A visual roundup of how the AFC West fared in Week 9.
The Colts bounced back after much turmoil that resulted in the firing of offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton. QB Andrew Luck led the way with 252 passing yards, 34 rushing yards, two passing touchdowns and zero interceptions.
After giving up 17 points on three consecutive drives, the Broncos closed out the first half with Omar Bolden's 83-yard punt return touchdown to cut into the deficit.
After halftime, the Broncos offense opened with a 64-yard touchdown to WR Emmanuel Sanders, and a short time later, they tied the game at 17 with a field goal.
But the comeback was not to be. The Colts forced a late interception and held the ball for the remaining six minutes to win by a field goal. QB Peyton Manning, just three yards and one win short of surpassing Brett Favre for the NFL all-time records in career passing yards and wins, will have a chance to get those records in Week 10 against Kansas City.
The Raiders continued to prove they're no easy team to beat, and they were again led by QB Derek Carr, who threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns. WR Michael Crabtree was Carr's top target against Pittsburgh with 108 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Steelers WR Antonio Brown could not be stopped on Sunday as he caught 17 passes for 284 yards. He added 22 yards on the ground but somehow had zero touchdowns. This 57-yard gain set Pittsburgh up for a field-goal attempt with four seconds remaining.
The Steelers nailed the kick and escaped with a three-point victory, dropping the Raiders back to .500.
It seemed like the Chargers were heading toward a win on Monday night with two touchdowns to start the game. Cornerback Jason Verrett returned an interception 68 yards for a touchdown to put San Diego up 13 points.
Once again the Chargers leaned on QB Philip Rivers because of a lackluster rushing game that totaled just 77 yards. Rivers had 280 passing yards on 42 attempts with a touchdown, but he was sacked twice.
The Bears mounted a comeback, however, and found the end zone for the go-ahead score on this one-handed 25-yard touchdown reception by TE Zach Miller. Down by three with over three minutes remaining, the Chargers had a chance, but Rivers was sacked twice on the final drive and an incomplete pass on fourth-and-23 gave the Bears the win.
Injuries continued to pile up for the Chargers, who lost wide receiver Malcom Floyd in the second quarter with an apparent shoulder injury. Fellow wide receiver Keenan Allen suffered a lacerated kidney a week earlier, which will keep him out for the season.
Week 9 was a rough one for the AFC West. Each team in the division lost by a margin of three points, save for the Chiefs, who had a bye. The Broncos lost their first game of the season, the Raiders were unable to pull out a win against the Steelers to close ground on Denver and the Chargers dropped a close game against the Bears on Monday Night Football as they fell further in the standings.
1. Denver Broncos (7-1)
Last outing: L 27-24 at Indianapolis (4-5)
**
Standouts:** The Broncos showed resiliency again by battling back from a double-digit deficit, but the Colts forced a late turnover and held on for the victory. Tight end Owen Daniels stood out with 102 receiving yards and a touchdown, safety Omar Bolden took his first career punt return to the house for a touchdown and linebacker Danny Trevathan totaled 19 tackles (six solo, 13 assisted).
Up next: Denver will look to get back on track at home as they host the Chiefs (3-5).
- Ben Swanson
2. Oakland Raiders (4-4)
Last outing: L 38-35 at Pittsburgh (5-4)
Standouts: Despite quarterback Derek Carr tossing four touchdowns and wide receiver Michael Crabtree's 108 receiving yards, the Raiders were unable to slow down the Steeler's stunning offense (597 offensive yards). Rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper tallied 88 receiving yards, while running back Latavius Murray rushed for 97 yards on 17 carries.
Up next: The Raiders will look to improve above .500 when they host the rising Minnesota Vikings (6-2).
- Allie Raymond
3. Kansas City Chiefs (3-5)
Last outing: Bye in Week 9
Standouts: The Chiefs rode a two-game winning streak into the bye in Week 9, with wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and tight end Travis Kelce both on pace to go over 1,000 receiving yards this season. The Chiefs' defense has also seen an uptick in production after collecting five turnovers and 8 sacks in the past two games.
Up next: Kansas City heads west to take on the Denver Broncos (7-1) at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in hopes of avenging the Broncos' walk-off win in Week 2.
* - Allie Raymond*
4. San Diego Chargers (2-7)
Last outing:L 22-19 vs. Bears (3-5)
Standouts: San Diego suffered its fifth straight loss on Monday night, and as injuries mount, they've fallen to the bottom of the AFC West. And of those five losses in five weeks, they've come by an average of five points. The Chargers can keep games close, but they haven't been able to make plays late to get out of the loss column. In this one, QB Philip Rivers passed for 280 yards, RB Danny Woodhead had 111 yards from scrimmage and CB Jason Verrett returned an interception 68 yards for a touchdown.
Up next: The Chargers have a bye this week and will return in Week 11 to face in-division rival Kansas City (3-5).
- Ben Swanson
