AFC West power rankings after Week 1

2. Las Vegas Raiders

What? The Raiders are the only team in the division to have won this weekend and they check in at no. 2? Look, allow that explanation to come on the following page. For now, let's focus on the positives.

The Raiders won. They are 1-0 and sit atop the AFC West, which is the real list that matters, not some silly power rankings.

Jimmy Garoppolo was able to do enough, in the end, for the Raiders to squeeze out a victory over the Sean Payton-led Denver Broncos. It was a mostly tight and somewhat boring game, with neither team ammassing over 261 yards of offense. In fact, the Broncos finished with 260 while Vegas finished at 261. It was as even as you could get.

Neither offense looked too potent, although Russell Wilson did have Raiders fans worried there in the first half with how he started. Vegas' defense, though, picked it up in the second half and only allowed the Broncos a field goal after halftime.

The one area that would seem worrisome had it not been for the Broncos' stout front is in the run game, where the Raiders ran 29 times for just 61 yards. At least they kept it consistent and stuck to the run. Going forward, I would believe Josh Jacobs has much more success. Denver's front is very, very good against the run.

Next week, it gets tough, as the Raiders take on Buffalo.