With Week 8 almost in the rearview, what did we learn from our friends in the AFC West? Huge games from the Chargers and Broncos, and the Chiefs, well, they’re back to Chief’n like they haven’t Chief’d in a while. The Raiders, meanwhile, narrowly escaped another loss thanks to the BYE WEEK, and look to right the ship heading into Week 9.
More detail, you say? FINE. Here are my AFC West notes for Week 8 – smoked to perfection.
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Los Angeles Chargers
Oct 19, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws a pass against the Indianapolis Colts at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Herbert dominates.
Justin Herbert was in total command, going 18-of-25 for 227 yards, 3 TDs and a 122.8 passer rating, plus 62 rushing yards; the scores went to Ladd McConkey (6-88-1), Oronde Gadsden II (5-77-1) and Tre’ Harris. He averaged 9.1 yards per attempt with a 96.2 QBR and was sacked just twice. The Chargers didn’t even need to punt as they kept stacking scoring drives. After Minnesota briefly cut it to 24-10, Herbert guided a 12-play, 73-yard touchdown march to reassert control. Big boy game for Justin, on the national (kinda) stage.
Defense smothered the pass and the run.
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Los Angeles held Minnesota to 164 total yards on 3.5 yards per play, including just 34 rushing yards on 11 attempts. Through the air, the Vikings mustered 130 net passing yards and were sacked five times for 27 yards while going 3-for-11 on third down. The rush and coverage worked together: the Bolts logged 5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and 8 QB hitsMinnesota had only 10 drives and one red-zone snap all night.Yes, it’s Carson Wentz. But still. This unit needed this, and it was right on time.
A true “get-right” game.
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Four days after a humbling defeat, the Chargers snapped a skid of three losses in four with a clinical 37-10 win. They dominated situational football – 9-of-13 on third down, 39:04 time of possession – and ran for 207 yards behind Kimani Vidal (23-117-1) and Herbert’s legs (7-62). The balance showed up in 29 first downs and 419 total yards (212 passing, 207 rushing). That’s the sustainable template as they chase the AFC West lead.
Denver Broncos
Oct 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) reacts as he walks off the field after a victory against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Bo Nix was amazing (again).
Bo carved up the Dallas defense, finishing 19-of-29 for 247 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, and a 117.4 rating – and he wasn’t sacked. He spread it around with scores to Troy Franklin (6-89-2), Pat Bryant (2-40-1,) and RJ Harvey (receiving TD). Denver’s offense averaged 7.5 yards per play, went 5-of-8 on third down and 4-of-5 in the red zone. It marked the Broncos’ fifth straight win and another poised, efficient outing from Nix, who’s looking hella comfy in Payton’s offense.
J.K. Dobbins & RJ Harvey are finding a rhythm.
Dobbins set the tone with 15 carries for 111 yards (7.4 YPC), while Harvey added seven carries for 46 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Harvey also caught a TD for the hat trick as Denver piled up 179 rushing yards at 6.4 per carry. The run game featured explosive longs of 25 (Dobbins) and 40 (Harvey), constantly tilting leverage in early downs. That ground punch kept Dallas off balance and opened up Denver’s play-action and shot plays to the tune of four scores through the air. One word – balance.
Defense was tremendous vs. an elite offense.
Dallas entered Week 8 leading the NFL in total offense and ranked No. 2 in scoring. Denver’s response: “Hold my beer.” The Orange Crush held the Cowboys to 24 points (17, really) and just 5.0 yards per play. The Broncos intercepted Dak Prescott twice and limited him to 188 yards with zero TD passes (Dallas’ lone TD throw came from Joe Milton III late). They got off the field in the big moments (Cowboys 4-for-11 on third down) and held the run to 3.5 per carry. Despite All-Pro CB Patrick Surtain II exiting at halftime with a shoulder injury and not returning, the rest of the defense held up (hello, Jahdae Barron) and hammered a statement win.
Kansas City Chiefs
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Patrick Mahomes leads the Kansas City Chiefs to a win in the AFC Championship Game. | David Eulitt/Getty Images
Mahomes dominates (two INTs didn’t matter).
Patrick Mahomes threw two first-half interceptions in a 7-7 game, then came out of the locker room and tossed three touchdowns to pull away, finishing with a 100+ passer rating and feeding Travis Kelce (6-99-1) and Rashee Rice (8-90-1). Kansas City piled up 432 total yards while going a perfect 4-for-4 in the red zone, reflecting how clean the operation became after halftime. The Chiefs punted once all night, underscoring sustained efficiency despite the early miscues. The second half was the difference: Mahomes led three straight TD drives to start the third and early fourth quarters, flipping a tie into a runaway.
Long, methodical second-half drives bled the game out.
Out of intermission, Kansas City strung together touchdown marches of 8 plays/80 yards (4:48), 8 plays/75 yards (4:45), and 13 plays/94 yards (7:02). That ball control produced a 34:03 to 25:57 advantage in time of possession and a 26-14 edge in first downs. The Chiefs finished 4-for-4 in the red zone and never gave Washington a short field, which is why the 21-0 second-half scoreboard felt inevitable. In short, Kansas City won the pace and the clock after halftime, and the Commanders never recovered.
Mike Danna and the defense wrecked Washington’s plan.
Kansas City held Washington to 260 total yards, 60 rushing yards (3.0 per carry), and a goose egg after halftime. Mike Danna filled the stat sheet with a sack, an interception, a pass deflection, and a QB hit, while George Karlaftis added a sack as the Chiefs totaled two on the night. The Commanders ran only 52 plays and had the ball for just 25:57, with their lone touchdown coming before the break. After halftime, it was clamps: no points, minimal splash, and constant disruption at or behind the sticks.
Las Vegas Raiders
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) evades a tackle from Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman (32) during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) evades a tackle from Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman (32) during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium – Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Build the offensive identity around Ashton Jeanty.
Through seven games, the rookie has handled 111 carries for 445 yards with 15 receptions – he’s been your most bankable touch player when drives have looked disjointed. His usage correlates with your best offensive stretches (e.g., 23 carries in the Week 6 win) and gives you a downhill anchor to marry with play-action and Brock Bowers’ middle-of-the-field work. The bye is the moment to make Jeanty the first read of the game plan: under-center runs, duo/power on early downs, and screens to punish heavy boxes. If you want a “who we are” pillar, it starts with #2, touching it 20+ times and forcing defenses to adjust.
Situational football has to flip: turnovers, red zone, and key downs.
You hit the break at 2-5 with a -5 turnover margin – too many empty possessions for an offense still finding itself. In the red zone, the touchdown rate is last in the league (38.9%), which is why sustained drives are stalling into field-goal attempts or nothing at all. Defensively, opponents are converting 37.9% on third down (middling), and it’s where close games are decided. A realistic Week 9 checklist: win the turnover battle by one, target 60% TDs in the red area with Jeanty/Bowers as primary finishers, and hold Jacksonville to ≤35% on third down.
Culture check during the bye – and the Pete Carroll question.
Week 8 is a scheduled reset after the 31-0 loss at Kansas City, and it lands eight games into Pete Carroll’s first season in Las Vegas. Carroll was hired in January with a reputation for energizing buildings and constructing clear identities; at 2–5, the urgency is to show that on the field now, not in 2026. Midseason firings rarely stabilize young cores, but the standard should be unmistakable: cleaner operation, visible buy-in, and fewer self-inflicted wounds starting with Jacksonville in Week 9. If those markers don’t move, the “Is this working?” conversation only gets louder. The bye gives Carroll and staff a real shot to recalibrate it.
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