Last week was not a good week picking AFC West teams in a pick'em pool. In a straight pick'em (no odds), only the Oakland Raiders and the San Diego Chargers provided a win among the AFC West teams. The Broncos, obviously, were on the wrong side of that Raiders victory, while the Kansas City Chiefs were upset and blown out by the Buffalo Bills at home. The Chargers needed a comeback in the second half of their game with the Minnesota Vikings, but they did not cover spread.
Let's take an early stab at how this week's slate of AFC West games will turn out:
Oakland Raiders vs. Buffalo Bills (-3.5): Though both teams are 1-0, the Bills' start is the more surprising. They went into Arrowhead Stadium and defeated the Chiefs, 41-7. Were they just playing over their heads or have they made leaps from their 4-12 season? The Raiders defeated the Broncos by just three points, but they looked more cohesive than their opponent. Will traveling across the country affect them? Pick: Bills
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions (-9): Were the Chiefs just a product of a poor Week 1 performance or is this team in trouble. Matt Cassel is not the most inspiring quarterback and the team lost safety Eric Berry to a torn ACL for the season. They will face a hot Matthew Stafford who just three touchdown passes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Pick: Lions
San Diego Chargers vs. New England Patriots (-7): The Chargers needed Mike Tolbert to help with a second half comeback victory over the Minnesota Vikings. It also helped that Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb fell apart in the second half and had just 39 passing yards. Tom Brady threw for over 500 yards in his game against the Dolphins, including a 99-yard pass to Wes Welker. Pick: Patriots
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos (-3.5): Injuries to Champ Bailey and others and fans already calling for Tim Tebow are certainly not the way to start off the season. Coupled with a loss to the Raiders, the Broncos have not started off right. The Bengals' quarterback situation is uncertain with a wrist injury to Andy Dalton. Will Dalton or Gradkowski be able to defeat a Broncos team that should be angry while playing this game? Pick: Broncos