargers group is fantastic. 

Just my opinion

In terms of DVOA they ranked 17th in 2021 and 29th in 2020, so I'm not sure how you can assume that under a first year defensive coordinator they're going to have a top 5-10 unit next season. 

Renfrow and Adams had more yards than Sutton, Patrick, Jeudy, Hamler, and Albert O combined, and Renfrow himself had as many receiving TD's as all 5 of those guys combined. 

We'll see what happens though.

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On 5/8/2022 at 2:04 PM, Bolts223 said:

I don't think the Raiders are a bad team per say but I think people are overrating them based on last year.

And before Raiders fans interject with "We beat out your Chargers lol". Yes you did. Chargers still have a lot to prove, obviously.

But I'll also remind Raiders fans that your team has made the playoffs a total of 2 times in the last 20 years. Your expected W-L last year based on point differential was 7-10. You overperformed last year. Carr is a solid QB, but he's easily the worst in the division. The Raiders also have by far the worst O-line in the division. Your defense has some pretty major holes in it, particularly at CB and the interior D-line.

The Raiders aren't a bad team. But in this division I just don't see them being serious contenders.

We weren't contenders yet when the games actually counted we beat a tough Colts team on the road while the Chargers crumbled against Rex Burkhead and then beat the Chargers at home to knock you out of the playoffs, lol. 

I'm not sure what the last 20 years has to do with our outlook for next season.

Herbert can put up all the stats that he wants but in the big games he comes up short, I expect the same thing this year.

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