AFC West injury report, Week 15: Dwayne Bowe won't play again this year

Among the notable injuries heading into Week 15 games in the AFC West is Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe's rib injury, which will preclude him from playing again in 2012.

NFC West standings, Week 15

The 49ers will win the NFC West assuming they can avoid a late-season collapse.

AFC West standings, Week 15: Broncos continue to run away with division

The Chargers may have pulled off the upset Sunday but it was too little too late with the Broncos already owning the division.

NFC West injury report: Cardinals, Seahawks banged up

The San Francisco 49ers' fellow NFC West teams are working through injury problems.

NFC West standings, Week 13: 49ers are the class of the division

The Seahawks, Rams and Cardinals are still looking up at the Niners as they continue to prove their superiority to the rest of the division.

AFC West injury report and standings

Looking back on a busy weekend of football action in the AFC West.

NFC West standings, Week 9

The 6-2 San Francisco 49ers are in first-place in the NFC West.

NFC West injury report, Week 9: Teams relatively healthy

All four NFC West teams got through Week 9 without a serious injury and the Rams could get even healthier by the end of the week.

AFC West injury report, Week 9

Most of the teams in the division came away from this weekends' match-ups with some key injuries on the offensive side of the ball.

AFC West standings update, Week 9: Raiders lurking after two wins

A two-game winning streak has the Oakland Raiders in the AFC West discussion.

AFC West injury report, Week 6: Raiders RG Mike Brisiel has head injury

Oakland Raiders offensive lineman Mike Brisiel has a head injury that is most likely a concussion. His status for Week 7 is still unknown.

NFC West injury report, Week 6: Joe Staley questionable vs. Seahawks with concussion

The San Francisco 49ers will not only face a quick turnaround as they come off a disappointing loss to the New York Giants and prepare for Thursday Night Football, they may have to do so without the services of their Pro Bowl left tackle.

AFC West standings, Week 6: Raiders lose chance to stay in division race

The first place San Diego Chargers have a chance to build some separation in the division with a win against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football. Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders will struggle to compete after falling to Atlanta in Week 6.

NFC West standings, Week 6: 49ers fall after lackluster performance at home

The NFC West is shaping up to be one of the best in the NFL through six weeks. During that week, though, there were a few surprises that shuffled things around quite a bit.

AFC West standings, Week 5: Divison goes winless, teams unable to capitalize

With the Oakland Raiders on a bye, the three remaining teams in the AFC West went winless in Week 6.

NFC West standings: Cardinals suffer first loss

Arizona falls to 4-1 after losing, 17-3, to St. Louis.

AFC West Standings, Week 4: Raiders fall to 1-3, third in division with loss

The Oakland Raiders fell to 1-3 on the season after a 37-6 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

NFC West Standings, Week 4: 49ers trail Cardinals by a game

The San Francisco 49ers are 3-1 and trail the 4-0 Arizona Cardinals and lead the 2-2 Seattle Seahawks and St. Louis Rams in the current NFC West standings.

NFC West injury report, Week 3: Cardinals' Beanie Wells out with toe injury

During a Week 3 that saw some big names get knocked out of games, including New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis being out for the season with an ACL injury, the NFC West had its share of injuries that could alter the futures of its teams down the road.

The biggest name is Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells. Wells hurt his toe early in the Cardinals' win over the Philadelphia Ealges and ended up with only 18 yards on eight carries. Wells had a similar toe injury while at Ohio State that put him out for three weeks.

The Cardinals also lost defensive end Darnell Dockett to a strained hamstring.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin sat out Monday night's game against the Green Bay Packers with a shoulder injury. No word yet on whether or not he will play in the Seahawks' next game.

The San Francisco 49ers had a scare from linebacker Patrick Willis against Minnesota on Sunday but he appears to be okay. But nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga could miss time with a knee injury.

For more on the Cardinals, head over to Revenge of the Birds and SB Nation Arizona. For the latest on the 49ers, there's Niners Nation and SB Nation Bay Area. Check out Turf Show Times for the latest news on the Rams, and Field Gulls and SB Nation Seattle are your go-to sources for the Seahawks.

