KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A record six straight AFC West titles.
An NFL-record four straight times hosting the conference championship game.
What will the Kansas City Chiefs do for an encore in 2022?
Tod Palmer, host of KSHB 41’s “4th & 1” podcast, offers his prediction for the upcoming Chiefs season.
Trivia time: The Chiefs are the only team in NFL history to host a conference championship game in four consecutive seasons (2018-21). The old NFL record was three consecutive times by the 2002-04 Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams were coached by Andy Reid, making him the record-holder in both conferences.
Week 1 — at Arizona Cardinals
3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11
State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Analysis: The Chiefs are the better team. Patrick Mahomes is a better quarterback. Andy Reid is a better coach. The Cardinals are depleted.
Prediction: Chiefs 34-20
Week 2 — Los Angeles Chargers
7:15 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Analysis: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will be rocking, but I think Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ receivers will give a young, unproven secondary some lessons on NFL life. At least it’ll be a fun shootout.
Prediction: Chargers 38-31
Week 3 — at Indianapolis Colts
12 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25
Lucas Oil Stadium
Analysis: The young secondary bounces back in this one and the run defense flexes against a Colts team still trying to get its bearings with the passing game led by new-to-Indy QB Matt Ryan.
Prediction: Chiefs 28-20
Week 4 — at Tampa Bay
7:20 p.m. on Sunday. Oct. 2
Raymond James Stadium
Analysis: The hype surrounding the Bucs perplexes me a bit and time, which you may have heard is undefeated, is going to catch up to Tom Brady eventually. Mahomes will grab the early reins in the MVP race by going Showtime in primetime.
Prediction: Chiefs 35-24
Week 5 — Las Vegas
7:15 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Analysis: The Raiders are better than a lot of Chiefs fans probably want to admit and the rekindle Derek Carr-to-Davante Adams connection is a problem. But not on Monday Night Football and not at home.
Prediction: Chiefs 31-21
Week 6 — Buffalo
3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Analysis: 13 seconds. How %$&%*& tired do you think the Bills will be of hearing about “13 seconds” by the time the game kicks off? Enough to pull an upset, I’d imagine.
Prediction: Buffalo 38-34
Week 7 — at San Francisco
3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23
Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
Analysis: Trey Lance against Steve Spagnulo? I know who I’m taking. As long as the Chiefs’ offensive line remains healthy along with Mahomes, it’ll be a battle Kansas City relishes heading into the bye.
Prediction: Chiefs 24-23
Week 9 — Tennessee
7:20 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Analysis: Coming off the bye. At Home. Against a team that woodsheded the Chiefs last season. Kansas City exacts revenge.
Prediction: Chiefs 31-17
Week 10 — Jacksonville
12 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Analysis: Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence could prove to be a wonderful pairing. They ain’t good enough to beat the Chiefs quite yet.
Prediction: Chiefs 41-13
Week 11 — at Los Angeles Chargers
3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20
SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
Analysis: Brandon Staley probably makes some questionable fourth-down decisions and the Chiefs split the season series.
Prediction: Chiefs 34-31
Week 12 — Los Angeles Rams
3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Analysis: It’s going to get a lot of hype, but don’t expect some 54-51 final score. The Chiefs’ young defense should be coming into its own by this point, leaving disaffected Angelinos disappointed.
Prediction: Chiefs 41-24
Week 13 — at Cincinnati
3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4
Paycor Stadium
Analysis: Another game on the Chiefs’ revenge tour. Kansas City played well enough to win both meetings last season against the Bengals, but credit Zac Taylor, Joe Burrow and company for their fight. Now, watch Reid, Mahomes and company flex.
Prediction: Chiefs 37-28
Week 14 — at Denver
7:20 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11
Empower Field at Mile High
Analysis: You’ll never convince me that the NFL didn’t schedule these games as late as possible to give new Broncos QB Russell Wilson, first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett and the rebuilt Denver squad a chance to jell. But will it matter? Just maybe.
Prediction: Broncos 31-27
Week 15 — at Houston
12 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18
NRG Stadium
Analysis: I think the Texans are better than people think. I like a lot of the young talent on the roster. I think not having the cloud of Deshaun Watson’s off-field troubles lifts a weight from the whole franchise. I think that ownership group and front office remains an anchor on the team’s fortunes.
Prediction: Chiefs 45-14
Week 16 — Seattle
12 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Analysis: Drew Lock or Geno Smith? Probably doesn’t matter. The Chiefs will be eyeing a playoff run, while the Seahawks will be eyeing the offseason. Still, I could see it getting sloppy.
Prediction: Chiefs 26-13
Week 17 — Denver
12 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium
Analysis: I really hope the Chiefs have a chance to clinch the division and the Broncos need a win to stay in the postseason hunt. It would make a Kansas City win glorious.
Prediction: Chiefs 28-24
Week 18 — at Las Vegas
Time/date TBD
Allegiant Stadium
Analysis: With the division wrapped up, the Chiefs get to rest some players and the Raiders take advantage.
Prediction: Raiders 27-20
Postseason predictions
AFC seeds
1. Kansas City 13-4
2. Buffalo 12-5
3. Indianapolis 11-6
4. Baltimore 11-6
5. Los Angeles Chargers 12-5
6. Cincinnati 10-7
7. Miami 10-7
NFC Seeds
1. Green Bay 12-5
2. Tampa Bay 12-5
3. Philadelphia 11-6
4. Los Angeles Rams 11-6
5. Dallas 10-7
6. San Francisco 10-7
7. Minnesota 9-8
AFC Wild Card round
Buffalo over Miami
Cincinnati over Indianapolis
Chargers over Baltimore
NFC Wild Card round
Tampa Bay over Minnesota
Philadelphia over San Francisco
Dallas over Rams
AFC Divisional round
Kansas City over Cincinnati
Buffalo over Chargers
NFC Divisional round
Green Bay over Dallas
Philadelphia over Tampa Bay
Conference championship games
Buffalo over Kansas City
Green Bay over Philadelphia
Super Bowl LVII
Buffalo over Green Bay
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Want more insight about the Kansas City Chiefs? The “4th & 1” podcast is the twice-weekly, Chiefs-centric podcast from KSHB 41 News, the official broadcast “Home of the Chiefs.” Analyst Nick Jacobs and host Tod Palmer analyze and breakdown the Chiefs’ opponent and performance for pre- and post-game episodes — available on iTunes, Spotify, Omny or your preferred podcast platform — each week during the season.
