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Kansas City Chiefs: AFC West is a toss-up in 2018

By Leigh Oleszczak

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 10: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (57) and defensive end Rakeem Nunez-Roches (99) celebrate holding Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch (24) to a 1-yard gain in the second quarter of an AFC West showdown between the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs on December 10, 2017 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 10: Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (57) and defensive end Rakeem Nunez-Roches (99) celebrate holding Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch (24) to a 1-yard gain in the second quarter of an AFC West showdown between the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs on December 10, 2017 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Denver Broncos (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
Denver Broncos (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

The Kansas City Chiefs have a good chance to win their third straight AFC West, but the other three teams have a decent shot at taking the division too. What are reasons each team could and couldn’t win the division?

Kansas City Chiefs fans expect their team to win the AFC West this year, which would be their third straight year sitting at the top of the division. The only problem is that this year is about as wide open of a year in the division as there has been in recent years.

For half a decade, the Broncos owned the AFC West and it didn’t seem like they’d ever relinquish that title. Finally, the Chiefs finally took the crown and kept it going in  2017 as well. Will they win the division this year?

Well, let’s go through each team in the AFC West and list why they could (or couldn’t) win the division. We’ll start from the bottom of the division last year and work our way up to the top dogs.

DENVER BRONCOS

WHY THEY CAN WIN THE AFC WEST

The Broncos still have a pretty solid defense even if it’s not that once dominant unit we saw in 2015. Aqib Talib is gone, but the Broncos still have Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby in the secondary. Their secondary is probably still the best in the AFC West honestly.

Oh, not to mention they have Von Miller at linebacker and lucked out when Bradley Chubb fell to them in the first round this year. The Denver defense will be better than some people are expecting and in a league where defense is becoming less and less valued, they could surprise people.

In 2015 when the Broncos won the Super Bowl, it was because of their defense. While this year’s team isn’t going to be as legit, it’s one that I believe is being overlooked.

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