With our faces of the NFL series in full swing, it’s time to look at the faces of the AFC West, a division that is headlined by one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time.
Denver Broncos: Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning is arguably the face of the entire NFL, let alone the Denver Broncos. He owns numerous records and his statistics are practically flawless. His critics immediately point to his poor playoff record, but he did win one Super Bowl already and he will definitely have another chance this postseason. Even at the age of 38, Peyton is still playing at an unbelievably high level and there are no signs of him slowing down. It will be interesting to see how much longer Peyton can continue to defy Mother Nature. In fact, he is seemingly getting better as he ages. He had the best season of his career last year, breaking NFL single-season records for passing yards (5,477) and touchdowns (55). For however long he continues to play, he will remain one of the most polarizing figures in the league. Nobody on the Broncos is even close to taking this classification away from Peyton yet.
San Diego Chargers: Philip Rivers
While Philip Rivers might not be as accomplished as Peyton Manning, he’s still an extremely talented NFL quarterback. He is in his 11th season with the Chargers, and he hasn’t missed a single game since he took over as starting quarterback at the start of his third season in the NFL. He has the second-longest streak of any current NFL quarterback, trailing only Eli Manning. The Chargers’ worst record with Rivers at the helm is 7-9 in 2012, and that was the only season they didn’t finish at least 8-8. His only problem is that he hasn’t led the Chargers to a Super Bowl yet, but he’s had some stiff competition in the AFC against Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. He will turn 33 in December, but he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. Antonio Gates is another solid option, as he is still dominating in his 12th season with the team.
Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles
Jamaal Charles has been an electric player for the Kansas City Chiefs since he was drafted in the 2008 NFL Draft. He is looking to make his fourth Pro Bowl in six years as soon as he recovers from his ankle injury. As many fantasy football fanatics know, he was the highest-scoring running back last season. His tremendous pass-catching abilities out of the backfield make him a perfect fit in Andy Reid’s offensive scheme. The Chiefs need Jamaal to return as soon as possible if they want to sneak back into the AFC Playoffs this year. Tamba Hali is another possible option, as he is in his 9th season of terrorizing opposing quarterbacks with the Chiefs.
Oakland Raiders: Sebastian Janikowski
The Raiders are one of the most unique teams in the NFL, and that’s a flattering way of putting it. Only the Raiders could have a kicker as the face of their franchise, but unfortunately, that is their current situation. I won’t knock on Janikowski’s achievements though, as he was a first-round pick (again, only the Raiders) back in 2000. He has performed as well as the team could have expected from a first-round kicker. He is remarkably in his 15th season with the Raiders, and although he had a down year last year, he’s started off this season well. He’s made all three field goals he’s attempted this year at the ripe age of 36. He basically wins this distinction by default though because no kicker should ever be the face of a franchise. Perhaps Marquette King, the only African American punter in the NFL, will lead the Raiders to a few more 4-12 seasons when Janikowski retires.
Previous Articles in the Series
Being the NFL Face of a Franchise
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