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The NFL has released the final results of the fan portion of the Pro Bowl voting process. The fan vote makes up a third of the process along with players and coaches votes.

The following is a look at the AFC West players who finished in the top five of the AFC fan vote. Voting ends next week and the team will be announced Dec. 27:

Quarterback

Third place: Tim Tebow, Denver

Running back

Fourth place: Darren McFadden, Oakland

Fifth place: Willis McGahee, Denver

Fullback

Second place: Jacob Hester, San Diego

Third place: Marcel Reece, Oakland

Wide Receiver

Fourth place: Vincent Jackson, San Diego

Tight end

Fourth place: Antonio Gates, San Diego

Defensive end

Third place: Elvis Dumervil, Denver

Defensive tackle

Second place: Richard Seymour, Oakland

Fifth place: Tommy Kelly, Oakland

Outside linebacker

Second place: Von Miller, Denver

Fifth place: Tamba Hali, Kansas City

Cornerback

Third place: Brandon Flowers, Kansas City

Fourth place: Champ Bailey, Denver

Strong safety

Third place: Brian Dawkins, Denver

Fourth place: Tyvon Branch, Oakland

Free safety

Second place: Eric Weddle, San Diego

Kicker

First place: Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland

Fourth place: Matt Prater, Denver

Punter

First place: Shane Lechler, Oakland

Second place: Britton Colquitt, Denver

Kick returner

Fourth place: Jacoby Ford, Oakland

Fifth place: Javier Arenas, Kansas City

Special Teamer

Fourth place: Rock Cartwright, Oakland

If a position wasn’t listed, no player in the division was in the top five.

A look at key injury situations in the division heading into Week 15:

Denver starting safety Brian Dawkins (neck) and starting cornerback Andre Goodman (concussion) were both limited Friday. Both players are listed as questionable to play against the New England Patriots on Sunday. Barring setbacks, expect both players to try to play. The Broncos will need the two players as they face the pass-proficient Patriots. Receiver Eddie Royal (concussion) is listed as probable. He missed last week’s game.

In Oakland, Raiders’ coach Hue Jackson said running back Darren McFadden (foot) and receiver Jacoby Ford (foot) are out as expected. McFadden has been hurt for seven weeks and Ford has been out for a month. Jackson said defensive tackle John Henderson (knee), safety Michael Huff (ankle) and running back Taiwan Jones (hamstring) are questionable. Cornerback Chris Johnson, who has been dealing with the death of his sister in Texas, is also out.

For Kansas City, safety Jon McGraw is doubtful with an ankle injury. Receiver Jon Baldwin and cornerback Javier Arenas both practiced fully after they sat out Thursday’s practice because they were ill. They are both probable to play.

In San Diego, linebackers Takeo Spikes and Donald Butler were limited in practice for the first time this week and they are listed as questionable to face Baltimore on Sunday.

The NFL has released an update on the fan portion of the Pro Bowl voting process. The fan vote makes up a third of the process along with players and coaches votes.

The following is a look at the AFC West players who are currently in the top five of the AFC fan vote. Voting ends next week and the team will be announced Dec. 27:

Quarterback

Third place: Tim Tebow, Denver

Running back

Fourth place: Darren McFadden, Oakland

Fifth place: Willis McGahee, Denver

Fullback

First place: Jacob Hester, San Diego

Third place: Marcel Reece, Oakland

Wide Receiver

Fourth place: Vincent Jackson, San Diego

Fifth place: Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City

Tight end

Fourth place: Antonio Gates, San Diego

Guard

Fifth place: Stefen Wisniewski, Oakland

Defensive tackle

Second place: Richard Seymour, Oakland

Outside linebacker

Second place: Von Miller, Denver

Fifth place: Tamba Hali

Cornerback

Third place: Brandon Flowers, Kansas City

Fourth place: Champ Bailey, Denver

Strong safety

Third place: Tyvon Branch, Oakland

Fourth place: Brian Dawkins, Denver

Free safety

Second place: Eric Weddle, San Diego

Kicker

First place: Sebastian Janikowski, Oakland

Punter

First place: Shane Lechler, Oakland

Second place: Britton Colquitt, Denver

Kick returner

Fourth place: Jacoby Ford, Oakland

Fifth place: Javier Arenas, Kansas City

Special Teamer

Third place: Rock Cartwright, Oakland

If a position wasn’t listed, no player in the division was in the top five.

