KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The rest of the AFC West went to work this offseason with the hope of dethroning the Kansas City Chiefs, who have won the division a record six consecutive times.
Of course, coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a reimagined receiving corps and a remade defense will have something to say about it.
It’s no secret that Reid and the Chiefs always put the division title atop the list of goals for a season because it’s the surest path to the playoffs and a home postseason game.
Quite amazingly, a seventh straight AFC West title for Kansas City would mean every team in the division will have won 15 AFC West titles since its founding in 1960. Seattle also won twice before moving to the NFC.
Las Vegas, a playoff team from last season, hired former Denver head coach and New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to replace Jon Gruden.
The front office remains in flux, but college teammates Derek Carr and Davante Adams have reunited, and the Raiders tweaked the defense with the addition of Chandler Jones.
The Los Angeles Chargers remain a trendy pick to ascend in the AFC led by Justin Herbert.
Second-year coach Brandon Staley’s side re-signed Mike Williams, which should keep the offense potent, and bolstered the defense — adding Khalil Mack to pair with Joey Bosa along with corner J.C. Jackson and linebacker Kyle Van Noy among others.
Finally, Denver swung big in the offseason, trading for Russell Wilson to lead new coach Nathaniel Hackett’s offense.
He’s an upgrade over the Teddy Bridgewater/Drew Lock combo, and the Broncos fancy themselves as playoff contenders with a stout defense under new coordinator Ejiro Evero.
The road to the AFC West is expected to be a slugfest, and with the NFL’s schedule release Thursday, we now know the Chiefs’ path toward that goal, which is projected by some as the hardest schedule in the NFL next season:
Chiefs 2022 schedule
Week 1
Chiefs at Arizona — 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11
TV: CBS
Series history: Chiefs lead 9-3-1
The Cardinals made the playoffs for the first time in six years last season and will be eager to build off that breakthrough. Quarterback Kyler Murray’s offseason contract squabbles and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins' suspension cast a cloud across the desert, so it will be interesting to see how the team fares or if Kliff Kingsbury’s squad falls apart.
Week 2
Los Angeles Chargers at Chiefs — 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15
TV: Amazon Prime Video
Series history: Chiefs lead 65-58-1, including 0-1 in the playoffs
Expect Chiefs-Chargers to be a staple of the NFL’s primetime lineup as long as Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert are the quarterbacks. It’s no surprise that Amazon coveted this showdown for its debut Thursday Night Football game. Once again, Los Angeles has been crowned the offseason, on-paper champions of the AFC West after adding Khalil Mack and J.C. Jackson among others to the defense. The six-time reigning division champions Chiefs have a chance to send an early message to the rest of the AFC. The game also will air on a local broadcast station.
Week 3
Chiefs at Indianapolis — Noon on Sunday, Sept. 25
TV: CBS
Series history: Colts lead 17-10, including 4-1 in the playoffs
The Colts’ revolving door at quarterback spun again. This time it’s former Atlanta ace Matt Ryan manning the offense’s controls at Lucas Oil Stadium after Carson Wentz was traded in the wake of a late-season collapse that saw Indianapolis miss the postseason for the fifth time in seven seasons. It may be a make-or-break season for coach Frank Reich, whose squad features a punishing rushing attack led by Jonathan Taylor.
Week 4
Chiefs at Tampa Bay — 7 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2
TV: KSHB 41
Series history: Buccaneers lead 8-6, including 1-0 in the playoffs
Patrick Mahomes is 2-1 against Tom Brady-quarterbacked teams in the regular season but 0-2 in the postseason — an overtime loss in the AFC Championship Game during the 2018 season and a Super Bowl LV loss to cap the 2020 season. This may be the last time the GOAT (Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion) meets The Kid (Mahomes, the baby GOAT). The Sunday Night Football showdown, which can be seen on KSHB 41, will take place at the site of the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl win against the Chiefs two seasons ago.
Week 5
Las Vegas at Chiefs — 7:15 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 10
TV: ESPN
Series history: Chiefs lead 70-54-2, including 2-1 in the playoffs
The Raiders traded for Davante Adams, reuniting him with Derek Carr. The two were stars together at Fresno State, where Adams had 233 catches for 3,031 yards and 38 touchdowns in two seasons with Carr as his QB, but will that connection be enough to help them overtake the Chiefs?
Week 6
Buffalo at Chiefs — 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Oct 16
TV: CBS
Series history:
13 seconds. The Chiefs have played the Bills more than any other team in the postseason (five times) and may have authored the most singularly thrilling comeback in the franchise’s playoff history during the AFC Divisional round last season. Patrick Mahomes led an unfathomable 44-yard drive in the final 13 seconds before Harrison Butker forced overtime as Kansas City rallied for a 42-36 win despite Josh Allen/Gabriel Davis’ four-touchdown performance. That win came on the heels of the Chiefs’ AFC Championship Game victory a year earlier, adding spice to a budding rivalry between the conference’s current power-brokers.
