AFC West
historyThe AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, formed in 1960 as the American Football League's Western Division. In 1970, it became the AFC West as a result of the AFL-NFL merger. The new NFL was aligned into six divisions (two conferences of three divisions each), with each division being a successor to an earlier division in either the AFL or NFL. The original AFL West had four members - the Dallas Texans (which moved to Kansas City in 1963 as the Chiefs), Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers (which moved to San Diego in 1961) and Oakland Raiders. These four teams have remained in the AFL/AFC West since its inception, and are currently the only teams in the division. When the Raiders played in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994, they remained in the AFC West.
The Cincinnati Bengals played their first two seasons in the AFL West, moving to the AFC Central (formerly the NFL Century Division, now the AFC North) in 1970.
When the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers began play in 1976, the Buccaneers were put into the AFC West and the Seahawks were put into the NFC West. After one year, Seattle was moved into the AFC West and Tampa Bay was moved into the NFC Central. The Seahawks played in the AFC West until the 2002 re-alignment, when they were put back into the NFC West, thus restoring the pre-1976 alignment.
Each of the four AFC West teams won a division title in the first four years of the realignment - Oakland in 2002, Kansas City in 2003, San Diego in 2004 and Denver in 2005. It is the only one of the eight NFL divisions to have all of its teams win titles in the first four seasons of the North-East-West-South format.
ESPN's Chris Berman often calls this division the "AFC Smythe" due to its geographical similarity to the old Smythe Division of the NHL, now known as the Pacific Division.
In recent years, the division is often cited as one of the NFL's "Toughest Divisions"»http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2006-11-29-afc-west-power-division_x.htm»http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/Commentary/Columns/2002/nawrocki120302.htm»http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/Features/NFL+Features/2006/question110406.htm due partially to the home-field advantages of Invesco Field, Arrowhead Stadium, Qualcomm Stadium and the Oakland Coliseum (The Black Hole), although in 2008 the division was the NFL's weakest since the AFC Central in 1985 by sending the San Diego Chargers to the playoffs as division winners with an 8-8 record while the New England Patriots missed out at 11-5 after losing out on tiebreakers for both the AFC East and the wild-card. Although, it should also be noted that the Chargers beat the Patriots 30-10 in their Week 6 match-up.
Division champions
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Season !! Team !! Record !! Playoff Results
|-
| 1960 || Los Angeles Chargers || 10-4-0 || Lost AFL Championship Game
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| 1961 || San Diego Chargers || 12-2-0 || Lost AFL Championship Gamebest team in the AFC West
|-
| 1962 || Dallas Texans || 11-3-0 || Won AFL Championship Game
|-
| 1963 || San Diego Chargers || 11-3-0 || Won AFL Championship Game
|-
| 1964 || San Diego Chargers || 8-5-1 || Lost AFL Championship Game
|-
| 1965 || San Diego Chargers || 9-2-3 || Lost AFL Championship Game
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| 1966 || Kansas City Chiefs || 11-2-1 || Lost Super Bowl I
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| 1967 || Oakland Raiders || 13-1-0 || Lost Super Bowl II
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| 1968 || Oakland Raiders || 12-2-0 || Lost AFL Championship Game
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| 1969 || Oakland Raiders || 12-1-1 || Lost AFL Championship Game
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| 1970 || Oakland Raiders || 8-4-2 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 1971 || Kansas City Chiefs || 10-3-1 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1972 || Oakland Raiders || 10-3-1 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1973 || Oakland Raiders || 9-4-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1974 || Oakland Raiders || 12-2-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1975 || Oakland Raiders || 11-3-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1976 || Oakland Raiders || 13-1-0 || Won Super Bowl XI
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| 1977 || Denver Broncos || 12-2-0 || Lost Super Bowl XII
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| 1978 || Denver Broncos || 10-6-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 1979 || San Diego Chargers || 12-4-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 1980 || San Diego Chargers || 11-5-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 1981 || San Diego Chargers || 10-6-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 1982# || Los Angeles Raiders || 8-1-0 || Lost AFC Second Round
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| 1983 || Los Angeles Raiders || 12-4-0 || Won Super Bowl XVIII
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| 1984 || Denver Broncos || 13-3-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 1985 || Los Angeles Raiders || 12-4-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 1986 || Denver Broncos || 11-5-0 || Lost Super Bowl XXI
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| 1987 || Denver Broncos || 10-4-1 || Lost Super Bowl XXII
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| 1988 || Seattle Seahawks || 9-7-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 1989 || Denver Broncos || 11-5-0 || Lost Super Bowl XXIV
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| 1990 || Los Angeles Raiders || 12-4-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 1991 || Denver Broncos || 12-4-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 1992 || San Diego Chargers || 11-5-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 1993 || Kansas City Chiefs || 11-5-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 1994 || San Diego Chargers || 11-5-0 || Lost Super Bowl XXIX
