The AFC West was one of the worst divisions is football last season, as the division generally disappointed and was out of the playoffs right away in resounding fashion. This year, there hasn’t been a lot of change, but our AFC West picks couldn’t be any harder to sort out.

The favorites of the bunch this year are the San Diego Chargers (Current AFC West Odds: 1 to 2. at Oddsmaker Sportsbook). The Bolts were head and shoulders above the rest of the division last year, but the team just didn’t end up getting the job done late in games when it really mattered. Now, QB Philip Rivers and company have a chip on their shoulder, but we’re not so sure that it is justified. Save for Rivers, TE Antonio Gates, and a returning WR Vincent Jackson, there really isn’t all that much that we are smiling about on this team. The Chargers might not be all that great after all, and we would feel a lot better about taking the field at +190 than the Bolts at this price.

Meanwhile, the defending champs of the division are the Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West Lines: 5.25 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook). We like to give credit where credit is due, and we know that Head Coach Todd Haley did a fantastic job last season. However, Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis is gone, and there is a real question how badly this will hurt an offense that was incredibly efficient last season. Cause for concern? You betcha, especially after not really doing anything major to bolster the team during the free agency period.

Though they’re the huge underdogs in this division, we like the chances that the Denver Broncos (Odds to Win the AFC West: 14 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook) have of at least making things interesting. The team made the right call by bringing in Head Coach John Fox, a man with a winning pedigree from the Carolina Panthers, and he made the right decisions in using QB Kyle Orton and bringing in RB Willis McGahee. This is clearly going to be a smash mouth team this year, and the defense should be improved with the return of LB Elvis Dumervil and the drafting of LB Von Miller. Don’t be shocked if this team challenges for the division crown at very long NFL odds this year.

And then there is the laughing stock of football, the Oakland Raiders (2011 AFC West Odds: 6 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Raider Nation hasn’t seen a winning team in quite some time, and this year is probably going to be no exception with DB Nnamdi Asomugha flying the coup and heading to the Philadelphia Eagles. QB Jason Campbell at least gets to stay in the same offensive system he was in last year. There are high hopes for new Head Coach Hue Jackson, but it is likely to be a relatively long season in the Black Hole this year once again.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC West
Denver Broncos 12.50 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 4.60 to 1
Oakland Raiders 6 to 1
San Diego Chargers 1 to 2.50

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Denver Broncos 165 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 80 to 1
Oakland Raiders 175 to 1
San Diego Chargers 11 to 1

AFC West Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC West Division
Denver Broncos 14 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 5.25 to 1
Oakland Raiders 7 to 1
San Diego Chargers 1 to 5

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Denver Broncos 62 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 42 to 1
Oakland Raiders 50 to 1
San Diego Chargers 10 to 1

AFC West Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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2011 AFC West Odds
Denver Broncos 12 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 4 to 1
Oakland Raiders 5 to 1
San Diego Chargers 1 to 2

AFC West Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Denver Broncos 70 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 35 to 1
Oakland Raiders 50 to 1
San Diego Chargers 12 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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AFC West Odds
Denver Broncos 10 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 4.50 to 1
Oakland Raiders 6 to 1
San Diego Chargers 1 to 2.50

Super Bowl Odds
Denver Broncos 80 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 45 to 1
Oakland Raiders 65 to 1
San Diego Chargers 11 to 1