Skip to main content
Advertising

Team identities: AFC West

*Four weeks of the season is enough time to get a read on what each team is known for. Around The NFL will look at the identity for all 32 teams after the first month of the season. *

  • *

Denver's fireworks dimmed

John Fox's team keeps winning, but Denver's not coming close to the record-setting production of a season ago. The Broncos have scored 75 points in three games, 52 fewer points than they managed in their first three games a season ago. Peyton Manning's arm strength -- never an asset in these later years -- is more suspect than ever, while slow starts by Demaryius Thomas and Montee Ball have contributed to more earthbound production. The Broncos won't score 600 points again. Luckily, that's not necessary to get where they want to go.

Rivers doing it all for Bolts

Philip Rivers looked revitalized in his first season under Mike McCoy. He's playing like the best quarterback in football in his second. Rivers leads the NFL in passer rating (114.5) and has thrown nine touchdowns against one interception -- especially impressive production given the dire state of San Diego's injury-depleted backfield. The Chargers are 3-1 with a decisive win over the Seahawks on record. It's all possible because of Rivers -- our pick for quarter-pole MVP.

The Chiefs' backbone revealed

Expectations were moved to the basement when the Chiefs began their season with a home loss to the lowly Titans. Things are on the upswing since: An extremely competitive loss to the Broncos, a whipping of the Dolphins in Miami, and then Monday's decimation of the Patriots in Arrowhead. Jamaal Charles looks as good as ever and Alex Smith-to-Travis Kelce suddenly looks like the most potent QB-TE connection in football. The Chiefs are beat up and flawed, but who isn't in the wide-open AFC?

The Black Hole is lost in space

Four weeks. Four losses. One fired coach. One huge miscalculation. One injured rookie. One hopeless replacement. One doomed placeholder. One more lost season in a stretch of too many of them.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps every game from Week 4 and picks the best player in the NFL. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL Now.

This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be missing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an issue.

Related Content