News from Around the AFC West: Week 4

Denver Broncos

After a promising start to the season where the Broncos easily dispatched the Pittsburgh Steelers to open their season on a Sunday Night, Denver has fallen to 1-2 losing to both Atlanta and Houston. Not coincidentally, Houston and Atlanta are your consensus 1-2 teams in the NFL right now. So the Broncos have just been victims of their schedule, right?

Well, even if that's the case, that hasn't stopped tempers from flaring up in the Mile-High City. Head Coach John Fox and Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio were both fined by the NFL this week for their conduct during the Broncos' loss in Atlanta last week. The coaches were fined because of their behavior towards the replacement referees that were officiating that game.

If any of you watched this week's Broncos game where they took on the visiting Texans, you no doubt saw the hit Broncos LB Joe Mays laid on Texans QB Matt Schaub. The hit was so violent, Schaub's helmet flew off his head and he lost a piece of his ear in the process.

In case you missed the hit ...

That hit has cost Joe Mays a game as the NFL has suspended him for one game in addition to a $50,000 fine. Mays appealed the suspension and fine, and the appeal failed, both punishments were upheld.

Aside from that, it's Raiders Week in Denver as Oakland heads into Sports Authority Field on Sunday afternoon. The Raiders have won all of their last three trips to Denver. Oakland is coming off a win over Pittsburgh, Denver knows Oakland will be a tough matchup.

More Denver Broncos Stories:

• Broncos' Willis McGahee on track to play vs. Oakland Raiders - The Denver Post
  Willis McGahee was practicing for the second consecutive day Thursday despite having sore ribs from a hit he took in the game against Houston.
• Broncos vs. Raiders Wednesday Injury Report - Mile High Report
  The Wednesday Injury Report for the Denver Broncos-Oakland Raiders

Kansas City Chiefs

It started to look like all was lost in Kansas City. After getting completely dominated by Atlanta and Buffalo, Kansas City marched into New Orleans and snatched a surprising overtime victory over the Saints. Now all of a sudden there is optimism in Kansas City again. There is confidence that the Chiefs will be able to dispatch the San Diego Chargers. It's still early enough in the season to rule out that possibility, and Arrowhead is always a difficult place to play, especially for the Chargers of late.

Much like last year, the Chiefs have been struggling with injuries again this season. Some key name's on this week's injury report: Dwayne Bowe, Dexter McCluster, Kevin Boss and Peyton Hillis; and that's just a few of the names. On top of all that, they lost their starting center for the rest of the year.

It's not all doom and gloom however. There is excitement again for Jamaal Charles after his strong showing in New Orleans. Just watch this 91-yard TD run:

*gulp*

More Kansas City Chiefs Stories:

• Here's how the Chiefs can beat the Chargers - Arrowhead Pride
  Hint: Jamaal Charles.
• Priest Holmes, Will Shields on new Hall ballot - KansasCity.com
  Eight men with Chiefs ties are among the 127 modern-era nominees released today for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2013.

Oakland Raiders

Who saw that coming? In what was expected to be Pittsburgh blowing out the lowly Raiders turned into a shootout with the Raiders winning on a Field Goal as time expired.

The big news coming out of the game outside the win was the status of Darrius Heyward-Bey. Heyward-Bey was hit hard by Steelers FS Ryan Mundy as DHB was attempting to catch the ball. DHB looked limp as he fell to the ground following the hit.

It took medical staff 18 minutes to check him out, load him on to a cart and take him to a local hospital. DHB was diagnosed as suffering a neck strain and doctors said he didn't suffer a concussion and he is expected to make a full recovery. There's no word yet on when he'll return to the field.

This was Mundy's second big hit in the same game: he also gave Tight End Brandon Myers a concussion. Neither play drew a flag from the replacement officials. And Goodell says player safety was never at risk with the replacement officials? Mundy was ultimately fined $21,000 for his hit on DHB.

Oakland continues to make player moves. They've cut their 2011 3rd-round pick OT Joseph Barksdale to make room for WR Tori Gurley on the Practice Squad. They also signed former Patriot DE Andre Carter.

As mentioned before, Oakland heads into Denver this Sunday for what should amount to an exciting Divisional matchup.

More Oakland Raiders Stories:

• 12 former Raiders among 2013 Hall of Fame nominees - Silver And Black Pride
  The list includes a head coach, front office man, and ten former players. Many of whom had Hall of Fame careers with the Raiders, others who earned their way into the Hall of Fame elsewhere and just...
• Raiders' Reggie McKenzie continues purge of Al Davis draftees - Inside Bay Area
  First-year general manager Reggie McKenzie is in the process of overhauling the Raiders roster. Since he arrived, he has jettisoned six players selected by the Raiders under late managing general partner Al Davis between 2005-11.
• Oakland Raiders' tight end Brandon Myers quietly emerging - Inside Bay Area
  When quarterback Carson Palmer was faced with the most important pass of the Raiders 34-31 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the target was Myers.