AFC West injury report, Week 3: Darrius Heyward-Bey spent night in hospital

The Raiders got a surprising win over the Steelers on Sunday, but they also got a scare when Darrius Heyward-Bey had to leave the field on a stretcher. Fortunately, he is now back at home after spending the night in a hospital. Both Heyward-Bey and Brandon Myers sustained concussions against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Denver Broncos had two players leave their game against the Texas due to injury. Running back Willis McGahee sustained a rib injury, while linebacker Nate Irving suffered a concussion and could miss at least one game.

The Kansas City Chiefs lost running back Peyton Hillis when he left early with an ankle injury. Dexter McCluster was sidelined with a shoulder issues.

The San Diego Chargers has an easier time on Sunday, despite their loss to the Falcoms. Cornerback Shareece Wright was the only player that missed their game this weekend while Ryan Mathews and Antonio Gates were both able to play.

For more on the Raiders, stick with SB Nation Bay Area and check out Silver and Black Pride.

NFC West Standings, Week 3: What The Heck Just Happened

What a week of football for the NFC West teams. Three of the four teams managed to make some kind of news, good or bad, during or after their games. To the surprise of, well, no one, much of the uproar was caused by the infamous replacement officials.

Let's start with San Francisco. Just three weeks in to the season, the 49ers were on their way to the Super Bowl. At least that was how many sports pundits were putting it. Then SF ran into Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder. The Niners were 'upset' by the Minnesota Vikings 24-13. The perfect aren't so perfect anymore.

Moving on to Arizona. They're not supposed to be good, right? No one told Kevin Kolb that. Michael Vick's former-backup found his stride at the expense of his old teammates. Leading the Cardinals to a 27-6 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Oh boy, now to Seattle. Monday Night Football had been lacking excitement for the past few weeks and this Monday looked to be no different, that is, until the very, very end of the game. With four-seconds left, the Seahawks needed a touchdown to beat the Green Bay Packers. Seattle quarterback, rookie Russell Wilson lobbed a Hail Mary down the field in to the arms of Golden Tate ... or did he? Video evidence showed the ball go into the hands of Packer M.D. Jennings, but Tate somehow ended up with the ball on the ground. For reasons unbeknownst to everyone outside of Seattle, the replacement officials gave the catch to Tate and Seattle won the game, 14-12.

The Cardinals sit perched at the top of the NFC West with a blemish-free record of 3-0. In the basement are the St. Louis Rams at 1-2 after a pummeling by Chicago.

Can't get enough football? Rush on over to SB Nation's NFL hub to get your fix.

AFC West Standings, Week 3: Raiders Make Noise In Division With Upset Victory

The AFC West got a whole lot more interesting Sunday afternoon with the Oakland Raiders stealing a 34-31 victory from the Pittsburgh Steelers to take advantage of losses from the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.

The Raiders (1-2) now sit in a three-way tie for second place with the Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) also getting their first victory of the season with a shocking 27-24 overtime upset of the New Orleans Saints.

Oakland will get a chance at separating themselves from the pack when they head to Denver next week to take on the Broncos (1-2). If the Raiders are able to pull off a second consecutive upset, they will be handing the Broncos their third straight loss after Denver's impressive opening win over the Steelers.

The Chargers (2-1) remain on top but much of their flaws were showcased in their 27-3 home defeat at the hands of Atlanta Falcons. San Diego could continue to rack of the losses with two tough road challenges up next on their schedule (at Kansas City and at New Orleans).

For continued Raiders coverage, head on over to Silver and Black Pride.

NFL Standings, Week 2: AFC West

The AFC West had a rough go around in Week 2 with only the San Diego Chargers coming away with a victory.

San Diego improved to 2-0 with a thorough drubbing of the Tennessee Titans in a 38-10 victory at home. The Chargers defense limited the Titans to just 38 rushing yards.

Peyton Manning almost overcame three early interceptions in a close 27-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night. The Broncos now sit second in the division at 1-1.

The Kansas City Chiefs got absolutely demolished on the road against the Buffalo Bills in a 35-17 loss. Quarterback Matt Cassel still threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, but the Chiefs defense couldn't stop running back C.J. Spiller who finished with 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Like the Chiefs, the Raiders remain winless on the season after a disappointing road effort against the Miami Dolphins. The Raider offense fell stagnant and the team fell to 0-2 in a 35-13 loss.