For the second straight day, Kansas City quarterback Kyle Orton was limited in practice by a finger injury. Interim Kansas City coach Romeo Crennel said Orton will start Sunday against 13-0 Green Bay if he is healthy.

Orton said Wednesday he is fine. He hurt his index finger on his throwing hand while making his only throw as a Chief on Dec. 4 against Chicago. If Orton isn’t ready, rookie Ricky Stanzi will play. At this point, though, it seems Orton will get the chance to play barring a setback.

Thursday, according to the Kansas City Star, Crennel said Orton will “probably” start Sunday and that the quarterback has “weathered the storm pretty good.”

Tyler Palko is now the No. 3 quarterback. He started the past four games for Kansas City after Matt Cassel suffered a season-ending hand injury. Former coach Todd Haley, who was fired Monday, stuck with Palko despite the fact he has thrown seven interceptions compared to two touchdown passes. The switch away from Palko was made quickly after Haley was fired.

Meanwhile, receiver Jonathan Baldwin and cornerback Javier Arenas didn’t practice Thursday due to illness.

Key Kansas City Chiefs reserve cornerback Javier Arenas was limited Friday by an ankle injury that did not keep him out of any work earlier in the week. Arenas, a top return man, is questionable to play Sunday against the visiting Miami Dolphins.

Chiefs safety Jon McGraw missed the entire practice week with a shoulder injury and he is doubtful to play Sunday. He was hurt Monday playing against the San Diego Chargers. Meanwhile, McGraw was named the team’s recipient of the Ed Block Courage award. Every NFL team honors one player each season.

Other AFC West news:

ESPN columnist Ashley Fox believes Carson Palmer will help the Oakland Raiders. He makes his first start for the team Sunday against the Denver Broncos.

Check out Jarvis Moss' thoughts on former college teammate Tim Tebow.

Oh, and take a look at Shannon Sharpe's thoughts on Tebow as well.

We have a big AFC West game Monday night in Kansas City as the Chiefs host San Diego.

If the Chiefs win, the Chiefs, Chargers and Raiders (who are on a bye this week) will be tied for first place in the AFC West at 4-3. If the Chargers win, they will be in first place by themselves at 5-2 and the Chiefs will be 3-4, two games behind San Diego and will have been swept by the Chargers. So, if the Chiefs want to win back-to-back division titles, they need to win this game.

The following are several statistics -- courtesy of ESPN Stats and Information -- that help tell why the Chiefs and Chargers are where they are heading into this game. Let’s take a look:

SAN DIEGO


The Chargers are moving the ball, but they aren’t scoring that well. San Diego is first in the NFL in time of possession and second in third-down conversions, yet they are just 15th in the NFL in scoring. The Chargers are stalling inside their opponent’s 40-yard line. Seven of the Chargers’ 12 turnovers have been committed inside their opponent’s 40.

San Diego is averaging just 3.4 yards per play inside their opponent’s 40, ranking 28th in the NFL. Quarterback Philip Rivers has been sacked five times inside the opponent’s 40, ranking 22nd.

Defensively, the Chargers are one of six teams to allow fewer than 300 yards per game. But they are 18th in scoring defense.

San Diego has 10 sacks, which ranks 29th. It has seven turnovers, tied for 26th and opponents are converting on third down 43.9 of the time, ranking 28th.

San Diego is just not playing timely defense. These offensive and defensive issues show you the Chargers are capable of doing much better even though they are 4-2.

KANSAS CITY

The Chiefs running attack didn’t disappear when star Jamaal Charles went down for the season in Week 2 with a knee injury. The Chiefs have learned they can run again, led by Jackie Battle.

