Coming off a heartbreaking loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, the Chiefs have a lot to look forward to in 2019. Excitement surrounds quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whose performance in his first full season earned numerous accolades, including the league MVP award. The excitement that Mahomes has bestowed upon the city is one that hasn’t been felt since a young edge rusher named Derrick Thomas exploded onto the scene in the early 1990s.
The Chiefs defense has been overhauled with Frank Clark, Alex Okafor and Tyrann Mathieu being the biggest acquisitions. New defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is switching things up with a 4-3 formation. Leaders like Justin Houston and Eric Berry are gone, along with the team’s top edge rusher for a season ago, Dee Ford.
The Chiefs finished with a 12-4 record and their third consecutive AFC West title in 2018. They are heading into 2019 with the fifth-toughest schedule, according to CBS Sports. They have five prime-time games, with two of them coming against division rivals. Here are game-by-game predictions as well as a brief summary of what could happen with each matchup.
Week 1: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville signed former Eagles and Chiefs QB Nick Foles in the offseason after deciding to part ways with the third overall selection from 2014, quarterback Blake Bortles. Foles is on a four-year deal with the Jags for a total of $88 million. He takes over an offense that returns the leading receiver, Dede Westbrook while Keelan Cole and DJ Chark are also back from last year. Marqise Lee also returns after a season-ending injury last year. A couple of new faces join the group with Terrelle Pryor and former Chiefs receiver Chris Conley coming over in free agency.
The strength of the Jaguars still lies with the defense with their two leaders in sacks both returning in Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue. Myles Jack will man the second level at linebacker while AJ Bouye and embattled Jalen Ramsey return in the secondary.
Mahomes and the record-setting offense put 30 points on the Jaguars last year so I expect Jacksonville to have a little extra motivation coming in. This game will be closer than many are probably expecting. While the Jaguars will come into the game looking for revenge, the Chiefs come in looking to start off a championship season on the right foot. The edge still goes to the Chiefs.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 1-0
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Week 2: at Oakland Raiders
For the back-to-back years, Kansas City begins with two road games. They travel to Oakland (possibly for the last time) for their first divisional game of the year. The Raiders have a bunch of new faces after hiring draft guru Mike Mayock as the new general manager. Players were added on both sides of the ball through free agency and the draft so the Raiders are a tough team to predict this early on. Antonio Brown was the biggest addition after a trade with Pittsburgh sent the five-time All-Pro to the Raiders. Some other key additions in free agency were fellow receivers Tyrell Williams and JJ Nelson, offensive tackle Trent Brown, linebackers Vontaze Burfict and Brandon Marshall, and safety Lamarcus Joyner.
The draft also brought in new impact players like running back Josh Jacobs, defensive end Clelin Ferrell, with Jonathan Abram and Trayvon Mullen in the secondary. The Raiders are looking like a brand new team, but still have a few familiar faces like head coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr. On paper, this squad will be much better than their 4-12 season last year.
The Black and Silver have not had much success against the Chiefs lately. This matchup is always a fun one thanks to the historical rivalry. Yes, the Raiders do have a new look, but the Chiefs defense was given a facelift too. The biggest matchup will be the Raiders offense pitted against the Chiefs defense. It will be another tough outing for the Chiefs to overcome early.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 2-0
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Week 3: vs. Baltimore Ravens
A rematch of one the best games from last year, the home opener at Arrowhead Stadium involves the Baltimore Ravens. Kansas City fans will be bringing the noise and the Ravens will be going through some growing pains with a young group of receivers on offense. The strength in the Ravens offense is on the ground with their new starting running back Mark Ingram running behind their tough offensive line. The Chiefs front seven will need to be on their A game for the Chiefs to get the advantage.
The Ravens defense is not what they have been known for after losing Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith to free agency. A group of new edge rushers is now being trusted to replace their production. A familiar face in Shane Ray hopes to find a new boost to his career while Tim Williams has been waiting for his chance and now has it. Rookie Jaylon Ferguson will more than likely see the field in certain packages. However, the Ravens added veteran safety Earl Thomas to the secondary so expect them to have the same tenacity.
The Chiefs overtime victory over the Ravens in 2018 was one of the most critical wins for Andy Reid and company. The Chiefs are a much more well-rounded team than Baltimore. Lamar Jackson is still relatively unproven and with the new pass rush make the Ravens vulnerable. The Chiefs home opener should be a celebratory event.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 3-0
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Week 4: at Detroit Lions
The Chiefs are back on the road for the third time in four weeks with a trip to Ford Field to face the Lions. Detroit has been an average or below average team for the last handful of years.
