Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Why Chiefs Won't Be Threatened Anytime Soon

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Fernando Alfaro-Donis | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 11:30 AM ET

The AFC West got more difficult this year for the Kansas City Chiefs; there's no doubt about that. Every team in this division has gotten more talented, and all of them are gunning to be divisional leaders.

Three teams in this division made the playoffs last year, although the Chiefs were the only ones to make it out of the first round. Nonetheless, playoff experience is great for any team, and the one team that didn't massively improve its roster in the offseason.

This year, it looks harder than ever for the Chiefs to maintain their nearly decade-long streak of dominance over the AFC West. And yet, there seems to be a general consensus among analysts that this year, nothing changes.

Divisional Leader

The staff at CBS Sports compiled their predictions on who they think will be the divisional leaders in 2025. For the AFC West, everyone predicted the Chiefs would continue to hold the crown despite the increased level of competition.

"The Chiefs won 15 games last year as the least-explosive offense in the NFL. That's right: the very least. Kansas City will be better at left tackle, which was a disaster last year, and the receiving corps is exciting -- and will be much more than that when Rashee Rice returns from suspension. The defense is still more than good enough, too", said Zach Pereles.

The Chiefs' offense in 2025 has a lot of potential to be the explosive, league-altering phenomenon it was when Patrick Mahomes first stepped onto the scene, and he had a prime Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. That was their offensive peak, and while I don't think it could reach the same heights, it could have similar types of production.

Besides, even with the least explosive offense in the NFL last season, they only dropped one game against a divisional foe, and that was the last game of the season against the Denver Broncos, where they were resting their starters in preparation for the playoffs.

"Denver is a legitimate sleeper, but I'm not picking against Patrick Mahomes until they actually fall. The fact that Kansas City seems to have fixed the left side of its O-line is an underrated story", added Tyler Sullivan.

Josh Simmons already looks to be one of the biggest steals of the draft due to his preseason performance, but if he can sustain that play and remain healthy throughout the course of an NFL season, the Chiefs have found their franchise left tackle for the foreseeable future.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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