Why Raiders' Division is Considered one of the Worst, Why it Could Return to High Acclaim

The Las Vegas Raiders could play a pivotal role in what should be a competitive AFC West this season.

Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) embraces Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams (17) after the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

A couple years ago, the Las Vegas Raiders' division, the AFC West, has been considered one of, if not, the best divisions in the NFL.

That is no longer the case. In fact, Nick Shook of NFL.com believes it is one of the worst.

In his recent ranking of all eight divisions, Shook ranked the AFC West seventh, a shocking placement for a division consists of the back-to-back reigning Super Bowl champions and three rising teams in the Raiders, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers.

"When a team establishes itself as a dynasty, it's usually a steep climb out of the shadow for the rest of the franchises in the division," Shook wrote. "This has become the case for the AFC West, where the Chargers' 2023 implosion, the Raiders' ups and downs and the Broncos' whiff on the Russell Wilson trade have made the going rather easy for the Chiefs. Sure, Kansas City didn't just cruise to the playoffs last season, but I'd be foolish to choose anyone other than the Chiefs to win the division for the foreseeable future, which leads me to one question: Can anyone climb out of the muck of mediocrity to challenge K.C. -- or at least find a way to sneak into the playoffs via a wild-card berth? Sean Payton appears to have the Broncos on his preferred path, while Antonio Pierce is embarking on his first full season as a head coach in Las Vegas. Oh, and Jim Harbaugh is now coaching the Chargers. Perhaps this is the year we see the AFC West become more competitive."

Shook does say this division could make a climb this year, and there's reason to believe so. The Raiders and Chargers each have new head coaches, while Payton is in just his second season at the helm in Denver. Pierce brought out glimpses of the Raiders' potential, Harbaugh has prior success coaching in the NFL, having taken the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl just over a decade ago and Payton's Broncos began to make a playoff push toward the end of the 2023 season before ultimately coming up short.

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