Second-year head coach Matt Patricia really seems to be applying what he learned under Bill Belichick. They have brought in former Patriots Danny Amendola and Trey Flowers and also have loaded up on tight ends. Jesse James came over from Pittsburgh while TJ Hockenson and Isaac Nauta came over in the draft.
The defensive line will be an issue with Da’Shawn Hand, A’Shawn Robinson, Damon Harrison, and the aforementioned Flowers. Jarrad Davis is a stud at linebacker while Quandre Diggs and Darius Slay provide playmakers on the back end. If the Chiefs offensive line can hold up against the Lions, and give Mahomes time, the Chiefs should get through this one unscathed.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 4-0
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Week 5: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Another rematch of a pivotal 2018 game for the Chiefs occurs in week five when the Colts come to town for Sunday Night Football. The Chiefs owned the Colts from start to finish in last year’s 31-13 divisional round victory. A lot of people in the media seem to be high on Andrew Luck and the Colts after their surprising midseason turnaround last year.
There are not too many new names on the Colts roster that will see significant playing time. One that will see the field is a recognizable face for Chiefs fans, none other than former Chiefs outside linebacker Justin Houston. He could cause some problems for his former team.
The Colts should be improved, not because of an improved roster, but rather because they are in their second year under Frank Reich. This will be a close matchup and arguably the toughest game yet on the schedule. The Chiefs continue their winning ways in a potential playoff matchup here.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 5-0
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Week 6: vs. Houston Texans
The Chiefs stay at home for their second-straight AFC South opponent. The Houston Texans won their division last year with an 11-5 record but lost in the Wild Card round to the Colts.
The offensive line was exposed on national television in during that playoff loss as quarterback Deshaun Watson always appeared to be under pressure constantly. A questionable draft class and free agency has apparently led to the Texans moving on from their general manager after only one season.
The Texans defense is still the driving force behind their success but the offense may not have improved enough to build on their 2018 achievements. DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best receivers in the game today. Make no mistake about it, he will be a problem for Kansas City, but the Chiefs can contain him enough to get a victory.
Another storyline to keep an eye on is Tyrann Mathieu facing off against his former team. He’ll obviously have some extra motivation coming into this one.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 6-0
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Week 7: at Denver Broncos
A Thursday Night Football matchup with divisional rival Denver Broncos will be highly anticipated. Vic Fangio has brought a new found hope for the Broncos faithful. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb should be the biggest benefactors from the new hire. However many games are won by Denver, most of them will be thanks to the defense.
The Broncos had another great draft haul that includes tight end Noah Fant and offensive lineman Dalton Risner. They will both be Day 1 starters for the Broncos. Joe Flacco will be the new man under center with the quarterback of the future Drew Lock waiting in the wings. Phillip Lindsay had a great rookie campaign while fellow second-year running back Royce Freeman give Denver’s offense a strong running game to lean on. Demaryius Thomas is gone and it is now time for Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton to step up their game. Emmanuel Sanders provides a veteran presence for the receiving room.
Denver isn’t looking to be a Super Bowl contender and since they are in a tough AFC West with two contenders, this year should be one of growth and foundation laying.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 7-0
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Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers
For the first time since 2006, the Packers will start the season with a head coach who isn’t Mike McCarthy. Matt LaFleur takes over the Packers with an offensive-minded background. After spending the last two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Rams and the Titans respectively, he embarks on his first ever head coaching gig.
Green Bay is running out of time with Aaron Rodgers who is 35. They have some problems on offense with a lack of consistency but have some young and talented receivers to support the primary target Davante Adams. The running game will still be a committee approach.
The defense added some youth with Za’Darius Smith and Adrian Amos but as a whole, the defense is not one that looks like a championship-caliber defense on paper. Rodgers will always make Green Bay competitive, but the leader of the new generation of NFL quarterbacks plays for Kansas City which gives the Chiefs a big upper hand.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 8-0
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Week 9: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota had high expectations last year but failed to make the playoffs. The added a couple of linemen to help keep Kirk Cousins safe. With the addition of free agent guard Josh Kline and rookie center Garrett Bradbury, the offensive line looks solid tackle to tackle.
The defense almost lost one of its key leaders, but Anthony Barr decided against signing with the Jets and returned to Minnesota. They have a star-studded unit with Barr coming back to play with Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith, Danielle Hunter, and Xavier Rhodes. This defense will provide a difficult test for the Chiefs.
Kansas City is not an easy offense to stop though, which is an understatement. At some point, Kansas City will stumble but it won’t be against the Vikings.
