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(CBS Denver) — The Kansas City Chiefs person returned to the apical of the AFC West standings. They’re not the squad that blew done opponents the past 2 seasons, but they are uncovering ways to bushed the teams they should. Four consecutive wins person moved the Chiefs to 7-4. That’s 1 triumph up of the remainder of the division. The Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos person each recovered their mode to 6-5.
Week 13 matchups could supply a small separation for the Chiefs. Or they could simply jumble the standings, without truly changing much. The Chargers effort to bounce backmost against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Raiders look the the Washington Football Team successful a matchup of teams gaining late-season momentum. And the Broncos look to extremity the Chiefs’ winning streak. All 4 AFC West teams volition beryllium hoping for astatine slightest a stock of the part lead.
SportsLine‘s Larry Hartstein breaks down AFC West matchups successful Week 13.
All times listed are Eastern.
Los Angeles Chargers @ Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, December 5, 1:00 p.m. connected CBS
The Chargers started disconnected the play strong, figuring retired however to get the adjacent wins that had antecedently eluded them. But they’ve struggled immoderate lately, astir precocious falling 28-13 to the Broncos successful Week 12. Justin Herbert threw for 303 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was besides picked disconnected twice, 1 of which was returned for a touchdown. Austin Ekeler’s 12 carries lone led to a meager 31 yards.
The Chargers present look a Bengals squad that dominated the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers a week ago. Joe Mixon ran for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns connected 28 carries. Joe Burrow had a much humble afternoon, going an businesslike 20-24 for 190 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.
The timing seems mediocre for the Chargers, with Cincinnati firing connected each cylinders. But the world whitethorn beryllium rather the opposite.
“I deliberation this is simply a truly bully spot for them,” said Hartstein, “because Cincinnati is astatine the apical of the marketplace value. They could not person looked immoderate better. Teams coming disconnected blowout wins of much than 30-plus points historically a precise mediocre ATS stake the adjacent week, wherever arsenic the Chargers coming disconnected a precise down performance. And I deliberation this is simply a bully spot, due to the fact that Austin Ekeler should person a monster day. The Bengals truly conflict defending moving backs retired of the backfield. They person not faced immoderate moving backmost of his caliber catching the ball. I deliberation they support it close. I’ll instrumentality the tract goal. If it goes up to 3.5 oregon four, I’m decidedly taking the Chargers.”
Washington Football Team @ Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, December 5, 4:05 p.m.
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The Raiders entered their Thanksgiving Day crippled against the Cowboys arsenic large underdogs. And they near with the overtime win. It wasn’t the prettiest of wins, however. The Raiders committed 14 penalties for 110 yards, and they allowed Dak Prescott to propulsion for 209 yards successful the 4th fourth alone. Five drives ended successful tract goals. Even so, Derek Carr threw for 373 yards and a touchdown, going 24-39. Josh Jacobs had 22 carries for 89 yards.
The Raiders volition look a Washington Football Team that has pulled itself backmost into the NFC East race. It’s astir caller triumph came implicit the Seattle Seahawks connected Monday evening. Again, it wasn’t pretty. Thought the WFT defence has improved upon its early-season woes, it fto Russell Wilson march the magnitude of the tract for a touchdown successful the past 2 minutes. Only an interception connected a two-point conversion effort prevented apt overtime. Taylor Heinicke kept plays live with his elusiveness, but helium struggled to enactment the shot successful the extremity zone. Antonio Gibson piled up 111 yards, but helium needed 29 carries to bash it.
“It’s a large matchup,” according to Hartstein, “because the Raiders seemingly person figured things out. But present nary Darren Waller is simply a immense loss. They don’t truly person a batch of different large targets, different than Hunter Renfro. And Washington has won 3 straight. Since the bye, they’re a wholly antithetic team. This is going to beryllium a adjacent game. Right now. I’m going to walk connected the broadside of this game. I can’t hold to ticker it, due to the fact that I deliberation we person 2 teams that could some marque the playoffs.”
Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, December 5, 8:20 p.m.
The Chiefs are looking a small much similar the squad everyone expected aft winning the AFC the past 2 years. A unsmooth docket aboriginal was followed by immoderate mediocre performances, including a 27-3 disappearing enactment against the Tennessee Titans successful precocious October. But the Chiefs haven’t mislaid since. They’ve reeled disconnected 4 consecutive wins to gaffe into the AFC West lead. And they’ve done it with a small assistance from the defence and the tally game. Patrick Mahomes has besides looked amended astatine times, astir notably throwing for 406 yards and 5 TDs successful their 41-14 shellacking of the Raiders a fewer weeks back. His struggles continue, however.
The Chiefs are coming disconnected a bye, and their remaining docket is filled with games against AFC contenders, including 4 against teams successful their division. That starts against the Broncos this coming Monday.
The Broncos topped the Chargers successful Week 12, thanks, successful ample part, to 147 yards connected the ground. Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams combined for astir of that. Denver’s passing game, led by Teddy Bridgewater, isn’t among the league’s much productive. They mean 223.7 yards per game, which puts them successful the bottommost fractional of NFL offenses. The stout Broncos defense, apical 10 successful presumption of yards and points allowed, contained Ekeler, though Herbert was capable to determination the shot done the air.
The Broncos lucifer up good with the Chiefs for the archetypal of their meetings this season. Add successful the rivalry origin and the choky part race, and this becomes a person matchup than the existent dispersed mightiness suggest.
“It’s hard to laic double-digits against Teddy Bridgewater,” Hartstein notes. “He’s 19-4 against the dispersed arsenic a roadworthy underdog. And adjacent if the Chiefs were to spell up by 17 points, helium tin get you done the backdoor to astatine slightest propulsion the 10-point spread. Denver has a large walk defense, oregon I should accidental an supra mean walk defense. And that’s what you request erstwhile you’re facing the Chiefs. The squad that bushed Denver successful this four-game triumph streak was Philly, and they ran for 216 yards, 5.5 yards per carry. The Chiefs are not acceptable up to bash that. Denver is really designed good to halt what Kansas City does. And Javonte Williams, this moving backmost for Denver, is truthful breathtaking to watch. Teddy’s besides got a truly bully formed of receivers and a bully mates bully choky ends. I deliberation Denver keeps it close. I’m taking the points.”
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