Surveying Denver Broncos' AFC West Competition at Quarter-Season Mark

The Denver Broncos sit atop the AFC West with a 4-0 record. They travel to Oakland to play the Raiders in Week 5 for their second divisional game of the year. 

Playing in the "Black Hole" is always interesting. The game is not going to be an easy win for the team, but the Broncos are a more talented team on both sides of the ball. If things go well in Oakland, the Broncos will have won their second division game of the year and will remain one of the league's few undefeated teams. 

Head coach Gary Kubiak knows that winning road games early can help win the division. 

“Obviously, early in the season, if you're on the road in your division and you find ways to get victories, it sure sets up the back end of the season nicely with people coming to your place. It's another big game and they've been playing well. It's only Week 5. We were talking about a season-long commitment yesterday as a team. It seems like we've been going for about 15, 20 weeks, but we haven't."

Kubiak concluded, "It's Week 5, so we just need to stay focused on trying to be as good a football team as we can be this weekend.”

Let's take a look at the Broncos' competition within the division at the quarter-season mark. 

Oakland Raiders

Record: 2-2

Division Record: 0-0

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

The team closest to the Broncos in the standings is actually the Raiders. They are no longer the laughing stock they used to be, and there is a young core of up-and-coming players on both sides of the ball. 

On Offense

The Raiders have a good young quarterback in second-year pro Derek Carr. He's done a good job of transitioning from the college to the pro game. Carr reads defenses quickly, and he's not afraid to challenge a defense deep. 

The rushing attack is currently led by Latavius Murray. He's a tough runner between the tackles, and Murray can break off big runs with speed to take it the distance from anywhere on the field. Behind him, the Raiders have Roy Helu as a change-of-pace back. Helu is a fine receiving threat, and he can make defenders miss in the open field. 

The passing game features a rookie receiver who could develop into one of the best players at his position. Amari Cooper was the team's first-round pick this year—and for good reason. Cooper can run crisp routes, and he is fearless when running routes over the middle.

Once the ball is in his hands, Cooper is dangerous after the catch. Defenses are already treating him like a star receiver, and Cooper is getting double coverage on some down-and-distance situations. 

On Defense

Khalil Mack is one of the best young pass-rushers in the game today. The Broncos have been having trouble up front on the offensive line with injuries and inconsistencies this season. 

Kubiak knows that Mack is a player to stop on Sunday. 

“The biggest thing is hopefully you're not protecting against him all day. If you get behind this team and you're throwing the ball every down with those two edges, you're going to be in trouble. It's kind of like playing against our guys. [He is a] heck of a player and very versatile. They play him a lot of places when they get the nickel and stuff like that." Kubiak admitted, "We've got our work cut out for us. [They have] probably as good of two-edge players as we've played all year long.”

We'll see if the Broncos can do a better job of protecting Peyton Manning on Sunday. He's been sacked way more than usual, and the veteran quarterback is on pace to get sacked 40 times this year. His previous career-high was 29 sacks. Keeping him upright and healthy is key for the Broncos if they want to make a deep postseason run. The Raiders will pose a threat on Sunday. 

San Diego Chargers

Record: 2-2

Division Record: 0-0

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

On Offense

Broncos fans know that Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is a player they love to hate. He still has a quick release, and Rivers is hyper-competitive. He won't go down without a fight, and no matter how the team is performing, they are always a threat with Rivers as their leader. 

They wanted to improve their rushing attack, and that's why they selected Melvin Gordon in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft. Gordon has yet to have a breakout game, but the speed and big-play ability make him a potential rising star for the team. Danny Woodhead is one of the most dangerous change-of-pace backs in the league today, and he provides the team with valuable veteran depth behind Gordon. 

The passing attack features star receiver Keenan Allen. Rivers and Allen seem to have stronger chemistry this year, and Allen can wear down a defensive backfield with his size/speed combination. Tight end Antonio Gates is playing this week for the first time in 2015. A four-game suspension has kept Gates out of action to this point. The veteran tight end may not be what he used to be, but he can still create mismatches on the field and provide Rivers with another reliable target. 

On Defense

One of the best playmakers on the Chargers defense is free safety Eric Weddle. He can roam the field like a center fielder, and Weddle isn't afraid to play close to the line of scrimmage to help stuff the run. Weddle is known as a leader of the defense, and he's a player who must be game-planned for. 

In addition to Weddle, an interesting player in the secondary is young cornerback Jason Verrett. He has the speed and "my ball" mentality to develop into a top corner in the NFL. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 1-3

Division Record: 0-1

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

On Offense

The Chiefs offense is built around superstar running back Jamaal Charles. He's got the speed to get to the edge quickly and is dangerous in the open field. Charles can run between the tackles, and he's a fine receiver out of the backfield. 

The team has to lean on the rushing attack because quarterback Alex Smith is not an elite-level passer. The team upgraded the wide receiver position with free agent Jeremy Maclin, and he should get more comfortable within the offense as the season rolls on. Tight end Travis Kelce aka "Baby Gronk" (or "Fake Gronk" as Von Miller called him) is big, strong, fast and physical. 

On Defense

The defense in Kansas City has playmakers at every level. Their pass-rushers can generate a ton of pressure on opponents. Tamba Hali and Justin Houston are quick off the snap, and they both have power and speed moves to get after the quarterback. 

Broncos offensive coordinator Rick Dennison has a healthy respect for teams like Kansas City with ferocious defenses. 

“Each team has its own problems. Last week, not to dwell on last week, but they're very physical up front. We did a good job of matching that. Kansas City had some really good edge-rushers, too. You can make a case for those two guys."

Dennison explained, "Each week is going to be a challenge. These guys have great talent, great skill outside—the two guys. They've been doing it long enough. They're high draft picks. They're very talented. Our guys are facing it. We've got to battle and do all we can to keep them off 18 [QB Peyton Manning].”

The Broncos have already beaten the Chiefs once, and they did it in the Chiefs' house. They're almost always a tough divisional opponent, no matter the location. However, getting them at Sports Authority Field at Mile High will be a boost for the Broncos later in the year. 

Summary

The Broncos have won the AFC West four years in a row, and they're off to the best start in the division this year. There's a lot of football left, but forecasting a fifth division title in a row for the Broncos is not outlandish. 

The Raiders are not as bad as they used to be. The team may not be playoff ready, but they're not that far off from competing for the division title. At this time, it seems like the Raiders are about a year away. 

The Chargers may be the thorn in the side of the Broncos—just like Rivers likes it. They are having offensive-line problems arguably worse than the Broncos, but they do have star potential at the running back position in Gordon. If they get the rookie on track, then their offense will be even more dangerous. 

The Chiefs have struggled early this year, and they need to turn things around quickly if they want to make a push for the playoffs. Smith is not a quarterback who scares opponents, and his game does not make this a dangerous offense. Charles is fantastic, and Maclin certainly, helps but it all comes back to Smith—and he's not playing at a level the team needs him to. 

This season has not gone perfectly for the Broncos. Their offense is still rough around the edges—starting up front with that offensive line. They have yet to get the rushing attack truly on track, but there have been glimmers of hope. The passing game looks better now that they're using the pistol formation, and they should get even more efficient as the season rolls on. 

The Broncos defense is carrying the team, and they may finish the season as the best defense in the league. In order to win in the postseason, the Broncos need to play great defense while also featuring an efficient offense. So far, one of those factors has been wrapped up. If the team can get the offense on point, then this team could make their way to and through the postseason. 

All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted. Advanced stats via ESPN's employees-only database.

Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions