NFL Power Rankings, AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs Regain Top Spot And a New No. 2
It was a rough day overall for the AFC West as the division went 1-3, but it was another solid day for the Kansas City Chiefs as they moved to 3-0 and widened their lead to two games over their divisional rivals.
The Raiders and Chargers both lost hard-fought games on the road while the Broncos dropped a home game to Indy.
Kansas City was dominant in their victory over San Francisco and have now established themselves as a serious contender in the division.
The AFC West figures to be a close race all season, but here are the division's power rankings after week 3.
4. Oakland Raiders
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The Raiders fell to 1-2 on the season after a disappointing loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
Oakland kicker Sebastian Janikowski missed his third kick of the day in the game's final seconds as the Raiders were defeated 24-23.
Darren McFadden had another solid day as the Raiders leading contributor on offense, carrying the ball 25 times for 105 yards and a touchdown.
Wide receiver Louis Murphy had a big day as well with five catches for 119 yards, while tight end Zach Miller added a 22 yard touchdown reception.
The Raiders defense limited the Cards to just 227 total yards but Arizona was still able to muster enough points for the victory.
Quentin Groves had a great game for the Oakland defense with a fumble recovery and an interception.
It should be pointed out however that the Raiders put these numbers up against one of the weaker teams in the league in Arizona.
The Raiders have shown improvement since week one, but how much have they improved? We will know next week when they host Houston, but they figure to be underdogs in every game for the rest of the season.
3. San Diego Chargers
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The Chargers are in trouble.
I think they are a better football team than the Broncos, but have they proved it so far? No, and that is why they have moved down to third in the rankings.
The final score didn't tell the whole story in the Chargers 27-20 loss in Seattle to the Seahawks.
Seattle should have had another 10 points at least if not for two crucial mistakes inside the three yard line by the Hawks.
This is not the same San Diego team that has struggled early in the season, only to rally and come strong the second half of the season.
This also isn't the same division, the other teams are improving and San Diego's window is closing.
Getting left tackle Marcus McNeill back in a couple of weeks figures to help, but San Diego still has questions in the running game and on special teams after allowing another two return touchdowns against Seattle. The Chargers have now allowed three special teams touchdowns this season.
Running back Mike Tolbert has looked strong, and Ryan Mathews is going to be a good player, but this team doesn't seem to be on the same page so far this season.
Quarterback Philip Rivers is a great player, and he did a better job of keeping his emotions in check this week then he did against the Chiefs, but he is still has some growing up to do if he is going to lead his team to another division title.
2. Denver Broncos
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Denver is ranked second this week after their 14 point loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The Broncos had every opportunity to win the game considering Kyle Orton threw for 476 yards, but Denver struggled in the red zone and only managed 13 points.
Denver was 0-5 inside the 20 on the day, and that's not going to win games, especially against Peyton Manning and the Colts.
The Broncos obviously had a great day moving the ball through the air, but they continued to struggle running the ball as they gained just 47 yards on the ground against Indy.
Denver's run defense was another positive the team can take from the loss as they held the Colts to just 1.8 yards per carry.
The Broncos out-gained the Colts by over 150 yards but their red zone futility proved to be too much to get the upset victory.
While I believe Denver will finish the season third in the division, they have played OK so far this season and with Orton at the helm they should have a chance in most games this year.
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1. Kansas City Chiefs
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The Chiefs were dominant in every facet in their 31-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Kansas City's first two wins were ugly, but the Chiefs finally showed they are for real in the game against the Niners.
Quarterback Matt Cassel finally showed he is capable of being a productive NFL quarterback for the Chiefs by throwing for 250 yards and three touchdowns.
The Chiefs running attack was strong again as Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones combined for nearly 200 yards on the ground.
Wide receivers Dexter McCluster and Dwayne Bowe both had solid days and touchdown receptions, while rookie tight end Tony Moeaki continued to shine with a one-handed touchdown grab.
The Chiefs run defense was stout once again, and the pass rush came through with five sacks. Tamba Hali had three sacks and a forced fumble to lead the Chiefs defense.
Corner back Brandon Flowers is staking his claim to the division's top corner with two interceptions this season and continually steady play at the position.
Today's win can't be chalked up to luck or weather, just a dominating victory by the division's best team.
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