John Clayton's take on the AFC West in the 2nd half...

[shaneo69]

AFC West:
This is the conference's best race, with the Broncos, Chiefs and Chargers perhaps needing tiebreakers to figure out a division winner. The schedule is a problem for all three teams.

The Broncos had the break of having their toughest games at home during the first half of the season. They beat five playoff contenders at home during their 6-2 start. Now, they actually have the easiest closing schedule of the three teams. Included in their remaining schedule (against teams with a combined 28-36 record) are winnable games against the Raiders (twice), Jets and Ravens. They have road division games against the Chiefs and Chargers, but the San Diego game is Dec. 31, and the Chargers could be out of the race by then.

The Chiefs trail the Broncos by a game, but if they can win road games in the next two weeks against the Bills and Texans, they should put pressure on Denver. Their season comes down to home games against the Patriots and Broncos after Thanksgiving, if they can win these next two road games. What the Chiefs can't afford to do is lose to the Bills or Texans and give the Broncos a two-game lead. That might be hard to overcome.

The Chargers need a break to make the playoffs. With four losses already in the books, it's going to be almost impossible to get a wild card in the AFC. Those berths appear to be going to the Bengals and Jaguars, with at least 11 wins. The Chargers have to go 6-1 to get to 11, and that will be very hard with road games still left against the Redskins, Colts and Chiefs.

The Broncos have the best and maybe only chance to get to 11 wins in this division. The Chargers need to win a big road game just to get to 10 wins and not be doomed to a 9-7 season. The Chiefs are likely headed to a 10-6 season, but that could include a win over the Broncos. If that's the case, and the Broncos and Chiefs end up tied at 10-6, it could come down to common opponents in the tiebreaker. The Raiders probably are going to top out at 7-9, but losses in the next two weeks to Denver and Washington could ruin their focus and send them into a 10-loss season or worse.

Prediction: Broncos win division.

[Halfcan]

John Clayton is a tool.

[dtebbe]

IT'S THE BIIIIIG FIIIIIG NEWWWWWTON!

Yea..

DT

[BigRedChief]

I got us both at 10-6 at the end of the year.

The problem will be that 10-6 will not get you into the playoffs.

Jacksonville will end at no worse than 11-5.

The loser of the tie breaker between us and Denver sits the playoffs out.

[redfan]

As much as it pains me to say it, I'm a rai der fan this weekend.

[dtebbe]

I got us both at 10-6 at the end of the year.

The problem will be that 10-6 will not get you into the playoffs.

Jacksonville will end at no worse than 11-5.

The loser of the tie breaker between us and Denver sits the playoffs out.

It's only a matter of time before Jake Plummer starts playing like Jack Plumber. Let's hope sooner rather than later.

DT

[DaFace]

Let's hope we got the Raiders good and pissed off about losing to us this past week. As much as I'd enjoy seeing them dragging the bottom of the AFC, we need a Denver loss more.

[Dunit35]

Go Raiders.

[Extra Point]

Yeah, go Raiders! We be done with them for the season, and that's a good thing. John Clayton is the low hanging dingleberry in the forest of dry turds.

[Dunit35]

Although I dont mind listening to him compared to Sean Salisbury, I hate looking at his face. He looks like a copy of the "40 year old virgin".

[kcxiv]

Yep, Go Raiders on sunday. lol

[CoMoChief]

Denver is a pretty good football team. I know they historically do not play well at Arrowhead, but we can't really rely on that. Jake Plummer is playing really well right now and you can't really rely on him just all of a sudden blowing up. The Broncos already played their toughest part of the schedule. Clayton is right when he says it will come down to common opponents. As much as I hate to say it, the Broncos are in a much better position to go to the playoffs than the Chiefs are IMO, and Jax schedule isn't helping us at all. We need to win the rest of our division games, thats all there is to it, because if it comes down to us and Jax at 11-5 for the final WC spot, then Jax has it easier playing in that shitty AFC South division, especially if they happen to beat Indy.

[Kerberos]

Denver is a pretty good football team. I know they historically do not play well at Arrowhead, but we can't really rely on that. Jake Plummer is playing really well right now and you can't really rely on him just all of a sudden blowing up. The Broncos already played their toughest part of the schedule. Clayton is right when he says it will come down to common opponents. As much as I hate to say it, the Broncos are in a much better position to go to the playoffs than the Chiefs are IMO, and Jax schedule isn't helping us at all. We need to win the rest of our division games, thats all there is to it, because if it comes down to us and Jax at 11-5 for the final WC spot, then Jax has it easier playing in that shitty AFC South division, especially if they happen to beat Indy.


