The AFC West was supposed to be Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson and Derek Carr leading their teams in high-scoring affairs in a thrilling battle for playoff spots.

So much for that.

Only Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs are above .500, and Wilson's Denver Broncos continued to tumble down the standings with a 23-10 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Denver dropped to 3-8 overall with a third straight loss and looked lost on offense for much of the contest.

That the showing came against the 4-8 Panthers only made it worse and left the Broncos and their quarterback open to criticism from social media:

Denver didn't score a touchdown until Wilson found Brandon Johnson on a one-yard pass with under four minutes remaining. By then, the game was largely decided, and it only made his final stat line look a bit better.

Wilson finished 19-of-35 for 142 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. He also lost a fumble and was sacked three times.

The 33-year-old was a nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion during his time on the Seattle Seahawks and figured to be a sure thing for the Broncos after they traded for him. Instead, this season has turned into a nightmare.

Things likely won't get any better in the near future with the next two contests against contenders in the Baltimore Ravens and Chiefs.