AFC West Week 2 Preview
All four of the AFC West teams won in Week 1, making the division an early threat to the conference and the rest of the league. Here’s what to look for in Week 2.
Denver Broncos at Jacksonville Jaguars
Denver got off to a slow start in its Week 1 matchup with the New York Giants. Neither team found the end zone in the first quarter, and the major scoring didn’t come until the second half.
The Broncos pulled away in the fourth quarter, though, as Denver left New York with a 27-13 victory.
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had a strong outing in his Broncos debut, throwing for 264 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Melvin Gordon was also a key factor in the offense’s success, as he ran for 101 yards and a TD.
It was a promising NFL debut for No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence on Sunday, but his three interceptions really hurt Jacksonville’s Week 1 chances. Not only that, but the Jaguars' defense could not stop the Houston Texans’ running game, allowing 160 rushing yards.
Jacksonville also had a costly 10 penalties.
The Week 2 contest should be a fairly even matchup, but the edge could go to Denver because of its defense. If Lawrence is to clean up his turnover issues from Week 1, though, the outcome could seem even less predictable.
Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers
The Cowboys surprised many in Week 1 by giving the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay a test that went down to the final seconds.
QB Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper led the way for the offense, with Prescott throwing for 403 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Cooper.
Fortunately for the Los Angeles Chargers, the team was able to limit Washington’s passing game in Week 1, holding the Football Team to just 133 passing yards. That was, of course, largely due to QB Ryan Fitzpatrick leaving the game early with a hip injury.
If Dallas is to keep its momentum from last week going, it could cause trouble for Los Angeles.
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens
Momentum is on the Chiefs’ side in this one, as they come off a comeback win, while Baltimore comes off an overtime loss to the Raiders.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson didn’t exactly put on the performance he is normally capable of, but that cannot be expected to last. Baltimore will also be playing its home opener, so the atmosphere will surely be in its favor.
Kansas City did allow 153 rushing yards against the Browns in Week 1, which isn’t a good sign when going up against a team that just ran for 189 yards on Monday night.
Again, though, the Chiefs already proved they can adapt to any situation, and Baltimore’s defense does not look promising enough to contain the league’s best QB.
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