During the first three games, when the Chiefs were 0-3, they averaged 24.7 runs a game, which was tied for 17th. In the past three games, all victories, Kansas City is averaging 35 rushes a game, tied for the most in the NFL. Kansas City won the AFC West last season partly because it had the best rushing game in the NFL. So, it learned to stick with it even after Charles’ loss.

Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel has improved in his downfield passing in the past three games. He has completed 46.7 of his passes that are 11-plus yards and is averaging 10.4 yards per completion with three touchdowns on those throws. In the first three games, Cassel completed 33.3 percent, averaged 8.6 yards and had no touchdown passes on downfield throws.

In the past four games, punt returner Javier Arenas is averaging an NFL-high 17 yards per return. In the first two games, he averaged 8.3 per return.

OAKLAND, Calif. – A look at a game in which the Kansas City Chiefs got back into the AFC West race:

What it means: The Chiefs are relevant in the AFC West again. Their thumping of the beat-up Raiders improved their record to 3-3. The Chiefs have overcome massive injuries and a 0-3 start. Coach Todd Haley --- who hasn’t shaved since the team has started winning -- deserves immense credit for bringing this team back to .500. The Raiders fell to 4-3. In addition to the Kyle Boller-Carson Palmer quarterback issues, the Raiders played most of the game without running back Darren McFadden, who has a foot issue, and the entire game without kicker Sebastian Janikowski.

Tomorrow’s talker: The Raiders’ weird decision at quarterback will be chatted about often. Oakland didn’t feel like Palmer was ready to start because he practiced just three days after being traded from Cincinnati. Yet the Raiders felt it was necessary to put in Palmer when Boller landed them in a 21-0 hole. Both quarterbacks were dreadful. Each player threw three interceptions and each had one retuned for a score.

Streak over: The Raiders’ streak of eight consecutive AFC West victories is over. It was the longest current streak in the NFL. The Raiders swept the division last year. That won’t happen this year.

Chiefs' weapons: The Chiefs are starting to show real versatility on offense, even without star running back Jamaal Charles and tight end Tony Moeaki, both out for the season with knee injuries. Quarterback Matt Cassel has been terrific during the Chiefs’winning streak and he has a nice chemistry with receivers Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston. Running back Jackie Battle is doing enough and the Chiefs even threw in cornerback Javier Arenas for a score out of the Wildcat. First-round pick Jonathan Baldwin made his debut Sunday and he looks to get more action as the season progresses. This team is getting dangerous, folks.

Flowers blooms: Last year, in Oakland, Kansas City standout cornerback Brandon Flowers struggled badly. Sunday, though, Flowers was outstanding. He intercepted a Palmer pass for a touchdown in the fourth quarter and he made several big plays in the game.

What’s next: Kansas City hosts first place San Diego (4-2) on Monday Night Football on Oct. 31. The Raiders have their bye in Week 8, then come back to host Denver in Week 9. If the Chiefs beat the Chargers, there will be a three-way tie for first place in the AFC West after Week 8.

This is the 1oth in our series of position-by-position rankings. It is a little different this season because we’re ranking the players before free agency starts and before rosters are set. We will adjust accordingly as we go along. On to a strong group of returners.

1. Jacoby Ford, Oakland: He’s becoming one of my favorite players. He is a star. Ford had three kickoff returns for touchdowns in the second half of last season. He has a chance to be special. He wants to return punts. Because he is expected to be a starting receiver, he will probably only return punts on occasion, if at all.

2. Javier Arenas/Dexter McCluster, Kansas City: This was mostly Arenas’ gig last year, because McCluster was hurt. But, ideally, the Chiefs want to use both of these players. Both showed electric skills as rookies in 2010.

3. Darren Sproles, San Diego: Sproles is still a standout, but he is aging and very well could leave the division as a free agent. The combination of his possible departure from San Diego and the youth in Kansas City is the reason he is third. If Sproles leaves, rookies Jordan Todman and Marcus Gilchrist are primed to take Sproles’ place as returners.

4. Eddie Royal, Denver: Royal is a solid punt returner. He’s always a threat to break off a long run. Denver will probably go with receiver Eric Decker as a kick returner.

