Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

There are no secrets in the AFC West. Not when you’re talking about some of the most historic rivalries in the history of football. Over the years coaches, players and front office personnel have freely moved between AFC West franchises, surely sharing vital information along the way.

In the past it was guys like return specialist Darrien Gordon have gone from the Chargers to the Broncos and finally the Raiders. More recently we’ve seen Norv Turner depart Oakland and head south to San Diego.

That is nothing new under the sun. However this offseason could see the Raiders help to fill out the rosters of their AFC West rivals. We’ve already had one such instance as Stanford Routt took his penalties to Kansas City. Don’t be surprised if more players take Routt’s lead.

A few years back there were rumors that the Chargers had approached the Raiders to see what it would take to get Michael Bush into powered blue. Naturally Al Davis passed on any offers for Bush but then ultimately failed to secure Bush’s services for the long haul. Now that same man is set to hit the open market. After his record setting destruction of the Dolts this season I’m guessing Coach Turner would love to welcome Bush to SoCal. The Chargers could see Mike Tolbert depart via free agency and though Ryan Mathews has shown promise he’s not shown nearly the game Bush has displayed.

Aside from speculation on Bush there is a 100% chance of Jason Campbell taking his services elsewhere. The second Carson Palmer became a Raider JC began updating his resume. As it stands both the Broncos and Chiefs could be in the market for a veteran QB. John Elway needs an insurance policy as he knows the clock is close to hitting midnight on Tebow Time. There a rumblings that the Chiefs are finally ready to pull the plug on the Matt Cassel project. Of course Campbell might be looking to go somewhere else for a better chance at starting. None the less staying in the AFC West is a real possibility.

One man the Raiders kept out of reach from their rivals was Tyvon Branch. By extending the franchise tag to their top safety Oakland ensured that teams looking for help in the last line of defense couldn’t plunder their booty. Both San Diego and Denver could have been in on the Branch sweepstakes. Instead they’ll have to looks elsewhere.

Aside from Routt, none of those aforementioned dominos have been tipped. What is being cooked up in Reggie McKenzie’s office could lead to even more AFC West defection.

We already know about the contract ultimatum issued to Kamerion Wimbley. If he’s sent to pasture then I could also see San Diego interested in his services as a pass rusher. Aaron Curry is another name we’ve see floating around the rumor mill. Unlike many of the men we’ve discussed Curry isn’t nearly the same caliber of player. Oakland gave him a second chance and he didn’t exactly turn the tide of his career.

There are also more marginal players the Raiders aren’t likely to retain. Men such as Trevor Scott and Chaz Schilens. Both have had moments of brilliance and both have had injury issues. Certainly other teams around the AFC West will be very familiar with their talents too.

While none of the players discussed are of the franchise variety all can contribute in meaningful ways under the right set of circumstances. Bush would certainly make San Diego’s run game much more deadly while Campbell could be the real Mile High Messiah Denver is looking for. But in the end that’s just how business is done in football. McKenzie needs cap space and you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. And not every time you’re making an omelet are you the one eating it. McKenzie could be prepping a feast for one of his rivals or he could be giving them rotten eggs. Only time will tell.

At first glance it would appear that either the Kansas City Chiefs are every bit the mirage we assumed or the Buffalo Bills and Ryan Fitzpatrick are on the verge of becoming New York State’s best football team. KC was crushed by Buffalo 41-7…in Arrowhead. With all the empty seats in Chief Country it pretty much seems like the fans already knew the score before the season started.

Todd Haley’s laid back approach to camp might have taken some of the hunger out of his troops. Not a single element of Kansas City’s roster looked good today. Perhaps just a one game aberration, the Chiefs look ripe to fall back to the bottom of the AFC West.

Meanwhile down in San Diego the Chargers got off to their customary slow start falling behind 17-7 to the Minnesota Vikings.  Unlike previous seasons it didn’t take Norv Turner 8 weeks to get his team to try harder. Behind three TDs from Mike Tolbert the Chargers rallied to win 24-17.

Not exactly an impressive win as crybaby Philip Rivers had an uneven outing (don’t let the stats fool you).

Yeah, it’s just one Sunday but you can already see that there is no clear cut favorite in the AFC West. Today’s results make Monday Night’s clash one of considerable importance as divisional wins will be at a premium.