Week 3 has some solid matchups as the Chargers host the unbeaten Atlanta Falcons. The Raiders face a tough contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, and the Chiefs travel to New Orleans to face the Saints in a matchup of two 0-2 teams. The high octane Houston offense meets the Denver defense as the Broncos welcome the Texans to altitude.

For more on the Oakland Raiders, join the discussion over at Silver And Black Pride. You can also check out everything we have to offer at SB Nation's NFL hub.

NFC West Injury Report, Week 2: Steven Jackson Could Have Re-Entered Game Vs. Redskins

The NFC West escaped Week 2 without major injuries to its most notable players, but St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson was notably absent for the better part of his team's narrow 31-28 win against the Washington Redskins.

According to the team's official Twitter feed, Jackson could have re-entered the game had backup Daryl Richardson struggled. The former Oregon State star and 2009 NFC rushing champion was thought to be under team discipline for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, but was later found to have suffered a groin injury.

Over at AZCentral Sports, blogger Kent Sommers reports via Twitter that Arizona Cardinals tight end Todd Heap has a sprained PCL after suffering a late hit. As of Monday, there was no word on his status for the Week 3 matchup vs. the Philadelphia Eagles at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The Seattle Seahawks escaped a scare after wide receiver Sidney rice emerged uninjured from a big hit across the middle of the field in the team's 27-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Left tackle Russell Okung is still battling a knee injury and should be ready for the Week 3 contest vs. the Green Bay Packers.

For more NFL news, notes, and highlights, be sure to check out SB Nation's own NFL hub.

AFC West Injury Report, Week 2: Antonio Gates A Surprise Scratch

The San Diego Chargers' last minute shelving of Antonio Gates was the biggest news on the AFC West injury front in Week 2.

Gates was listed as questionable with a rib injury he suffered in Week 1 and he ended up not making the start for the Chargers in their 38-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Ryan Mathews was also held out of the game as he nears his recovery from a broken clavicle. The Chargers were also missing Quentin Jammer (broken hand) and Shareece Wright (high ankle sprain).

The Kansas City Chiefs lost tight end Kevin Boss with a head injury in a blowout loss against the Buffalo Bills. Boss made a 29-yard reception but took a hard forearm to the back of the head by Bills safety Da'Norris Searcy that drove his helmet into the ground. He remained on the ground but was able to leave the field just before halftime under his own power. He will undergo further tests this week and the extent of his injury isn't known. Cornerback Javier Arenas also left the game with a neck stinger.

The Oakland Raiders got a bit battered in their 35-13 drubbing at the hands of the Miami Dolphins. Head coach Dennis Allen said in a press conference on Monday that Shawntae Spencer and Khalif Barnes sustained "significant injuries." Spencer left the game with a left foot sprain and Barnes missed most of the game with a groin injury.

For complete coverage of the AFC West and the rest of the league, check out SB Nation's NFL hub.

NFC West Preview, Week 2: Could Division Be 1-1 Across The Board?

In Week 1, the San Francisco 49ers had the most impressive outing in regards to the NFC West. A win over the Green Bay Packers in Lambeau Field is basically the best win you can get today in the NFL, so they have a clear leg up on the rest of the division. But the 49ers face another tough matchup in the Detroit Lions, and there's something of a rivalry there. Should they falter, the rest of the division might have a chance to play catch-up.

Unfortunately for them, they've got some tough matchups. The Arizona Cardinals were the only other NFC West team to pick up a win in Week 1, and they've got the New England Patriots on the road. Arizona's narrow win over the Seattle Seahawks won't give anybody the confidence that they can stop New England. Russell Wilson may be better than originally advertised, but he's a far cry from Tom Brady and his plethora of top tier targets.

Arizona might have the best player in the game, as they often do thanks to Larry Fitzgerald, but the rest of the top talent is few and far between. They'll have trouble snagging a 2-0 record and a potential lead in the NFC West.

