Broncos escape in overtime, AFC West roundup

There were no AFC West games on the schedule yesterday, but the Denver Broncos dominated the news cycle a day after their overtime win against the Seahawks, while the Las Vegas Raiders shifted focus to a key showdown with the Buffalo Bills.

Broncos: overtime win doesn’t quiet the Bo Nix debate

Pro Football Rumors notes that the Seahawks held the edge over the Broncos in yards and time of possession in their meeting, but turnovers swung the game. Seattle lost a fumble, and quarterback Sam Darnold was responsible for additional giveaways, opening the door for Denver to pull out the victory in overtime.

Even with the win, Bo Nix is at the center of growing concern. CBS Sports frames the situation as a “Bo Nix problem,” pointing out that while he keeps stacking wins, his numbers tell a different story and could force a difficult decision for a Broncos team in a Super Bowl window.

CBS Sports also reports that Ryan Fitzpatrick went hard after Nix following an ugly Thursday night performance, arguing that the rookie isn’t playing at a truly competitive level right now. In a separate look, the network revisits the Jaylen Waddle trade and concludes that both the Denver passing attack and Waddle himself are struggling. The speedster has had issues with drops, and the offense has yet to find a way to capitalize consistently on his skill set.

On defense, there was at least one piece of encouraging news. According to Pro Football Rumors, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper has been removed from the commissioner’s exempt list after missing the first six weeks of the season. He is now eligible to return to practice with Denver, potentially bolstering a unit that just helped carry the team to an overtime win.

Raiders: plan to disrupt Josh Allen

For the 3-2 Raiders, CBS Sports breaks down their upcoming Week 6 clash with Josh Allen and the Bills. The analysis suggests Las Vegas, and star edge rusher Maxx Crosby in particular, may need to move away from their usual four-man rush and dial up more pressure to slow Buffalo’s play-action-heavy attack in what is billed as a pivotal AFC matchup.

Quiet day for Chiefs and Chargers, standings tighten

There was no major news out of Kansas City or Los Angeles, but the standings are already taking shape. The Kansas City Chiefs sit atop the AFC West at 4-0, with the Broncos at 4-2 and the Raiders at 3-2 in pursuit. The Los Angeles Chargers remain winless at 0-5, leaving them with ground to make up as the season approaches the one-third mark.