AFC West Week 16 Preview

The Kansas City Chiefs separated themselves from the rest of the division after overcoming the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night. But the race is still alive, and the rest of the AFC West teams are all still very much in contention.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have made a tremendous turnaround this season, and they're back to looking like a true title contender.

Despite totaling merely 35 rushing yards in their game against the Tennessee Titans, the Pittsburgh Steelers still managed to pull off a win on Sunday, and in doing so, put themselves above .500 at this point in the season.

With the second-to-worst rushing offense in the league, the Steelers will likely have to focus heavily on their passing game, an area that Kansas City has not been very successful defending, standing at 28th in the league in passing yards allowed per game.

Even so, should the Chiefs perform the way they have throughout this final stretch of the season, they will be claiming a division title for the sixth year in a row this weekend.

Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders

These teams have been battling it out in the lower tier of the division for weeks now, and Sunday's showdown will all but determine who stays alive for a chance at a playoff spot.

Momentum is on the Raiders' side, as Las Vegas just came out on top in a critical game with the Cleveland Browns. The Broncos, on the other hand, were bested by the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15, bringing themselves right back down to an even record.

Las Vegas was the victor in the last meeting between the two teams in October, but the Raiders' offensive starting lineup will be far from the same this time around.

Denver quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was released from the hospital on Monday after suffering a scary head injury in the loss to Cincinnati. Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said on Monday that the QB is "highly unlikely" to play against the Raiders on Sunday.

As was the case on Monday night, it looks like the Raiders and their opponent will be missing some of their key starters in the matchup. With injuries to Johnathan Abram, Denzel Perryman, and a three-game inactive Darren Waller, only time will tell who will be getting the primary reps for Las Vegas on Sunday.

Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans

The Chargers have a solid path to a playoff spot in these final three weeks, and it starts with a game against a very inferior 3-11 Houston Texans team.

We've seen crazy things happen this season, especially as of late, but a Chargers win on Sunday is nearly a guarantee.

The Chargers know they determine their fate for the remainder of the season, so don't count on them overlooking this Texans team.

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