The St. Louis Rams and Seahawks both were on the losing end of games in Week 1. St. Louis actually showed strong play against Detroit and were 20 seconds away from picking up a win, so they might actually have a shot to best Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. Seattle also isn't fighting an insurmountable battle when they take on the Dallas Cowboys.

It isn't out of the question to think that the entire NFC West could be at 1-1 after two weeks, but that all hinges on a 49ers loss and three other teams who aren't the favorites pulling out wins.

AFC West Preview, Week 2: Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders Hope To Benefit From Tough Broncos Matchup

The AFC West is going to be interesting this season, if only for the fact that it looks like three decent teams might be coming out of it for the first time in a long time. The San Diego Chargers have dominated the division in recent years, while the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos have continually had pieces that have made folks consider them a team on the rise. When it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs, they continue to add young talent that never seems to pan out, but still, good players remain on their roster.

Week 1 saw the Raiders and Chargers go at it while looking slightly unimpressive, but competitive, while the Chiefs were absolutely decimated by Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons. Sunday night saw Peyton Manning and the Broncos pick up the real big win by besting the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, all four teams seem to have it easier this week. San Diego will be taking on Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans, which should be an interesting matchup. It's actually something of a strong measuring stick for the Chargers. Kansas City gets a winnable matchup against the Buffalo Bills, who apparently allowed Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets to score a couple hundred points on them. Oakland, of course, is taking on the Miami Dolphins, which you can read up on in our game stream here.

With the Broncos, they have the Falcons. Atlanta absolutely destroyed the Chiefs in week one, so it could be a tough matchup for Denver. It's debatable at this point as to whether or not the Falcons are an easier matchup, but things will remain tough for the Broncos. For the rest of the teams in the division, it could be a chance to even up the score (or a shot for the Chargers to take the lead in the division). It should be an interesting Week 2.

For more on the Raiders, visit Silver and Black Pride, or for more comprehensive NFL coverage, head on over to SB Nation's NFL hub.

NFL Injury Report, Week 1: AFC West

Of all the damage done to AFC West teams in Week One, the Denver Broncos losing defensive lineman Ty Warren for the year stands out. Warren, who tore his triceps in the opening half of Denver's Sunday night win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, has missed the last two seasons with injuries as well.

The Kansas City Chiefs had no players injured in their 40-24 opening loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Cornerback Brandon Flowers, safety Kendrick Lewis and tackle Anthony Toribio all missed Sunday's game, and no one seems sure when any of them will return.

The Oakland Raiders might be looking for a new long snapper, if Jon Condo cannot return soon from a head injury that knocked him out of Monday night's game against the Chargers. Condo's replacement, backup linebacker Travis Goethel, badly misfired on several punt snaps. Cornerback Ron Bartell had to leave the game with a shoulder injury and will be evaluated Tuesday.

The San Diego Chargers' star tight end Antonio Gates had to leave Monday night's game with a rib injury, but did return later. The statuses of Ryan Mathews, Jared Gaither and Antonio Garay, who all did not play against the Raiders, will be updated later in the week.

For complete coverage of the AFC West and the rest of the league, check out SB Nation's NFL hub.

NFL Standings, Week 1: AFC West

Here are the results through Week 1 of the 2012 NFL regular season in the AFC West.

Denver Broncos: 1-0
San Diego Chargers: 1-0
Kansas City Chiefs: 0-1
Oakland Raiders: 0-1

The San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders played the only intradivision matchup in the AFC West in Week 1. It was a pretty ugly affair, but San Diego won by capitalizing on special teams blunders by the Raiders and converting them into crucial field goals. Phillip Rivers game-managed pretty well, throwing a touchdown pass, and the Chargers defense held down the Raiders offense for most of the game.

Peyton Manning debuted for the Denver Broncos, and he ended up beating the Pittsburgh Steelers with an efficient and excellent performance. Manning completed 73% of his passes and threw two second half touchdowns, and Tracy Porter managed a crucial pick-six to clinch the game for the Broncos.

The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Atlanta Falcons at home after getting torched for 40 points and nearly 400 total yards. Three Kansas City turnovers also sabotaged any hopes at victory.

Click here for the full NFL standings from Sports Illustrated.

