It seems former players and pundits simply cannot wait to pick against the Kansas City Chiefs. Before the summer has even begun, Kansas City has already been provided with endless bulletin board material. Headlines the team really doesn't need to lean on for motivation, understanding they are the best team in the conference and have the ceiling of being Super Bowl champions for the third time in four years.
With this in mind, what former Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman had to say should be taken with a heavy grain of salt. The former linebacker insisted that his take had nothing to do with his allegiance while insisting it would be the Los Angeles Chargers winning the AFC West.
Former Chiefs Rival Shawne Merriman Had a Bad Prediction for How the AFC West Finishes in 2025
One could argue that before the Chargers are picked to win the AFC West, they should be able to beat the Chiefs in at least one game of note. As great a head coach as Harbaugh might be, the Chiefs still have the decided advantage with Andy Reid. The debate isn't close when it comes to Herbert vs. Mahomes, and the Kansas City defense remains the more talented unit.
With how often the Chiefs have beaten the Chargers in recent years, this isn't simply a bad take it is a disrespectful one. It seems Kansas City is going to continue to be taunted and overlooked by the same pundits who continually pick the Bills, Bengals, or Ravens only to be consistently frustrated and disappointed.
At least with Merriman, it is an understandable loyalty to the respected linebacker's former team. Still, it seems predictions aren't a strong skill set for the former Charger. It is easy to make the argument that the Chiefs should be more concerned with the rebuilding Raiders or Sean Payton's Broncos over the Chargers. There always seems to be a moment when Patrick Mahomes is going to be the deciding factor, and Herbert has no counter.
The Raiders have the wrinkle of adding Geno Smith and Pete Carroll, while the Broncos continue to take steps forward under Payton. While none of the three teams are true threats to the dominance of Kansas City, both of these teams are a bit more unknown than Los Angeles.
Until proven otherwise, there is simply no reason to believe the Chiefs are going to be unseated in a division they have owned. As long as Mahomes is healthy and Reid is coaching, any other conclusion is simply disrespectful.