With big moves coming out of the AFC West this week, it’s shaking up to be the best in the NFL. Read to find out three big predictions for the division this season.
Three bold AFC West predictions
Two huge trades in the AFC West have rocked the NFL world and changed the dynamic of the division as a whole. One of the biggest quarterback trades in the NFL has sent Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos while the Chargers have seriously bolstered their defense by trading for EDGE Khalil Mack.
Both these trades have huge implications for the future of the division and it just got a lot more competitive than it already was. Here are a few big predictions for the 2022 season out of the AFC West.
Broncos will finish with at least 11 wins
Denver filled in the huge missing piece to the puzzle by trading for longtime Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson’s accolades speak for themselves and after the Broncos missed out after their big push for Aaron Rodgers, they’ve got the next best option under center.
Wilson is a Super Bowl champion and 9x Pro-bowler who brings veteran leadership, success and experience; something the Broncos have seriously been lacking since Peyton Manning’s retirement after their Super Bowl victory.
The Broncos showed a lot more promise last season than in recent years, and it seems like skill and experience at the quarterback position was the one area they were really lacking in. They have an excellent young receiving core and a defense that was rated in the top tier by PFF at the end of the 2021 season.
Yes, they may look like the 3rd best team in the division on paper, but count this team out at your own risk. The Broncos are better than their 2021 record indicates, and now they’ve just filled in the biggest position gap they possibly could. The sky is the limit for the Broncos in 2022.
Chargers will miss the playoffs again
The Los Angeles Chargers are the most disappointing team with the best roster. Their failure to make the playoffs last season cemented that in spades.
From Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen to Joey Bosa and Derwin James, there is so much talent on this Chargers team on both sides of the ball. Now, they’ve just added another defensive juggernaut in 2016 DPOY and 3x First-team All-Pro Khalil Mack.
Mack will bring an electricity to the Chargers defense that has the potential to make them the best defensive front in the NFL.
However, old habits die hard and with how competitive the AFC West is, coupled with the Chargers’ inability to win consistently, they have to do a lot to prove that they’re a legitimate Super Bowl contender. 9 wins isn’t going to cut it again in terms of making the postseason, and the Chargers will have to seriously separate themselves from the competition if they want to make noise in 2022.
Mahomes will win MVP
For virtually any other quarterback, the numbers Patrick Mahomes put up in 2021 would be a career year. In the regular season he threw for over 4800 passing yards and 37 touchdowns.
However, for Mahomes, last year was a disappointment. After a subpar start to the regular season, and a near loss in the divisional round, the Chiefs ended their 2021 campaign by choking at home in the AFC Conference Championship.
Mahomes will be back with a vengeance in 2022, and he’s ready to prove that last year wasn’t even close to his best football. The goal for the Chiefs is not in question: win another Super Bowl. 2022 will see Mahomes exceed the numbers from his MVP season in 2018.
He shouldn’t be phased by the moves out of the AFC West this season as Mahomes has proved he can cut through any defense with authority. 2022 will be Patty’s best season yet, and the Chiefs are letting the league know that they’re not going anywhere.
