An eight-year stranglehold on the AFC West is suddenly in jeopardy of being loosened.
The last time the Kansas City Chiefs failed to win the division, Patrick Mahomes was still in college. Now, the Chiefs have an invigorated challenger on their tail and entering the race for the division crown.
Kansas City Chiefs Fall While Denver Broncos Continue Stampede
The defending Super Bowl champions, who have claimed first in the AFC West from 2016 to present, are starting to see their run of division titles shaken.
This time, Josh Allen and a struggling Buffalo Bills bunch rolled into Arrowhead Stadium and earned an emotional 20-17 win over the Chiefs in a game where Kansas City lost their emotions on camera. The first incident involved the defense and All-Pro Chris Jones.
Chris Jones exchanging words with coaches on the sideline during that #Chiefs touchdown drive 😳#ChiefsKingdom | #NFL
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 10, 2023
Then the second case was a rare situation of lost control on Mahomes’ end.
#Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes LOSES IT on the sideline at the end of the game 😳
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 11, 2023
Meanwhile, out on the West Coast, the Denver Broncos pummeled a struggling Los Angeles Chargers team 24-7 in Inglewood, Calif. In the process, the Broncos are back above .500 after taking a loss to the Houston Texans one week before.
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Now at 7-6 overall, Denver is one game behind the Chiefs — creating new intrigue for the AFC West division race.
“It was one of our better team wins this year,” head coach Sean Payton told reporters post-game.
Quarterback Russell Wilson fired off a more poignant message to AJ Ross of CBS Sports after the game.
“The culture’s changing, and we believe in each other,” Wilson said.
"The culture's changing and we believe in each other."
– Russell Wilson telling @AJRoss_TV about where the @Broncos are at pic.twitter.com/OCIs0RzZFt
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 11, 2023
Meanwhile, back in K.C., Mahomes appeared to be heated over the final offensive play. Kadarius Toney scored a potential late touchdown that was wiped away due to being called with the rare offsides penalty on the offense, as officials believed Toney wasn’t lined up properly behind the line of scrimmage.
It’s the second straight week a Chiefs loss ended controversially, as their loss to the Green Bay Packers witnessed a questionable defensive pass interference call. Mahomes sounded off after the game with reporters.
“Let us play the game, then whatever happens happens. That’s why last week, I didn’t say anything. Let us play,” Mahomes said. “You want it to be about your team and their team — and see what happens. I want to go play … then see what happens at the end. Then, I can live with the results.”
But did Toney’s mistake spark his outburst?
“The flag today was tough. Offensive offsides. You point to the ref, you’re good or not good. You have a discussion. That’s the ref’s job. For him to throw that flag, no explanation or anything. I saw the picture. He’s barely offside. It didn’t affect the play at all. At all,” Mahomes said.
Who Has the Highest Chance of Wrapping Up the Division Title?
Looking ahead to the final four-game stretch, only one has the easier path to the AFC West crown. But who is it between the Chiefs and Broncos?
On Kansas City’s end, the Chiefs do get a New England Patriots team officially eliminated from the playoffs. However, the Pats put a halt to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ postseason hopes with the Thursday Night Football upset.
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The schedule, though, eases up in two of the remaining three games. They host the now 5-8 Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas Day before welcoming back the Cincinnati Bengals to Arrowhead. The season ends with a road trip against a Los Angeles Chargers team facing a potential head coaching change. Overall, K.C. gets three of four teams with eight losses left on their schedule.
Do the Broncos face the tougher road? Denver has the NFC North leaders the Detroit Lions next — but a Lions team that was stunned 28-13 by the Chicago Bears. The Broncos then host the 10-loss Patriots on Christmas Eve before closing out the season against the Chargers at home, and then on the road versus the Raiders.
Guess what? Denver also has three teams under .500 left over, but they end up getting their toughest remaining opponent first and out of the way immediately before closing out with those said teams.
And if it comes down to both teams being 11-6, it’s Denver who holds the tiebreaker off of beating K.C. in the second meeting back on Oct. 29.
Kansas City’s eight-year clutch on the AFC West is starting to endure a looser grip. Ironically, 2015 represents the last year the Broncos won the division. Now, Denver has emerged as the one threatening to untighten the Chiefs’ hold.
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