For more on the Raiders, visit Silver and Black Pride. Hit up the SB Nation NFL hub for more comprehensive pro football coverage.

NFL Week 1 Injury Report: NFC West

Though the San Francisco 49ers managed to beat the Green Bay Packers without adding to their injury report, some of their NFC West rivals were not so lucky in Week 1. The Seattle Seahawks saw left tackle Russell Okung go down, the Arizona Cardinals lost their starting quarterback, and the St. Louis Cardinals saw key offensive lineman Rodger Saffold carted off the field.

Okung has a history of ankle injuries, leading many to suspect it was more of the same when the tackle limped off the field on Sunday. It turns out, though, that what he sustained was a knee injury, and not a significant one at that. Okung has a bone bruise with no ligament damage and is not expected to miss significant time. The Rams also saw center Scott Wells leave the game with a foot injury, leaving their offensive line in an even more precarious position.

The St. Louis Rams are also enjoying good news, as offensive lineman Rodger Saffold has only suffered a neck sprain. No neck injury is good news, but things could have been much worse. Saffold had to be carted off the field in a neck brace and strapped to a backboard, but he should be OK going forward.

The Cardinals spent the entire preseason laboring over who to play at quarterback and finally settled on John Skelton only to lose him to injury in Week 1. Skelton has a serious ankle sprain and may miss four to six weeks, leaving the team to start Kevin Kolb in their Week 2 game against New England.

For complete coverage of the NFC West and the rest of the league, check out SB Nation's NFL hub.

Raiders Vs. Chargers: After Broncos Win, AFC West Rivals Looking To Make Statement

In my Week 1 picks, I called the game between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers the tossup of the week, thanks to Peyton Manning and his questionable health. There was doubt the man would ever play a game again a season ago, so it was certainly not a smart bet to take the Broncos over Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers.

Then Manning came out and completed 19 of 26 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns, with no picks. Demaryius Thomas had five grabs for 110 yards on the day, and the Broncos walked out of there with a dominating 31-19 victory. There will still be question marks surrounding Manning and his neck, but for now, he's true to his usual form.

And for the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, that's certainly not a good thing. Without the Manning factor, the Monday Night Football matchup between the Raiders and Chargers would likely be considered the first battle for the AFC West. It's always been the Broncos as a question mark, the Chargers as the favorites who might be slipping, and the Raiders who might just put everything together.

Well, the Broncos have done a lot to take away that question mark and now the pressure is on. Monday's game will not only be a test to see which of these two break out, but it will be the first look at who is going to compete with the new-look Broncos. Manning went out there on Sunday night and made a statement - which one of these two teams will do the same?

For more on the Oakland Raiders, join the discussion over at Silver And Black Pride. You can also check out everything we have to offer at SBNation's NFL hub.

NFL Standings, Week 1: NFC West

The NFC West standings look as many figured they would after Week 1, with the defending division champion San Francisco 49ers at 1-0, tied with the Arizona Cardinals.

San Francisco got the season off to a great start with a 30-22 win at Green Bay, while the Cardinals survived the Seattle Seahawks' bid for a big road win with a 20-16 victory in Glendale, Ariz.

The Seahawks are 0-1 despite a comeback that fell short in Arizona, and the St. Louis Rams are also 0-1 despite a respectable showing in Detroit, where it took a touchdown pass with 10 seconds left for the Lions to win.

Week 2 is going to be interesting for NFC West teams. The Cardinals try to limit Tom Brady in New England, the Rams get the hot rookie Robert Griffin III in their home opener against Washington, the Seahawks play in front of their super-loud fans in the home opener against 1-0 Dallas and the 49ers host Detroit. How will that "greeting" between Lions coach Jim Schwartz and 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh go?

For more on the San Francisco 49ers, join the discussion over at Niners Nation. You can also check out everything we have to offer at SB Nation's NFL hub.

Tracking The Enemy: NFC West And AFC West Matchups In Week 1

We take a look at what the NFC West and AFC West has going on in Week 1 of the 2012 NFL Season. For more on the 49ers, be sure to head on over to Niners Nation. For more on the Raiders, check out Silver and Black Pride.