When it comes to football, the NFL’s AFC West Division kicks it old school. The AFC West also runs and passes it old school. All four teams in the division were original AFL franchises when that league formed in 1960, comprising 50 per cent of the league at the time. The AFC West is the only AFC division that is comprised entirely of original AFL teams. Though they’ve consistently remained in the same division since the AFL West was formed in 1960, there’s been plenty of movement among these four teams over the years.
Born the Dallas Texans, in 1963 the franchise relocated and became the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chargers played in Los Angeles in 1960 before moving to San Diego the next season. They’re now back in Los Angeles. The Oakland Raiders took a 13-year sojourn to become the Los Angeles Raiders from 1982-95 before coming back to Oakland. And soon they will be on their way to Las Vegas. Only the Denver Broncos have maintained the same locale and nickname since the team was born.
There’s a big what if where the AFC West is concerned. In 2002, the NFL realigned from four to six divisions and moved the Seattle Seahawks from the AFC West to the NFC West.
Until the Denver Broncos won Super Bowl 50, the AFC West was the only division that hadn’t produced a Super Bowl champion since the 2002 divisional realignment. Meanwhile, the Seahawks took the NFC West by storm. They’ve qualified for postseason play 10 times since 2002, won a dozen playoff games and played in two Super Bowls, winning once, beating the Broncos in the big game.
By contrast, since 2002 the entire AFC West has combined to win 14 playoff games and capture a solitary Super Bowl. If the Seahawks had stayed put, how would the dynamics of the AFC West been altered over the past 15 years? We’ll never know.
Best AFC West Sportsbook Odds
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What Are The AFC West Standings Today
The up to date AFC West standings are right here for your viewing and in recent years the list has always begun with the Denver Broncos, who have won five straight division titles.
How To Make Money Betting On AFC West
Considering that all four AFC West teams have been housed within the same division going all the way back to 1960, the rivalries among this group of four are rich in tradition and often, deep in dislike.
All of these teams have squared off against each other in excess of 110 times. The rivalries go deep, and bad blood is expected every time they battle.
Three times two current AFC West teams have met in a championship game with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. The first was in the last season of the AFL in 1969, when Kansas City stopped Oakland 17-7 right in Oakland in what would be the final game in AFL history. In 1977, Denver posted a 20-17 verdict over the Raiders in the AFC Championship Game and in 1980, the Raiders went into San Diego and stopped the Chargers 34-27 to win the AFC Championship.
All four current AFC West teams have played in the Super Bowl but not one of them was first-time lucky. The Kansas City Chiefs dropped a 35-10 decision to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, while the Packers dumped the Oakland Raiders 33-14 in Super Bowl II. The Denver Broncos fell 27-10 to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XII and actually went 0-4 before winning the Super Bowl. The Los Angeles Chargers also weren't up to task in their lone Super Bowl appearance, hammered 49-26 by the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX.
The Raiders and Chiefs both rebounded to win their second trips to the Super Bowl, leaving San Diego as the only AFC West team without a Super Bowl title.
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