YUP

I hate to admit it but the Broncos are playing good enough to make it to the AFC championship game if playoffs started tomorrow.

Seems their gamble on picking up Clevelands defensive rejects for league minimums is paying off in the grand scheme of things since thier defense is pretty damn good in comparison.

The Chiefs winning every game from here til the end of the season is pretty unrealistic. IMO




.

[StcChief]

yeah. Go Raiders beat 'em. Take out Jake and his lucky year while your at.

[keg in kc]

Plummer's been successful because they're playing martyball with him, limiting the pass attempts and giving him easy throws, not giving him a chance to screw up. If they can continue to do that, they'll continue to win. If they reach a point where they have to rely on his arm to win games, and I suspect that they might looking at their schedule, he'll fold.

[KCTitus]

The Broncos had the break of having their toughest games at home during the first half of the season...Now, they actually have the easiest closing schedule of the three teams...

Funny how that seems to be the case every year.

[ct]

Seems a pretty good assesment to me. Like it not, Denver is definitely in the driver seat.

I don't know the tie-breaker scenario for that 10-6 division tie he mentions, but I think we can only drop 1 game in the 2nd half to win the division, which may be out only way into the playoffs.

That's gonna be tough to do:

@BUF
@HOU
NE
DEN
@DAL
@NYG
SD
CIN

We've got some very tough games ahead. The next two are on the road, but against beatable teams. Then the final 6 games are brutal, every one of them vs. playoff contenders. Strange to say, but looks like the Patriots at home is the easiest game in the final 6, and that is just weird to say!

[Deberg_1990]

Plummer's been successful because they're playing martyball with him, limiting the pass attempts and giving him easy throws, not giving him a chance to screw up. If they can continue to do that, they'll continue to win. If they reach a point where they have to rely on his arm to win games, and I suspect that they might looking at their schedule, he'll fold.


Sooner or later the real Plummerception will show up again......If it doesnt happen in the regular season, i guarantee it will happen in the playoffs......

Its only a matter of time Donc Fan.

[ROYC75]

We have to be 11-5 to have any shot of a playoff run..........

That Philly game will haunt us at the end of the year.

[Garcia Bronco]

Plummer's been successful because they're playing martyball with him, limiting the pass attempts and giving him easy throws, not giving him a chance to screw up.

ah yeah...that's just not true.

[Garcia Bronco]

"The Broncos had the break of having their toughest games at home during the first half of the season...Now, they actually have the easiest closing schedule of the three teams..."

key words "At home" we still have to go do it on the road where we are 1-2. The tough part of our schedule is still to come. We have to play SD at their house. KCat Arowhead in december...where we are 1-14 since the 60's in the 12th month. We have to play the Raiders twice. We have to play at dallas on turkey day. We play Baltimore that owns us...and play the Jets. If that's an easy scedule.......

[KC Jones]

Broncos are playing the best football in the division right now. Unless something changes about that I expect them to win and us to sit out of the playoffs this year. IF it does come down to a 10-6 tie, the Miami game may end up being a very important win for us and loss for them. That and having swept the Raiders.

[ROYC75]

"The Broncos had the break of having their toughest games at home during the first half of the season...Now, they actually have the easiest closing schedule of the three teams..."

key words "At home" we still have to go do it on the road where we are 1-2. The tough part of our schedule is still to come. We have to play SD at their house. KCat Arowhead in december...where we are 1-14 since the 60's in the 12th month. We have to play the Raiders twice. We have to play at dallas on turkey day. We play Baltimore that owns us...and play the Jets. If that's an easy scedule.......


You want ours ?

I think if we get a win in Buffalo, we will finish 11-5, losing NYG and Dal. games, winning the rest.

Again, if this holds up, that Philly game will be our back breaker, could of most likely had the division wrapped up.

[Hammock Parties]

ah yeah...that's just not true.

As much as I hate to agree with a tool like Garcia Bronco, he's right. Denver started out that way but they've had the leash off Plummer lately. He was great against New England, Philadelphia, etc.

[CupidStunt]

"The Broncos had the break of having their toughest games at home during the first half of the season...Now, they actually have the easiest closing schedule of the three teams..."

key words "At home" we still have to go do it on the road where we are 1-2. The tough part of our schedule is still to come. We have to play SD at their house. KCat Arowhead in december...where we are 1-14 since the 60's in the 12th month. We have to play the Raiders twice. We have to play at dallas on turkey day. We play Baltimore that owns us...and play the Jets. If that's an easy scedule.......

