The Kansas City Chiefs have to prove a lot of skeptics wrong in 2025, with many sensing the AFC champs are there to be got at.

Of course, that’s what they said last year…and look what happened.

Still, it feels like the aura of invincibility has been dented after the Super Bowl loss, and with the expected improvement of the division, the Chiefs’ nine-year domination of the AFC West, for some, is expected in 2025.

Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton thinks that the Chargers’ physical style of play will be what gives them an edge and that it will be Jim Harbaugh’s team who will emerge as division champs.

“As we’ve seen in the past, the Kansas City Chiefs have struggled against teams that dominate at the line of scrimmage and pressure Patrick Mahomes,” Moton writes. “Under Harbaugh, the Chargers are built to end the Chiefs’ nine-year reign as AFC West champions.”

Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15).

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Is that a fair prediction? Some would say so.

And the Chiefs/Chargers games last year were close, with Kansas City winning 17-10 in Week 4 and 19-17 in Week 14.

Will the Chiefs finally see their AFC West domination come to an end at the hands of the Chargers? We can see why some are bullish on L.A., given Justin Herbert’s potential and Harbaugh’s coaching style, but that has yet to transpire into anything tangible, especially against the Chiefs (Herbert 2-7 all-time vs. Chiefs).

For Kansas City to be knocked off its AFC perch, the Chargers are likely going to have to beat Mahomes twice in the regular season while maintaining the trajectory they are on under Harbaugh.

Are the Chargers favorites? We don’t think so because until we actually see it, the AFC West will still be a Chiefs country.