The AFC West may be the most confusing division in football right now. At the top of the division is a three-way tie between the San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders (all boasting 4-4 records halfway through the season) while the Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos are just one game back (3-5).
At this point, it's anybody's guess as to who wins the division by year's end. According to a recent ESPN poll that polled roughly 10,000 people on Wednesday, however, readers believe that the Raiders have the best shot to emerge victorious with 34% of the vote. The Chargers rank second with 25%, followed closely by the Broncos with 24%. The Chiefs find themselves last with 17%.
All four teams have issues to address before they can make a serious run at the division, and the Raiders find their biggest concerns on offense. Quarterback Carson Palmer has only one start to his name this year and needs to continue developing in Oakland over the next few weeks. Running back Darren McFadden has missed games due to a foot injury and is expected to miss this week's match-up against the San Diego Chargers.
The AFC West race should clear up in the coming weeks as one of the four teams start separating itself from the rest of the pack. If Palmer can become comfortable in Oakland's system and McFadden can get back on the field healthy, the Raiders have as good a shot as any of the other teams to make a run at the division title.