Caleb Harris
The double defense Super Bowl The champion Kansas City Chiefs have an absolutely packed schedule, with lots of primetime games and a number of contenders on the agenda. This should come as no surprise considering how TV networks are now scrambling to get KC games on their airwaves.
“They are active at the Cowboys level now,” NFL Vice President of Broadcast Planning Mike North said of the chiefs in a conference call on Thursday, via Arrowhead Pride.
Despite the buzz surrounding them and the spate of marquee games, Kansas City actually has a schedule that is lighter this season thanks to the AFC West being pitted against the NFC South in the rotation. According to Sharp Football Analysis, the Chiefs have the 12th easiest opponent list, with an over/under average of 8.2 wins. Kansas City is also tied for the highest over/under win total in the league with 11.5 wins alongside the Ravens and 49ers.
Below, we’ll look at Kansas City’s entire 18-game slate, highlight key games, the club’s toughest stretch, and finally go game-by-game to predict how this season will play out.
Chiefs’ complete 2024 schedule
*All Eastern times
Key observations from the schedule
- The Chiefs are currently scheduled to play seven games outside of the traditional Sunday afternoon window.
- One of those games is on Black Friday, another on Saturday and another is Wednesday’s inaugural game, which takes place on Christmas Day. As such, the Chiefs play every day of the week except Tuesday.
- The Chiefs don’t play back-to-back games against last season’s playoff teams until they face the Browns and Texans in Weeks 15 and 16.
- Two of Kansas City’s four NFC South games will be on “Monday Night Football.”
- Two of the four games against the AFC North come in the first two weeks of the season, but they don’t face an AFC North team again until the Browns in Week 15 and then the Steelers in Week 17.
- There is one Super Bowl rematch in Week 7, an AFC title game rematch in Week 1, and an AFC divisional round rematch in Week 11.
Hardest stretch
- Week 1 vs. Week 1 Ravens
- Week 2 vs. Bengals
- Week 3 at Falcons
- Week 4 at Chargers
As mentioned above, the Chiefs do not play last season’s playoff teams in consecutive weeks until December. But the Ravens and Bengals are two of the conference’s top contenders and recent participants in the AFC title game. Given the scattered nature of the other marquee games on the slate, this makes the opening four games of the season the toughest of the year, even if the matchups between the Falcons and Chargers don’t have as much of an impact.
Five unmissable clashes
Bosses vs. Ravens (Week 1) – The opening game of the season pits the two-time Super Bowl champions against the current NFL MVP and on “Thursday Night Football.” Couple that with the Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson matchup, the stars on both sides of the ball, and the extensive history between the two teams, and you have an excellent early game for the 2024 season.
Chiefs at Bengals (Week 2) – Oh look, another star-laden AFC contender and another MVP candidate at quarterback, Joe Burrow. The Bengals eliminated the Chiefs from the playoffs the last time KC didn’t win the Super Bowl, and after an injury-plagued 2023 campaign, they will look to get off to a strong start this season.
Chiefs to the 49ers (Week 7) – Super Bowl rematch. Again. Need we say more?
Bosses in Accounts (Week 11) – The seemingly annual contest between the Chiefs and Bills is always exciting. Mahomes and Josh Allen may very well be the two best players in the NFL, and there’s nothing more fun than watching them face off in a big game. Both teams have changed a lot over the years, but the majesty of watching these two try to outdo each other will never change.
Chiefs vs. Texans (Week 16) – We’ve already highlighted some of the AFC contenders here, so why not include the new kids on the block? What can CJ Stroud, Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs do in what should be one of the best games of the season? We can’t wait to find out.
Game-by-game predictions
Here’s a quick game-by-game prediction with a brief reasoning behind each:
- Week 1 vs. Ravens: To win – After getting off to a bad start on their title defense last season, playing without Chris Jones and having wide receivers hurt the offense all night, the Chiefs got off to a much better start by winning the AFC title game rematch. (1-0)
- Week 2 vs. Bengals: victory – Speaking of an AFC title game rematch, Kansas City takes care of business against another AFC North team at home, jumping into the lead in the race for the AFC top seed. (2-0)
- Week 3 at Falcons: Win – Kirk Cousins and the newly improved Falcons offense are no match for Patrick Mahomes playing in a dome, and the Chiefs roll once again. (3-0)
- Week 4 at Chargers: Loss – The Chiefs always seem to lose a game early in the season that you think they shouldn’t have. It makes sense that such a loss would come in Jim Harbaugh’s first game against the best team in his new division. (3-1)
- Week 5 vs. Santos: victory – New Orleans may be the best team in the league in artistic gymnastics (sort of; the bill will eventually come due), but here the Saints can’t handle the road surroundings of Arrowhead Stadium and KC enters the bye week with a win. (4-1)
- Week 6 Bye
- Week 7 at 49ers: Win – Andy Reid coming out of bye? I won’t bet against him. Even in San Francisco. And even as the Niners come off their own bye. Reid simply doesn’t lose in this situation. (5-1)
- Week 8 at Raiders: Victory – The Chiefs ignored the Raiders in last season’s Christmas Day game and paid for it with a loss. We don’t see the same happening here – even with Antonio Pierce now firmly established as the team’s coach. (6-1)
- Week 9 vs. Week 9 Buccaneers: victory – The Chiefs are really on the rise here. A gentle piece of programming surrounding the Super Bowl rematch will do that for you. (7-1)
- Week 10 vs. Week 10 Broncos: Victory – Denver doesn’t have enough talent to stay with Kansas City. Not after all the crushing departures the Broncos have suffered this offseason. Sean Payton and company will have to wait a little longer to really compete with the Chiefs. (8-1)
- Week 11 at Bills: Loss – This game is in Buffalo, and if there’s one thing we’ve seen from this rivalry in recent years, it’s that the Bills are fully capable of beating the Chiefs in the first 17 weeks of the season. It’s in the playoffs that they have problems. (8-2)
- Week 12 at Panthers: Win – Getting the Panthers off the brutal Bills game is a nice change of pace. (9-2)
- Week 13 vs. Week 13 Raiders: victory – With the conference’s top seed in sight and a slew of conference games coming up, the Chiefs are starting to bounce back and bounce back. (10-2)
- Week 14 vs. Week 14 Chargers: victory – Revenge for the early-season loss comes in the form of a late-season victory that deals a crucial blow to Los Angeles’s faint – and fading – playoff hopes. (11-2)
- Week 15 at Browns: win – Even facing one of the best defenses in the NFL, away from home in December, the Chiefs find a way to come out with the victory. (12-2)
- Week 16 vs. Week 16 Texans: Loss – Unfortunately, good times don’t last forever. As has happened several times before, an aspiring AFC contender defeated the Chiefs in the regular season. (Wait until the playoffs for the revenge game.) (12-3)
- Week 17 at Steelers: win – With just one win over the Steelers between the Chiefs and home field advantage during the AFC playoffs, Mahomes and Co. take care of business on the road and get a week off to close out the year. (13-3)
- Week 18 at Broncos: Loss – The Chiefs have the No. 1 seed wrapped up heading into the final week of the season and the reserves lose a meaningless contest against their division rivals. (13-4)
