Week 15 will be an important one for the AFC West teams. Two divisional games that will have an impact on the playoff picture moving forward. The Broncos lead the West by two games, but the Chargers need wins to stay in the hunt, and the Chiefs are on the verge of being eliminated.
Here’s a look at this week’s AFC West matchups.
Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday 1:05p.m. EST
The Oakland Raiders are coming off a big win against their bay area rival San Francisco 49ers, 24-13. Derek Carr played his best game the year as the Raiders offense was able to move the ball against a tough Niner defense. The return of Latavius Murray was a big boost for the silver and black as a solid run game was established early on. Defensively, Oakland came to play. Charles Woodson came up with a big interception to seal the win in the fourth quarter, and Colin Kaepernick threw two picks overall. They were also able to put pressure on the Niner QB finishing the game with five sacks. This week, the 2-11 Raiders travel to KC to take on division rival Chiefs; a team they beat the first time around in Week 12.
KC has seen their playoff hopes dissipate ever since their Week 12 loss to the Raiders on Thursday Night Football. Since that loss, the Chiefs have lost back-to-back games against the Broncos and Cardinals to fall to 7-6 on the year. Last week’s loss to a struggling Cardinals team was a big blow to the Chiefs after a crucial lost fumble by Travis Kelce. The Chiefs were leading after the first half, but were shutout in the third and fourth quarter as the Cards completed the comeback for the 17-14 win.
This Chiefs team is also dealing with the news of Eric Berry who has been diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma.
When it comes to this game, the Raiders will look to put the nail in the coffin of the Chiefs playoff hopes, while KC desperately needs to not only win this game, but dominate in every aspect. Arrowhead Stadium is always a tough place for opposing players, and even more so for a divisional game. These two teams always play each other well, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Chiefs respond to their last two losses.
Final Prediction
Raiders 20 Chiefs 21
Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers, Sunday 4:05p.m. EST
The Broncos have won three in a row and lead this division by two games with a 10-3 record. Last week they defeated the Bills 24-17. Peyton Manning was in rare form throwing two picks and ending his streak of 51 games with at least one touchdown pass. The Broncos were able to overcome three turnovers, including two picks from Manning, to beat the Bills. This offense has also been missing Julius Thomas who was listed as active, but didn’t play for the third consecutive week.
As for the Chargers, their playoff hopes are very much alive, but with only two weeks and a logjam of eight-win teams in the AFC, the Chargers need to get back in the win column. They are 8-5 and coming off a 23-14 loss to the New England Patriots. The Chargers were shutout in the second half, which could be a turning point in their season. They lost the first matchup with the Broncos, and now is when every game becomes crucial. San Diego has struggled against some of the better teams throughout the season, but need to step up against their first place rival Sunday.
While the Broncos will look to secure the division, the Chargers hope to keep their playoff hopes in tact. This division has been intriguing throughout the season with three teams in the playoff hunt, but the AFC is a stacked conference and the Chargers need to perform at the high level of their competitors, especially this week.
Final Prediction
Broncos 28 Chargers 21