ROFL

It's an embarrassingly easy schedule. Don't even try and spin it any other way.

[Hammock Parties]

Denver has 5 games on the road. Nuff said.

[chiefsfan1963]

Wow, I thought we had to reach a 11-5 record to make the playoffs, but after letting it sit I am amazed that 10-6 will not get you in the playoffs in any year. I wonder what teams with a 10-6 record didn't make the playoffs in year's past. I bet it is short list. Anyway it looks like we have to win these next 2 games to truly have legitmate chance of playing in the postseason. If we can do this then it will be apparent that we can't lose any of the next 2 Home games because after games against NE and Broncos at home, going 2-2 seems the most probable!

Winning the next 4 appears to be the only realistic way we have the best chance of being a playoff team!

[Hoover]

We need the raiders to beat the Broncos at least once. I think they can do that.

[Hoover]

Now, since we beat Miami, and Denver Lost to Miami. Denver beat Philly and We lost to Philly.

That AFC win is bigger than their Philly win correct?

So We need to beat the Giants, since Denver lost to them.

[Mr. Laz]

Seems a pretty good assesment to me.
yep

we can only lose (at most) 3 more games and must beat the donks at arrowhead.


then hope the donks slip up somewhere else a few times


that jags schedule is so flippin' easy that it's going to be difficult to beat them out for the wildcard.

[Tribal Warfare]

I got us both at 10-6 at the end of the year.



I'm still wary of a 7-9 or 8-8 finish.

[Hammock Parties]

So We need to beat the Giants, since Denver lost to them.

It won't really matter, since its NFC

[kregger]

Although I dont mind listening to him compared to Sean Salisbury, I hate looking at his face. He looks like a copy of the "40 year old virgin".

Has anybody caught that early season smackdown that these two clowns were doing? I saw it once and it was absolutely the worst bit of SPORTS tv in a lonnnnng time. Clayton was decent a couple of years ago, actually broke some good stories. Now ESPN has him making a fool of himself.

[chiefsfolife]

Wow, I thought we had to reach a 11-5 record to make the playoffs, but after letting it sit I am amazed that 10-6 will not get you in the playoffs in any year. I wonder what teams with a 10-6 record didn't make the playoffs in year's past. I bet it is short list. Anyway it looks like we have to win these next 2 games to truly have legitmate chance of playing in the postseason. If we can do this then it will be apparent that we can't lose any of the next 2 Home games because after games against NE and Broncos at home, going 2-2 seems the most probable!

Winning the next 4 appears to be the only realistic way we have the best chance of being a playoff team!

bro...are you seriously saying we cant beat the pats at home...cmon now

[Garcia Bronco]

You want ours ?

I think if we get a win in Buffalo, we will finish 11-5, losing NYG and Dal. games, winning the rest.

Again, if this holds up, that Philly game will be our back breaker, could of most likely had the division wrapped up.

I mean we basically have the same schedule overall

[Garcia Bronco]

It's an embarrassingly easy schedule. Don't even try and spin it any other way.

What?...you're crazy.

[Cormac]

Whatever it looks like at this stage, I really doubt a 10-6 team will not make the playoffs. That would be rough, to say the least.

[chiefsfan1963]

yep

we can only lose (at most) 3 more games and must beat the donks at arrowhead.


then hope the donks slip up somewhere else a few times


that jags schedule is so flippin' easy that it's going to be difficult to beat them out for the wildcard.

we lose 3 we are not going to the playoffs!

[ct]

Best W/L/T head to head - we MUST beat Denver in Arrowhead.

Best W/L/T in the division - Oakland or San Diego MUST beat Denver once, plus KC over Denver at Arrowhead.

Best W/L/T in the conference - this is where we might get em. If the 1st 2 occur, Denver has at least 3 losses in the AFC, currently we have 2. IF, very big IF we avoid any more AFC losses, we would win this tie-breaker if we finish even with Denver.

So just to play out a scenario, it might go like this:

KC remaining schedule:

@BUF - WIN
@HOU - WIN
NE - WIN
DEN - WIN
@DAL - loss
@NYG - loss
SD - WIN
CIN - WIN

KC finishes 11-5, 4-2 in AFC West, 10-2 in AFC. Just to type that is a big stretch!

Denver remaining schedule:

@OAK - WIN
NYJ - WIN
@DAL - loss
@KC - loss
BAL - WIN
@BUF - WIN
OAK - WIN
@SD - loss

Denver finishes 11-5, 4-2 in AFC West, 9-3 in AFC.

[Carlota69]

As much as it pains me to say it, I'm a rai der fan this weekend.

Ditto