After Sunday’s games, the AFC West race is the tightest of any division in the NFL
Six weeks into the NFL season and the AFC West race is closer than any in the NFL.
The Chargers lost at Baltimore on Sunday, the Raiders hammered the Broncos in Denver and the Chiefs whipped Washington.
That leaves two teams with a 4-2 record (Chargers and Raiders) atop the West, and the other two (Chiefs and Broncos) are a game back at 3-3.
Here’s how things went for the Chiefs’ rivals on Sunday.
Ravens thump Chargers
The Chargers failed to impress in their showdown with the AFC North-leading Ravens on Sunday as Baltimore rolled to 34-6 win.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 22 for 39 passes for 195 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Meanwhile, the Ravens rushed for 187 yards and had three touchdowns.
Coach Brandon Staley told reporters afterward that he likes where his team stands after facing the Cowboys, Chiefs, Raiders, Browns, Ravens and Raiders. Next up is a bye.
“That’s as tough of a stretch as you’re going to face to me in the league,” Staley told reporters. “That stretch is a really tough stretch we went through. I felt like we made it through with our heads held high. Today did not go well. That happens in the NFL. ...
“But we’re going to get on that plane, learn from it and be back for the second half of the season.”
No letdown for Raiders
After a tumultuous week in which coach Jon Gruden resigned amid an email scandal, Las Vegas could not have been blamed for struggling Sunday in Denver.
Instead, the Raiders led by three touchdowns heading into the fourth quarter in Denver and won 34-24.
“If anything what this did it for sure brought us closer together. ... We needed a win bad this week,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr told reporters. “Sometimes when you get punched in the gut it’s hard to bounce back, but we were able to do it.”
Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had 334 passing yards and three touchdowns. But he also threw three interceptions and lost a fumble.
Denver’s defense gave up 426 yards, and as the team’s website noted, Carr completed seven passes of 25 yards or more. In the past three weeks, all losses for the Broncos, they have given up three pass plays of 48 yards or longer.
After a 3-0 start to the season, Denver has lost three straight.
“It can definitely be fixed,” safety Justin Simmons said on the team’s website. “The things that happened today can be fixed. My thing is I feel like I said that almost every week. At a certain point, you can’t just say it. It has to be fixed.”
Elsewhere in the league
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers downed the Bears 24-14, continuing his dominance of Chicago.
Rodgers improved to 22-5 against the Bears in his career and let the Chicago fans know about his dominance. After scoring a touchdown, he could be heard yelling, “I still own you!”
The Arizona Cardinals hammered the Browns 37-14 in Cleveland and they are the last remaining undefeated team at 6-0.
It’s the first time since 1974 the Cardinals have won their first six games to open the season. The franchise was in St. Louis at that time.
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray completed 20 of 30 passes for 220 yards. He also threw four touchdown passes.
The Bengals improved to 4-2 with a 34-11 win in Detroit.
CJ Uzomah caught a 2-yard touchdown pass and while celebrating knocked a fan’s phone to the ground.
The Bengals’ Joe Mixon picked it up and the fan got a special video.
This story was originally published October 17, 2021 at 9:09 PM.