Prediction: Chiefs win, 9-0
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Week 10: at Tennessee Titans
Time is probably running out for Marcus Mariota to prove he can be a quarterback who elevates his team to a new level.
Mariota has struggled to stay healthy and has thrown at least 20 touchdowns only once in his four-year career. The Titans have finished 9-7 the last three seasons and in a tough division, their chances of improving much on that record aren’t very high.
They added Ryan Tannehill as a backup so if Mariota does go down, there is a suitable replacement. The Titans do not have enough firepower to hang with the Chiefs in the long run, but Derrick Henry has run through this team once before.
This time it could be Tennessee’s front seven that gets exposed, with Damien Williams as a new weapon of choice for Reid.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 10-0
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Week 11: at Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers were barely edged out last year by the Chiefs for the division title. Both teams ended with a 12-4 record and with the Chiefs winning in Los Angeles and the Chargers winning in Kansas City. The Chiefs had the tiebreakers to beat the Chargers for the AFC title.
The Chargers have a talented roster across the board with what seems to be a perfect blend of veterans, guys in their prime, and rookie contributors. Philip Rivers is a Super Bowl ring away from a first ballot Hall of Fame career. Hunter Henry returns from a missed season and Mike Williams steps into a larger role with the departure of Tyrell Williams. Keenan Allen is a top wide receiver who went down early with an injury in last year’s win over KC.
This is a heavyweight battle between two legitimate contenders for the Lombardi. This game will not only have obvious implications on the division but even the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
Kansas City’s win streak is in big jeopardy. This could easily be loss number one coming in Mexico City.
Prediction: Chiefs lose, record 10-1
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Week 12: Bye
The Chiefs have another late-season bye and comes at a pivotal point in the season. Three out of their final five opponents are playoff teams from a year ago. This should help the team rest and recharge for a final push toward the playoffs, but it won’t be easy.
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Week 13: vs. Oakland Raiders
Who knows what Oakland will look like at this point in the season. Things may be crumbling with names like Antonio Brown, Richie Incognito, and Vontaze Burfict butting heads. Alternatively they may be one of the toughest teams in the AFC.
The Chiefs must be careful not to look ahead in what could be a trap game situation. This one might come down to coaching and Andy Reid always is strong off the bye week.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 11-1
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Week 14: at New England Patriots
Oh boy.
The long-awaited rematch of last year’s AFC Championship that went down as an instant classic. Tom Brady and the rest of the Pats will surely be in the running for the top seed in the AFC as will Kansas City. The Patriots beat the Chiefs twice last year by a combined total of nine points.
Somehow, the best receiver in the draft fell to the Patriots in the draft and N’Keal Harry will be a candidate for rookie of the year honors. The Patriots were also, somehow, able to add to an already dangerous stable of running backs with former Alabama running back Damien Harris. A three-headed monster of Sony Michel, James White, and Harris won’t be easy to stop. Especially with Brady and Harry causing concern in the passing game.
This will be a slugfest yet again, but the Chiefs have enough experience and motivation to avenge last season. They have had success against the Patriots in recent memory and find it once again.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 12-1
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Week 15: vs. Denver Broncos
The second matchup with the Broncos is at home and even though they are coming off an emotional game with the Patriots, the Chiefs should have a grasp on this game. From what I have heard, Drew Lock is not expected to see the field this year, but things could change depending on their record. If Joe Flacco is still the guy this late in the season they’ll have found some success, but they’ll continue to struggle against the Chiefs.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 13-1
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Week 16: at. Chicago Bears
One of my favorites in the NFC this year is the Bears. I love what they did in the draft by bringing in RB David Montgomery and putting him with Mike Davis and Tarik Cohen. There are still Mitch Trubisky doubters but with an offense with the running game plus tight end Trey Burton and receivers like Allen Robinson, Anthony Miller, and the undrafted rookie Emanuel Hall he has tools to succeed.
The defense is even better and there does not appear to be a weakness at any level. Khalil Mack is one of the truly elite players in the league and linebacker Roquan Smith is on his way to being one of the best at his position. If there is a weakness on the team, it is at cornerback. Which is a problem against the Chiefs.
After an agonizing one-point loss to Philadelphia in the playoffs, Chicago should be out for one thing and that is a Super Bowl trophy. Matt Nagy will best his former mentor in this game.
Prediction: Chiefs lose, record 13-2
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Week 17: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
The most important regular season game comes in the final week of the season. This game could be for the division and for the top seed in the AFC. Losing on the road earlier in the year, the Chiefs end the season with a home game. The Chiefs and Chargers games will be classics this year. Both games could go either way but I see them splitting wins in consecutive seasons.
Prediction: Chiefs win, record 14-2
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