NFL Week 3 – Once Upon a Time in the West

By Hamish Girvan

The AFC West has become one of the strongest NFL divisions and this week there is a divisional clash between two teams with differing fortunes so far this season. 

Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (Monday 9.25am NZ time)

The 2-0 Kansas City Chiefs travel to the new home ground (a soccer field) to play the 0-2 Los Angeles Chargers (Previously of San Diego)

The Chiefs stunned the NFL world in the first game of the season giving it to the reigning Super Bowl champs the New England Patriots at their own place, on the night they hoisted their championship banner. The following week they accounted for the Philadelphia Eagles albeit in a slight struggle

Led by game manager Alex Smith and rookie running back Kareem Hunt they should on paper win this however The Chargers are one of the hard luck stories of the season so far

The move to Los Angeles has left all home growing advantage back in San Diego and they have lost at the end of regulation in two straight weeks, both due to their Korean kicker, Younghoe Koo, missing straight forward kicks, versus the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins respectively

The Chargers are still an offensive threat and veteran quarterback Philip Rives has been putting up some good numbers. This game could be a close one however expect the Chiefs and Coach Reid to get it done. Chiefs -3

Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills (Monday 6am NZ time)

The Broncos have a 2-0 record after thrashing the favored Dallas Cowboys last week and this week travel to Buffalo to face the Bills, another team who with a 1-1 record that could easily be 2-0. The Denver team are renowned for their defence however they have only recorded 2 sacks this season – nothing really to write home about. Their quarterback Trevor Siemens is at best solid – not spectacular. The Bills meanwhile have vastly under rated Tyrod Taylor at quarterback who is a dual threat both passing and running. The 3 point start the Broncos are being given is too good to turn down in the Bills favour. Take Buffalo +3

Oakland Raiders at Washington Redskins (Monday 1.30pm NZ time)

The Sunday night (Monday afternoon NZ time) game sees the Oakland Raiders travel to the Washington Redskins. Oakland are yet another AFC West contender and have been reborn under third year head coach Jack Del Rio. This could be a trap game for them though with West Coast teams traditionally struggling on the East Coast time difference. A tough one to call however the Raiders will have to win this to be seen as contenders. The Redskins are only so so this season so far so take the Raiders -3 .

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