Fanbases of the AFC West

Staying out West as we look at the fanbases of the AFC. Keep in mind, I'm not necessarily ranking how "good" a fanbase is (though that is part of what you want in your fellow fans), but whether it's one I want to be aligned with. You can be the best fanbase in the world, but if I'm completely terrified of you then maybe I should look elsewhere...

AFC West

Denver Broncos - I want to give Denver fans credit for their long streak of consecutive sellouts. I want to give Denver fans credit for their passion and hatred for their rivals. I want to give Denver fans credit for being the exception to the rule out West, passionate fans who brave freezing weather to watch their team even in the lean years. All of these things are true, but I have one image of Denver right now and that is the MNF game against the Steelers where Steelers fans turned it into Heinz Field West. I suppose these things happen from time to time and Denver fans have proven their worth for years now, so we can let the Pittsburgh game slide. Broncos fans are at their best when the Raiders and Chargers come to town and the hatred begins to flow. Definitely the most passionate team in the Mountain Time Zone.

12/15

Kansas City Chiefs - The trend among most teams is that once the team has built a consistent winner, the fan-base comes together. The Chiefs are the exception to this rule. A team in a small market without much success in the modern era, the Chiefs fanbase is among the elite. The tailgating at Arrowhead is the stuff of legends and they turn the stadium into one of the loudest NFL venues, even when the team is at the bottom of the standings. To me, they're the St. Louis Cardinals fans of the NFL without the rich history of winning (and yes that is a compliment). Good luck finding a more optimistic, loyal, and passionate fan-base than Kansas City.

14/15

Oakland Raiders - ELIMINATED- The scariest fans in the NFL bar-none. The Black Hole not only makes Oakland intimidating, it also travels. Quite frankly, I'm terrified of these guys and would never fit in, but they're fun to look at. I can't say I blame the fans for failing to show up over the last couple of years, but blackouts are never good things. In their defense, the organization is a complete train-wreck with no sense of direction, so I do understand. Still, as unique as these fans are, I'm a little too scared of these guys to see myself as a part of them. 

10/15

San Diego Chargers - With no team in L.A., the Chargers have become the poster-boys for the "stereotypical West Coast fans". The attendance numbers have improved in recent years (probably a function of wins on the field). They've fought off blackouts in the last couple of years, but maybe they should get some slack since it's one of the few NFL cities where fans can go to the beach in December instead of a football game.

6/15

Next up, the BOTTOM 10.....