Lamar Jackson needs surgery on his injured thumb and could miss the rest of the season, a devastating blow for the Baltimore Ravens who, barring a significant quarterback trade, are simply done after he lasted just one play in his return. But even that bombshell might not be the most shocking news out of the AFC this week, as the Los Angeles Chargers just crashed to 0-7 for the first time since 2000. What in the world is happening in this conference?
AFC’s New Top Dogs: Broncos and Steelers Surge
While some teams are crumbling, others are making moves! The Pittsburgh Steelers continued their legendary dominance over the Cleveland Browns with a convincing three-score victory right there in Pittsburgh. That kind of rivalry statement is huge, and it sent them shooting up the AFC power rankings. Not to be outdone, the Denver Broncos pulled off an incredible comeback against the Chiefs, showing some serious grit. Both of these teams, the Steelers and the Broncos, are now sitting pretty in first place in their divisions going into Week 9. Talk about an unexpected shake-up!
The AFC Basement: Teams Fighting for Draft Picks, Not Wins
Now, let’s talk about the other end of the spectrum, where things are just… grim. The Los Angeles Chargers are absolutely sinking at 0-7, a record they haven’t seen since Jim Harbaugh himself was their starting quarterback back in 2000. Get this, they haven’t scored an offensive touchdown since October 11! And despite this disaster, they are reportedly telling teams they aren’t selling off pieces at the deadline. Are they serious?
The Tennessee Titans, now 1-7, had a “good loss” on Sunday. Yeah, you read that right. Cam Ward played the best game of his career, but the Titans still didn’t mess up their chances of landing the highest draft pick possible. That tells you everything about their season goals, doesn’t it? Over with the New York Jets, it feels like head coach Aaron Glenn’s days are numbered. Their offense showed up for a shootout loss to the Raiders, but the defense was the complete opposite. You can’t win like that.
The Miami Dolphins had a classic collapse, soundly outplaying the Patriots in the first half only to fall apart in the second. At 1-6, they are still on track for a top-three draft pick in 2027. Ouch. And then there are the Indianapolis Colts. After trading away two of their best players last week, they responded with a lifeless 42-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now everyone’s wondering if Jonathan Taylor will be the next star out the door. Talk about a fire sale! Even the Houston Texans, who moved up a spot to 11th on their bye week, are in a must-win situation from here on out. Luckily for DeMeco Ryans and his crew, they get to square off against those lowly Chargers in Week 9. That is as “must-win” as it gets.
With Lamar Jackson’s season possibly over and multiple teams openly embracing the tank, the AFC landscape is getting wild. Can the Steelers and Broncos sustain this first-place momentum? Or will the Week 9 matchups shift things again for teams like the Texans, who desperately need a win against those struggling Chargers? It is going to be a rollercoaster, folks, and Week 9 is just around the corner.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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