Week 7
Chiefs at San Francisco — 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23
TV: CBS
Series history: Tied 7-7, including playoffs
Kansas City fans won’t get tired of seeing Super Bowl LIV highlights during the runup to the visit to the Bay Area. The Chiefs mounted a stunning comeback against the 49ers in the only postseason meeting between the teams. Will Trey Lance be up to the challenge against Patrick Mahomes? Meh, we’re skeptical, especially if Deebo Samuel lets his unfilled trade request sink the season.
Week 8
BYE WEEK
Week 9
Tennessee at Chiefs — 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6
TV: KSHB 41
Series history: Chiefs lead 30-25, including 3-1 in the playoffs
It’s unlikely the Chiefs have forgotten the 27-3 whooping the Titans put on them last season, a bottoming out battle during Kansas City’s midseason swoon. Tennessee still has Derrick Henry, but trading away A.J. Brown and letting Julio Jones walk leaves coach Mike Vrabel at a deficit comparing skill-player arsenals.
Week 10
Jacksonville at Chiefs — Noon on Sunday, Nov. 13
TV: CBS
Series history: Chiefs lead 7-6
Kansas City has won five straight in the series, dating back to 2010. The Jags are rebuilding under former Andy Reid protege Doug Pederson and hoping Trevor Lawrence can make a leap in his second NFL season (and first led by a competent, less-toxic coaching staff). Still, it would be stunning if Jacksonville is up to the challenge on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium this soon.
Week 11
Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers — 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20
TV: CBS
Series history: Chiefs lead 65-58-1, including 0-1 in the playoffs
Even with Las Vegas and Denver expected to be improved, and despite the fact that the Raiders beat the Chargers head-to-head with a playoff berth on the line last season, most people predict that Los Angeles and Kansas City will be duking it out for the division title. Mahomes-Herbert V promises to be a pivotal game in the AFC West race.
Week 12
Los Angeles Rams at Chiefs — 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27
TV: Fox
Series history: Chiefs lead 7-5
The last time the Chiefs and Rams met produced an unforgettable 54-51 Monday night shootout. It’s unlikely there are 105 points scored again, but the star power will be everywhere in a showdown of what might have been. After Kansas City blew a 21-3 halftime lead, losing to Cincinnati in the AFC Championship Game last season, Los Angeles topped the Bengals to win the Super Bowl LVI title.
Week 13
Chiefs at Cincinnati — 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4
TV: CBS
Series history: Bengals lead 17-14, including 1-0 in the playoffs
Cincinnati got the better of the Chiefs twice last January, rallying from double-digit halftime deficits to win on the last playoff of the game in Week 16 and in the AFC Championship Game. Think Kansas City will remember that? Or will Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase conjure more second-half magic?
Week 14
Chiefs at Denver — 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11
TV: KSHB 41
Series history: Chiefs lead 69-55, including 0-1 in the playoffs
Russell Wilson outdueled Patrick Mahomes in the only previous meeting between the two star quarterbacks, a 38-31 shootout late in Mahomes’ 2018 MVP season. Now, it takes on added meaning as a division matchup. The Chiefs narrowly escaped with the win in Denver last season and enter 2022 with 13 consecutive wins in the “rivalry.”
Week 15
Chiefs at Houston Texans — Noon on Sunday, Dec. 18
TV: CBS
Series history: Chiefs lead 8-5, including 2-0 in the playoffs
As a season opener, it’s hard to fathom this as a trap game for Kansas City, so it’s ideal in a way to get that nine-game road slate started early with what should be a comfortable win. The Texans will be getting adjusted under new coach Lovie Smith, while the Chiefs — despite some personnel changes and rookies getting acclimated to the NFL — ought to hit the ground running as the quest for a fifth consecutive AFC Championship Game appearance begins.
Week 16
Seattle Seahawks at Chiefs — Noon on Saturday, Dec. 24
TV: Fox
Series history: Chiefs lead 33-19
The Seahawks are in rebuilding mode, but it could be another homecoming for Drew Lock — the Lee’s Summit native and former University of Missouri-Columbia star, who gets a fresh start away from Denver and will compete for Seattle’s starting job after being included in the Russell Wilson trade.
Week 17
Denver Broncos at Chiefs — Noon on Sunday, Jan. 1
TV: CBS
Series history: Chiefs lead 69-55, including 0-1 in the playoffs
Russell Wilson outdueled Patrick Mahomes in the only previous meeting between the two star quarterbacks, a 38-31 shootout late in Mahomes’ 2018 MVP season. Now, it takes on added meaning as a division matchup. The Chiefs narrowly escaped with the win in Denver last season and enter 2022 with 13 consecutive wins in the “rivalry.”
Week 18
Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders — TBA on either Saturday, Jan. 7, or Sunday, Jan. 8
TV: TBA
Series history: Chiefs lead 70-54-2, including 2-1 in the playoffs
The Raiders traded for Davante Adams, reuniting him with Derek Carr. The two were stars together at Fresno State, where Adams had 233 catches for 3,031 yards and 38 touchdowns in two seasons with Carr as his QB, but will that connection be enough to help them overtake the Chiefs?
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