Broncos in the AFC West: Rivals' Biggest Weaknesses Entering 2023
The AFC West will be as competitive as ever in 2023. All four teams made moves to help them on their quest for divisional supremacy this offseason, whether in free agency, the NFL draft, or a shake-up in coaching.
Luckily for the Denver Broncos, their division rivals have some deficiencies they can exploit to best them on gameday. Here’s a look at the biggest weaknesses around the AFC West and what Denver needs to exploit to reclaim the throne it's surrendered post-Super Bowl 50.
Las Vegas Raiders
Weakness: Coaching
As long as Josh McDaniels leads the Raiders every Sunday, they are destined to stumble into mediocrity. McDaniels led his squad to a 6-11 record last year before shipping Derek Carr to New Orleans, and aggravating star wideout Davante Adams.
It's as if McDaniels trying to copy and paste what he did in Denver with Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall. Carr was the franchise’s leader in passing yards and touchdowns. Jimmy Garoppolo will now take the reigns of the offense… or will he?
Garoppolo's foot injury puts that in doubt, as the Raiders could cut him if he doesn’t show up to training camp healthy, and we already know he has a tough time making it through a season. The Raiders' free agency splash could very well be a flop.
Vegas' secondary lacks star power as well. Outside of Nate Hobbs, there isn’t a cornerback that Denver would lose any sleep over. Trevon Moehrig is a solid safety, but he won’t be able to make up for the lack of talent around him.
But before Broncos fans go dismissing Vegas, remember the Raiders have swept the Broncos in each of the past two seasons.
Los Angeles Chargers
Weakness: Rushing Defense
The Chargers also employ a head coach that is holding them back. Brandon Staley is a defensive-minded head coach, yet he still can’t assemble a semblance of a rush defense.
In the last two seasons under Staley, the Chargers ranked bottom five in rushing yards allowed, fifth worst in 2022, and the worst yards per carry with 5.4 yards per attempt. That’s abysmal for a defensive line that boasts Joey Bosa, Khalil Mack, and Sebastian Joseph Day.
In fairness, Bosa only played in five games last year with a groin injury. Regardless, the run defense has been a glaring issue for L.A., and nothing the Chargers have done this offseason should lead anyone to believe they will be any better in that respect.
Kansas City Chiefs
Weakness: Pass Rush
It is hard to find a weakness in a Super Bowl-winning squad, but the Chiefs' pass rush could prove to be an issue with Frank Clark now in Denver. George Karlaftis had a fine rookie campaign with six sacks but is still young and unproven.
The Chiefs' first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a strong and intense playmaker but needs to learn to control that energy to be a more efficient pass rusher. There is a lot of potential with Anudike, but he is a raw rookie without a veteran to help guide him.
Clark would’ve been a solid mentor for Karlaftis and Anudike, but Kansas City cut him in early March, and the Broncos signed him this summer. A young group of unproven pass rushers could hold Kansas City's defense back.
Bottom Line
The AFC West will be as competitive as ever in 2023, and the Broncos must target the weaknesses of their rivals. The road to the playoffs has speed bumps, and Denver must shift gears if it wants to ride high once again.
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