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| 1995 || Kansas City Chiefs || 13-3-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 1996 || Denver Broncos || 13-3-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1997 || Kansas City Chiefs || 13-3-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
| 1998 || Denver Broncos || 14-2-0 || Won Super Bowl XXXIII
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| 1999 || Seattle Seahawks || 9-7-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
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| 2000 || Oakland Raiders || 12-4-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 2001 || Oakland Raiders || 10-6-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 2002 || Oakland Raiders || 11-5-0 || Lost Super Bowl XXXVII
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| 2003 || Kansas City Chiefs || 13-3-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 2004 || San Diego Chargers || 12-4-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
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| 2005 || Denver Broncos || 13-3-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 2006 || San Diego Chargers || 14-2-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 2007 || San Diego Chargers || 11-5-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
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| 2008 || San Diego Chargers || 8-8-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
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| 2009 || San Diego Chargers || 13-3-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
|-
- !The Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs tied for the regular season division title at 12-2-0. The Raiders won the ensuing playoff game to represent the West in the AFL Championship Game.
- #A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year. Division standings were ignored, the Los Angeles Raiders had the best record of the division teams.
Wild Card qualifiers
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Season !! Team !! Record !! Playoff Results
|-
| 1969 || Kansas City Chiefs || 11-3-0 || Won Super Bowl IV
|-
| 1970 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1971 || None || -- || --
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| 1972 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1973 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1974 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1975 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1976 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1977 || Oakland Raiders || 11-3-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
|-
| 1978 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1979 || Denver Broncos || 10-6-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1980 || Oakland Raiders || 11-5-0 || Won Super Bowl XV
|-
| 1981 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1982+ || San Diego Chargers || 6-3-0 || Lost AFC Second Round
|-
| 1983 || Seattle Seahawks
Denver Broncos || 9-7-0
9-7-0 || Lost AFC Championship Game
Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1984 || Seattle Seahawks
Los Angeles Raiders || 12-4-0
11-5-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1985 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1986 || Kansas City Chiefs || 10-6-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1987 || Seattle Seahawks || 9-6-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1988 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1989 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1990 || Kansas City Chiefs || 11-5-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1991 || Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Raiders || 10-6-0
9-7-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1992 || Kansas City Chiefs || 10-6-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1993 || Los Angeles Raiders
Denver Broncos || 10-6-0
9-7-0 || Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs
Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1994 || Kansas City Chiefs || 9-7-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1995 || San Diego Chargers || 9-7-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 1996 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1997 || Denver Broncos || 12-4-0 || Won Super Bowl XXXII
|-
| 1998 || None || -- || --
|-
| 1999 || None || -- || --
|-
| 2000 || Denver Broncos || 11-5-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 2001 || None || -- || --
|-
| 2002 || None || -- || --
|-
| 2003 || Denver Broncos || 10-6-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 2004 || Denver Broncos || 10-6-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 2005 || None || -- || --
|-
| 2006 || Kansas City Chiefs || 9-7-0 || Lost AFC Wild Card Playoffs
|-
| 2007 || None || -- || --
|-
| 2008 || None|| -- || --
|-
| 2009 || None|| -- || --
- A players' strike in 1982 reduced the regular season to nine games. Thus, the league used a special 16-team playoff tournament just for this year. Division standings were ignored, the Los Angeles Raiders had the best record of the division teams.
Total playoff berths
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Team !! Division Championships !! Playoff Berths !! Super Bowl Wins/Appearances
|-
| Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders1 || 16 || 21 || 3/5
|-
| San Diego Chargers || 15 || 17 || 0/1
|-
| Denver Broncos || 10 || 17 || 2/6
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| Kansas City Chiefs || 8! || 15 || 1/2
|-
| Seattle Seahawks2 || 2 || 5 || 0/13
|}
! Chiefs finished 1968 tied for first with Radiers, but lost ensuing playoff game.
1 Known as the Los Angeles Raiders from 1982 until 1994, before moving back to Oakland.
2 Realigned into the NFC West prior to the 2002 NFL season.
3 Have played in one Super Bowl after realignment to NFC.
4 Realigned into the NFC Central prior to the 1977 NFL season.