This is the eighth in our series of position-by-position rankings. It is a little different this season because we’re ranking the players before free agency starts and before rosters are set. We will adjust accordingly as we go along. On to a stacked group of defensive backs:

1. Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland: This may change. Many league observers expect Asomugha to leave the Raiders when free agency starts. That would be a major hit to this list.

2. Champ Bailey, Denver: Bailey is aging, but he is still an elite-level player.

3. Eric Berry, Kansas City: Berry could be atop this list next year. The second-year safety appears to be a special player.

4. Quentin Jammer, San Diego: The veteran cornerback is underrated. He is a stalwart.

5. Brandon Flowers, Kansas City: He is a favorite of NFL scouts. He is becoming one of the better young cornerbacks in the league.

6. Eric Weddle, San Diego: He is a top safety and a playmaker.

7. Stanford Routt, Oakland: This is a big year for Routt, who just signed a big contract with the Raiders. He’ll be challenged if Asomugha leaves.

8. Antoine Cason, San Diego: Cason is an up-and-coming player. He was very solid is his first season as a starter last year.

9. Brandon Carr, Kansas City: Carr is a strong right cornerback. He and Flowers make a nice tandem.

10. Bob Sanders, San Diego: The new Charger has to show he can stay healthy. If so, he’ll be a great pickup.

11. Tyvon Branch, Oakland: Branch is a good, strong player, but he still has to improve.

12. Michael Huff, Oakland: Huff is decent, not great. He could leave in free agency.

13. Andre Goodman, Denver: He is nearing the end of his career, but he’ll probably start in 2011.

14. Brian Dawkins, Denver: This could be his final season.

15. Steve Gregory, San Diego: He is a solid role player.

16. Kendrick Lewis, Kansas City: Lewis and Berry could be a pair for years.

17. Chris Johnson, Oakland: He could start if Asomugha leaves and the youngsters aren’t ready.

18. Javier Arenas, Kansas City: He could be a good nickel for the long term.

19. Mike Mitchell, Oakland: It’s time for this 2009 second-round pick to make a move.

20. Rahim Moore, Denver: I have a feeling this second-round pick will be ranked much higher next year.

21. Quinton Carter, Denver: The same may be said for Carter.

22. Marcus Gilchrist, San Diego: The second-round pick will get a chance to contribute early.

23. DeMarcus Van Dyke, Oakland: The third-round pick is a speedster.

24. Chimdi Chekwa, Oakland: The fourth-round pick got great experience at Ohio State.

Mid-week mail call:

Abel Wang from San Diego wants to know if the San Diego Chargers will sign Kirk Morrison as a free agent.

BW: I could see the Chargers trying to add another inside linebacker. Morrison, now of Jacksonville and formerly of Oakland, went to San Diego State and still has major ties to the area. I think if he were fairly inexpensive, the Chargers could look at Morrison, although he is not a perfect fit for a 3-4 defense. I don’t think he’d be a high priority for a team that isn’t overly active in free agency, anyway.

Christopher from Wichita, Kan., wants to know if the Kansas City Chiefs could pursue San Diego running back/returner Darren Sproles in free agency.

BW: Sproles is from Kansas, so there would likely be some interest. Last year, before the Chargers secured Sproles, it was reported the Chiefs were planning to visit with him. However, that was before the team added returners Javier Arenas and Dexter McCluster. Plus, McCluster will probably have more of a role in the running game this season, so the need for Sproles would further lessen. If Sproles came very cheaply, the Chiefs could show interest, but I’m not sure they will pursue him heavily this year.

Tahoe from Denver wants to know if I think Carson Palmer could end up being the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos in 2011.

BW: I think Tim Tebow or Kyle Orton will be the starter in Denver this season. I don’t see Denver looking to trade for another quarterback. If the Broncos are going to trade for anyone, it would be at a position of immediate need.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports a group of Oakland Raiders and Atlanta Falcons players are talking about holding a scrimmage next week in the Atlanta area. Oakland defensive tackle Richard Seymour is footing the bill for a large group of Raiders to work out next week on their own in Atlanta at a sports performance complex in Georgia.

