Last place in an NFL division is supposed to be reserved for the overmatched and the quarterback-less.
And yet as the Denver Broncos fumbled away two would-be touchdowns, mismanaged the fourth-quarter clock and saw a 64-yard field goal attempt sail wide as time expired to seal a Week 1 loss, a strange thought crept in the brain: Is this the win-that-got-away that will decide last place in the AFC West at the end of the season?
Expectations are that the AFC West could be historically good this season, especially if quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers), Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders) and Russell Wilson (Broncos) stay healthy. With three wild cards in the expanded 14-team playoff format, it is possible for an entire division to make the postseason for the first time in NFL history, but is far more likely that one loaded team will go home after Week 18 wondering …
“How did we finish last?”
