2015 AFC West Betting Odds And Preview

Can the Broncos' offensive line give an aging Peyton Manning the time he needs? (Photo credit: Jeffrey Beall / Foter / CC BY-SA)


Once known as one of the toughest divisions in the NFL (all four teams are above .500 in franchise history), the AFC West isn’t exactly Murderer’s Row anymore.

Denver has been the dominant team in the division of late, winning the past four AFC West titles. And it looks like that will be the case again this season, where the Broncos might be the only team in the division to finish with a winning record.

Let’s dig into the 2015 AFC West betting odds a bit deeper:

DENVER

There aren’t many places where a 12-4 season can be classified as a disappointment, but that was the case last year in Denver. The Broncos fell apart down the stretch and were humiliated by the Colts in their first playoff game.

Denver’s biggest concern has to be the status of Peyton Manning, who was awful in the final month of the season as he battled a torn squad injury. He’s basically a statue in the pocket and the Broncos’ offensive line isn’t exactly a fortress, so it could be a challenge to keep Manning upright. Manning will also have to do without Julius Thomas this year, so the Broncos better be able to run the ball in new coach Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking scheme.

Denver will run a new defensive system this year, switching to a 3-4. That should free up Von Miller to form a fearsome pass-rush tandem with DeMarcus Ware. The Broncos do look a bit weak at safety and inside linebacker, though.

The Broncos will be tested early and often this year with games against Baltimore, Detroit, Green Bay, Indianapolis, New England, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati — in addition to division games against the Chargers and Chiefs. Twelve wins is very unlikely this year in Denver, but the Broncos should still comfortably win the AFC West.

KANSAS CITY

Halfway through last season, the Chiefs appeared on their way to a second straight playoff appearance. But they lost four of their last six games to finish 9-7 and out of the post-season.

The biggest culprit was offence — QB Alex Smith did not throw a single TD pass to a wide receiver all year — and the Chiefs hope they’ve addressed that this year with the signing of WR Jeremy Maclin. However, there aren’t many weapons on the KC offence besides Maclin and Jamaal Charles, and the offensive line appears to have gotten worse.

Defensively, KC also has line issues that don’t seem to have been resolved. The Chiefs can rush the passer with the best of them, but that won’t matter if Kansas City allows more than 2,000 rushing yards for the second straight year.

The Chiefs’ four games of the season include visits to the Texans, Packers and Bengals, with a home game against Denver mixed in. There’s a strong chance KC’s AFC West title hopes are gone before the calendar turns to October.

SAN DIEGO

The Chargers were one of the most up and down teams in the NFL last season. They opened with a 5-1 record, then split their next six before losing three of their last four to miss the playoffs.

San Diego is always dangerous with QB Philip Rivers at the helm, and he should have better protection from an improved offensive line. The Chargers have also upgraded at both the RB and WR positions.

Defence looks like an issue in San Diego, however. The Chargers’ defensive line is mediocre, as is the linebacking corps, though the secondary is strong.

The Chargers benefit from a few easier games on their schedule (Cleveland, Chicago and Jacksonville), but a .500 season appears to be a more realistic goal than an AFC West title.

OAKLAND

The Raiders actually showed some signs of potential last year, going 3-3 in their final six games after an 0-10 start.

QB Derek Carr has a new weapon in WR Amari Cooper, drafted from Alabama, and Oakland has a decent offensive line. But there isn’t much else to scare opposing defences.

The Raiders can rush the passer and have a solid set of linebackers, but their secondary is aging (see Exhibit A: 39-year-old Charles Woodson) and can be exploited.

New coach Jack Del Rio will have his hands full with non-divisional games against the Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, Lions and Packers. Considering the Raiders’ season win total has been set at 5.5, we suggest you don’t even think about taking Oakland at the huge price on the AFC West betting odds.

2015 AFC West Betting Odds At Pinnacle Sports

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