I love the idea of the Raiders getting together in May during the lockout. However, if I were affiliated with the team, I’d be a tad nervous if players held an 11-on-11 scrimmage against the Falcons.

There could be a serious injury and none of these players are covered by the league. The last thing any player needs is to blow out a knee during a lockout and be lost for the season.

Teams usually don’t scrimmage other teams until training camp. There’s no need to do it now, especially without the controlled environment of NFL coaching.

I know it wouldn’t be a full-blown game, but it’s still risky. I love the desire to work, but the key during an unprecedented time like this is to be smart.

In other AFC West-related nuggets on Thursday afternoon:

• Kansas City second-year cornerback Javier Arenas tells Sports Illustrated about the pain he is feeling after experiencing the terrible tornado in Alabama last month.
• An NFL.com columnist agrees with Buffalo rookie defensive tackle Marcell Dareus --- the Denver Broncos should have taken him, not linebacker Von Miller, with the No. 2 pick in the draft last month.
• Kansas City running back/receiver/returner Dexter McCluster is hoping to have better health in his second season than he did in his first NFL season.
• Denver quarterback Tim Tebow has joined Brian Dawkins’ organized workout group near the Broncos’ facility

Brian Waters had nothing to do but ride and watch.

Nursing an injury for much of training camp, the Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowl guard was relegated to jockeying an exercise bike instead of practicing with his teammates. With a perfect sideline view, Waters noticed something develop in the summer heat as he pedaled for countless hours.

The Chiefs had some extremely talented young players.

“Sitting there on the bike, our young guys really stood out to me,” Waters said this week. “I noticed the 2008 class was really developing out there, and then there was the rookie class. They were really something. The combination of those two classes really gave me hope that we might be on to something. Those two classes are a big reason why we’re where we are.”

There are several reasons why the 10-6 Chiefs – who won a total of 10 games in the previous three seasons – went from worst to first in the AFC West and will play host to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in the AFC wild-card round. The Chiefs are well coached, quarterback Matt Cassel has developed, the running game was tops in the NFL, the offensive line was strong, they didn’t make many mistakes, and the defense was aggressive and improved its pass rush. A lot of those reasons can be attributed to the development of Kansas City’s third-year players and rookie class.

“The Chiefs have some very good young players,” Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. “I think a big reason why this team improved so much is because of those two classes. There’s a ton of guys who are giving the Chiefs big-time contributions from 2008 and 2010.”

The 2008 draft -- buoyed by the Jared Allen trade to Minnesota – was the final contribution of the 20-year Carl Peterson era in Kansas City. Many league observers thought that draft class had a chance to be special. But it looked anything but special for the first two seasons, although second-round pick Brandon Flowers (cornerback) and third-round pick Jamaal Charles (running back) showed signs of being excellent players early on.

The two first-round picks, defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey (No. 5 overall) and left tackle Branden Albert (No. 15), were nothing special in their first two years. However, Dorsey and Albert have both made big progress this season.

Dorsey has flourished in defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 defense after struggling in the 3-4 under Clancy Pendergast last season. Dorsey has been the anchor of the defense, and he plays with a high motor. Many scouts thought the LSU star was the best player available in the 2008 draft, and he is now showing how good he is. Albert has melded well with the veterans on Kansas City’s line, and also has made major strides in 2010. There had been talk before the 2010 draft that the Chiefs would take Russell Okung with the No. 5 pick (who went one pick later to Seattle) and move Albert to right tackle.

The Chiefs have to be thrilled they didn’t make that move. Kansas City has its left tackle for the next several years, and it seems to have scored big with safety Eric Berry, the team’s top pick in 2010.

“Dorsey and Albert are showing why they were such high picks,” Williamson said. “Dorsey has been much better in the 3-4 than I thought he would be. He’s playing with a great purpose, and Albert is the best player on a good line.”

