AFC West Week 8 preview and predictions: Division could go winless Sunday
By Brad Weiss
With three teams hitting the road, and one without their star quarterback, the AFC West could go winless in Week 8 of the 2019 NFL season.
The race for the title in the AFC West is alive and well entering Week 8, especially with the Kansas City Chiefs losing Patrick Mahomes for the next few weeks. The Oakland Raiders have a real opportunity to make up some ground until Mahomes gets back, but it looks like tough sledding for the entire division this weekend.
Here is our preview and predictions for the 2019 Week 8 slate in the AFC West.
Oakland Raiders at Houston Texans
The Raiders defense looked absolutely horrible against the Green Bay Packers last weekend, as Aaron Rodgers threw for five touchdowns, ran for another, and had a perfect quarterback rating. On Monday, the team traded away 2017 first rounder Gareon Conley, so expect to see more of rookie second rounder Trayvon Mullen in this matchup.
Week 8 will be the team’s final road game before heading back home for the first time since Week 2, and incredibly tough stretch that the Raiders have done a solid job navigating. However, the also have to go down to Houston to take on Deshaun Watson and the Texans, who have the firepower on offense to give this defense fits on Sunday.
Unfortunately, the Raiders defensive backfield is going to have issues in this one, and that will lead to the Texans pulling away late. For the Raiders, this game will end their long trip away from home, as they enter an easier part of their schedule sitting at 3-4.