| jjchieffan |
12-03-2019 05:20 AM |
Week 14 AFC West Projections
Well, here we are in the final quarter of the season. Bye weeks are over, many teams have been officially eliminated from the playoffs, and several are vying for playoff spots.
The biggest game on the schedule for this week is the clash between the 10-2 Patriots and the 12-4 Chiefs at Foxboro. The Chiefs are coming off of a convincing win over the hated Raiders in a match for the division lead. The Chiefs showed the Raiders that they weren't in the same class as they blew them out 40-9. In the Sunday night game, the Patriots showed the world that they may not be the same dominant team as in years past as they fell to the Texans 28-22 in a game that wasn't ever as close as the final score. It looks like the Chiefs are on the rise, while the Patriots are on the decline. I'm calling this one for the Chiefs 35-20
Second place in the division are the Raiders. They had their chance to take the division, but proved unworthy losing by 31 points 2 weeks in a row. Now they are in a fight for their playoff lives and are on the outside looking in with a 6-6 record. This week, they host the 7-5 Titans, who are still in contention for the division, one game back of the Texans. A couple of weeks ago, I might have given the Raiders a shot. But they seem to be in a downward spiral now. I call this one for the Titans in a low scoring game. Titans 27, Raiders 13.
Last week featured a second AFC West showdown. This one for 3rd place. The Donks are on their 4th quarterback this season, giving Drew Lock his first NFL start. The Chargers have just fallen off of a cliff lately and somehow managed to lose another game at the end. How do you give up a game winning field goal when the other team had 9 seconds when they got the ball?? So now, both teams sit at 4-8, out of the division race, out of the playoffs, and neither team with much hope for the future. But, we'll talk about their games anyway.
The Broncos this week will likely fall to 4-9 as they face the Texans. As much as it sickens me, I'll be pulling for a Denver win. But I just don't see it happening. Beating an 8-4 playoff contender is a bit harder to do than beating a crappy Chargers team. This one will be over by halftime. Texans 38, Broncos 12.
And finally we have the Chargers. Rivers threw a game ending interception 3 weeks ago after 7 straight incompletions to lose at the end to the Raiders. He threw a pick in the endzone on his last possession to lose to the Chiefs 2 weeks ago. Then, he actually got his team into field goal range to tie it up against the Broncos this week only to have his defense give up a huge pass interference call to kick a field goal and lose again this week. All 3 Chargers fans must be sick about that. But, this week, they face another under achieving team, the Jaguars. Both teams are 4-8 and I see no favorite, so I'll choose the home team, the Jags. Low scoring game 10-7
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