The showcase player of the Chiefs’ 2008 class, of course, is Charles. Kansas City drafted Charles out of Texas because of his blazing speed. The Chiefs hoped he’d be a nice change-of-pace player. In his third NFL season, Charles -- who along with Albert was a prize from the Allen trade -- has developed into the NFL’s premier game-breaker.

Charles was second in the NFL in rushing this season with 1,467 yards. His 6.38 per-carry average was the second highest single-season average behind the legendary Jim Brown, who averaged 6.4 yards a carry in 1963. If the Chiefs have a chance to beat the Ravens, it will start with Charles’ big-play threat.

The class, which also features right tackle Barry Richardson, also netted Kansas City’s two cornerbacks, who have a chance to be with the team for several years. While Flowers showed strong signs of being a good player (Williamson says he thinks Flowers can be a top-five cornerback), right cornerback Brandon Carr has come on strong this season. The fifth-round pick led the Chiefs with 19 passes defended, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

While Peterson and coach Herm Edwards’ swan song presented Kansas City with a terrific parting gift, the second draft class of the Scott Pioli-Todd Haley era has been a jackpot. Their first class was small and so far uninspiring besides kicker Ryan Succop, the final pick of the entire 2009 draft. But their second class has been one of the best rookie classes in the NFL, along with those of Oakland, New England and Tampa Bay.

In June, Haley said he didn’t think the task was too big for his draft class, and that was before he had seen the players in training camp. Through the regular season, Haley had to feel the same way. This class has been extremely productive.

It starts with Berry. While he is still learning, he has been a complete player and has the look of being a fierce player for a long time. Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. notes that Berry, who was named the NFL's defensive rookie of the month for December, is an excellent blitzer, strong in run support and continues to improve in coverage. Berry had four interceptions as a rookie. It’s noteworthy that Berry will be on the same field as the Ravens’ Ed Reed in his first postseason game. Berry has a chance to a have a Reed-like impact on the Chiefs in the coming years.

Second-round picks Javier Arenas and Dexter McCluster are both fine returners. Arenas has been decent as a nickel cornerback, and McCluster, when healthy, is a downfield target.

Next to Berry, perhaps the next most productive rookie has been third-round pick Tony Moeaki. Cassel looks to have complete trust in Moeaki, a tight end who can split the field and has soft hands. How good has Moeaki been? His rookie season has been much better than former Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez, the NFL record holder for all relevant tight end receiving marks.

Moeaki had 47 catches for 556 yards this season. His reception total was a team rookie record by 14 catches, and his yardage total was three yards off the team’s rookie mark. Safety Kendrick Lewis also has been a contributor this season.

“You have to give a lot of credit to the young kids,” veteran receiver Chris Chambers said. “They’ve come in here and acted like pros. They are a big reason why we’ve been so successful this season, no doubt about it.”

OAKLAND -- It’s been a wild third quarter so for. The Chiefs just kicked a field goal to take a 13-7 lead with 9:41 to go in the quarter, but the Raiders are back in this game.

Oakland rookie Jacoby Ford returned the kickoff to start the second half 94 yards to a touchdown.

Kansas City rookie return man Javier Arenas fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Oakland recovered at the Chiefs’ 34-yard line. The Raiders, though, missed a 47-yard field goal, blowing a chance to tie the game.

Oakland’s fortunes started to turn in the final minute of the first half when defensive back Jeremy Ware made an interception in the end zone. It was Matt Cassel’s second interception in five games. The Chiefs were driving in the final seconds and were looking to take a commanding 17-0 lead into halftime when Ware caught the tipped ball.

Kansas City dominated the first half. It has had four potential scores called back on penalties or overturned on a challenge. Kansas City also had a 72-yard Arenas punt return called back on a penalty and a field goal erased because of a penalty.

Oakland did very little offensively in the first half. Oakland had 49 yards of offense. Running back Darren McFadden had 28 yards on eight carries. Quarterback Jason Campbell completed four of 10 passes for 18 yards in the first half and an interception.

The Chiefs, who have the No. 1 run offense in the NFL, have done little on the ground. They had 43 yards rushing on 20 carries in the first half. The two teams combined for 14 penalties in the first half.

