Chiefs Have Few Worries, if Any, in the AFC West

The Kansas City Chiefs have been arguably the best team in the league over the last half-decade.

While their success is measured in Super Bowl championships, the Chiefs' winning the AFC West for nine consecutive seasons is also impressive. The teams' dominance over the division has been resounding.

Judy Battista of ESPN ranked each of the division champions from last season, starting with which one was the most vulnerable. Battista believes the Chiefs have little to worry about, as she ranked them as the seventh-least vulnerable division champion, out of all eight.

"The Chiefs have won their division a staggering nine seasons in a row, and last year they won it by four games. So why are they not the least vulnerable? Well, bluntly, the other teams in the AFC West appear to be more of a challenge than the other teams in the AFC East. The Chargers and Broncos both made the playoffs last season as wild cards, Los Angeles after a significant first-year turnaround under coach Jim Harbaugh and Denver with a successful rookie season from quarterback Bo Nix," Battista said.

Battista noted that the Las Vegas Raiders also improved this offseason. While there is still a large gap between the Chiefs and the Raiders, Las Vegas is the last team to beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. The Raiders won that game without completing a pass after the first quarter.

"The Raiders, now with Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith, should also be vastly improved. I can’t pick against a team that features Andy Reid, Steve Spagnuolo, and Patrick Mahomes, though. Maybe the Chiefs will wind up with a few more losses than they had last season (two) because the division games should be much tougher. But four games is still a wide margin, and as long as Mahomes is upright, the Chiefs will cast a long shadow," Battista said.

Kansas City is ready to get the show on the road after a subpar performance in the Super Bowl. Soon, the Chiefs will have a chance to wipe the taste out of their mouth that came from their loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Be sure to follow us on X (Twitter) @KCChiefsOnSI and @Domminchella to never miss another breaking news story again.

Click here to let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.