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Broncos' Von Miller: NFC West is NFL's toughest division

Published: Jun 30, 2014 at 09:15 AM

Gregg Rosenthal

Around The NFL Podcast Co-Host

The AFC West was the most surprising division in the NFL last year. It will be tough to repeat that feat in 2014, and Von Miller knows the reason why: The division's out of conference schedule.

The AFC West has to face the NFC West this year, and that means a lot of tough matchups against top-10 defenses.

"(The NFC West) is definitely the toughest division in the NFL," Miller told the 49ers' official website. "I'm looking forward to playing all those guys. I'm looking forward to playing the whole NFC West with Seattle, the Rams and the Cardinals and just going out and competing with those guys."

The Broncos' offense will be tested, but at least they have the weapons to scare the NFC West squads. San Diego, Oakland, and Kansas City figure to have a tougher time moving the ball.

Out of conference scheduling often quietly decides playoff races, and we expect the NFC West will get the better of their AFC counterparts. The AFC West sent three teams to the playoffs last year in part because of a soft schedule. Don't be surprised if Miller's team is the only one in its division to make the playoffs this time around.

The latest "Around The League Podcast" debates Jay Cutler's ceiling and looks back at the NFL in the '90s.

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