OAKLAND – Todd Haley and Tom Cable are a couple of fakers.

Both coaches called for a fake punt on back-to-back possessions. Both attempts failed.

First, Haley had rookie Javier Arenas take a direct snap on a punt, but he was stopped at Oakland’s 41. On the next drive, Oakland’s Rock Cartwright took the ball and was stopped at Oakland’s 48. Kansas City then scored a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead in the next drive. The Chiefs then took a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter after kicking a field goal after recovering a Darren McFadden fumble at the Oakland 31.

It was no surprise Haley tried the trick play. That man doesn’t like to punt. He has gone for it 12 times this season and has converted six times.

While the Raiders are not as big of risk-takers as Kansas City, Cable did get tricky in the first quarter. The Raiders used the Wildcat formation on four plays in the first quarter. McFadden took the direct snaps while quarterback Jason Campbell lined up as a receiver. Oakland also tried a flea flicker in the second quarter, but it was an incomplete pass from Campbell intended for rookie Jacoby Ford.

The game has had plenty of drama thus far. Cable has challenged two Kansas City touchdowns (on the same drive). One worked. One didn’t.

The officials also made a tremendous mistake when it was ruled a Tony Moeaki touchdown was actually stopped at the 1. He caught a five-yard pass from the six on 3rd-and-2. After the review, the officials ruled that it was fourth and goal from the 1, when it should have been first and goal from the 1. Quarterback Matt Cassel scored on a touchdown – yes, the Chiefs thought they had touchdowns three times on the drive – on the play but the Chiefs were called for holding. It wasn’t until after that play that officials realized they made a flub.

It’s early, but this AFC West showdown has been plenty of fun already.

The Denver Broncos will get their first look at Oakland rookie middle linebacker Rolando McClain on the field.

However, the Broncos are very familiar with McClain. The star from Alabama was on Denver’s list of prospects before the draft. The team met with McClain at the NFL Combine and brought McClain in for a pre-draft visit. Oakland took McClain at No. 8. Denver then wheeled and dealed and ended up with reciver Demaryius Thomas and quarterback Tim Tebow in the first round.

Denver coach Josh McDaniels was very complimentary of his experience with McClain on Friday.

“I did (like him). He wouldn’t have played the same position as (LB) D.J. (Williams) plays,” McDaniels told reporters in Denver. “He would have been a middle linebacker for us. But, I don’t know if I have ever interviewed a more intelligent defensive player at the combine or in person here in our building than Rolando McClain. He was off the charts, and he’s a guy that plays physical, he is big and he is a good player in the run game. They have kept him on the field every snap — he’s not coming off on third down and he is in there in the dime. You can tell how much he is communicating and for a rookie to be able to do that his first year against all the different looks he is seeing and all the different packages, I think what he showed us has really transferred over and he’s using it now for them. We liked him a lot. It was definitely part of the consideration as a guy that you would have to look at to take that high, and he is definitely going to be an impact player for them for a long time. So, he was definitely part of our (draft) consideration.”

In other AFC West news and notes:

Kansas City coach Todd Haley told reporters in Kansas City that defensive end Tyson Jackson was healthy enough to play last week in Houston but he didn’t because of a coach’s decision. He injured his knee in Week 1 and hasn’t played since. Clearly, Jackson didn’t practice well enough for the team since regaining his health. It will be interesting to see if the No. 3 overall pick in 2009 plays Sunday against Jacksonville. Haley likes to push player's buttons and this seems like a prime example of that.

• The Chiefs won’t know which Jacksonville quarterback they will face -- Trent Edwards or Todd Bouman -- until Sunday.

• The Kansas City Star has an interesting story on the childhood medical hurdles Chiefs’ rookie cornerback/returner Javier Arenas has had to deal with.

• Mel Kiper is a fan of several players on practice squads, including San Diego linebacker Nate Triplett.

• Kansas City rookie safety Kendrick Lewis is questionable to play Sunday against Jacksonville with a hamstring injury.

• The depleted Chargers’ receiver crew may get some help for Sunday’s game against New England.