Chiefs game-by-game predictions after 2024 NFL schedule release

Joe Burrow and the Bengals found some success against the Chiefs early into the Cincinnati passer’s career. The Chiefs have bounced back against the team and won the last two matchups, though. It is unlikely that Kansas City will be able to win all of their home games, regardless of how talented they are and how advantageous their home-field advantage is. The Bengals are the team most likely to beat them, assuming they are able to get back on track after a disappointing season last year.

Loss

Week 3 @ Atlanta Falcons (Sunday Night Football)

The Atlanta Falcons should improve this offseason, but not enough to overcome the Chiefs. Both teams have elite interior pass-rushers, but Chris Jones is better than Grady Jarrett. Both teams have physically gifted tight ends, but Kyle Pitts isn’t as talented as Travis Kelce. And both teams have invested heavily into the quarterback position, but Patrick Mahomes is better than Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. combined.

Win

Week 4 @ Los Angeles Chargers

While the Chargers are more likely to beat the Chiefs at SoFi Stadium than at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City still has the firepower to win on the road. It is not like the Chargers are known for having the most hostile fan base, either, though Jim Harbaugh will do his best to get his team to pull off an early-season upset.

Win

Week 5 vs. New Orleans Saints (Monday Night Football)

Even in the NFC South, former Raider Derek Carr won’t be able to escape the Chiefs. Kansas City’s familiarity against the Saints quarterback should be enough to come away with a victory in Week 5.

Win

Week 6 — Bye

The Chiefs get an early-season bye week after Monday Night Football and before a Super Bowl rematch.

Week 7 @ San Francisco 49ers

The Chiefs have broken the hearts of 49ers players a lot recently. Kansas City has two recent Super Bowl wins over San Francisco, including the victory in Super Bowl LIV last season. The 49ers will be out for revenge, and while the Chiefs have proven that they are the better team, the 49ers will have something to prove in the Week 7 matchup. The chip on their shoulder that San Francisco will be playing with should be enough to warrant a win.

Loss

Week 8 @ Las Vegas Raiders

The Broncos aren’t the only team that the Chiefs have owned recently. In fact, Kansas City’s success over the Raiders dates back even longer than it does against Denver. The Chiefs have beaten the Raiders 18 of the last 22 times that they’ve faced each other. Expect the winning ways to continue in 2024.

Win

Week 9 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Monday Night Football)

The Buccaneers are a fringe playoff team, but you need a little bit more juice to take down the Chiefs. The departures of Devin White and Carlton Davis won’t help the team, even if they did do a good job of bringing back most of their free agents.

Win

Week 10 vs. Denver Broncos

The Chiefs famously beat the Broncos 16 straight times before Denver was able to get a win in the rivalry last season. Denver’s win was more of a fluke than a sign of things to come, and the Chiefs should cruise by the Broncos in Week 10. The Chiefs have the best quarterback in the NFL, while the Broncos will likely be deploying a rookie signal-caller.

Win

Week 11 @ Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen and the Bills have had some success against Mahomes and company in the regular season, but they haven’t been able to handle the Chiefs in the biggest of games. The Chiefs have the Bills’ number in the postseason, but they should be able to beat them in the regular season, too, especially in a season succeeding an offseason where the team lost a lot of their best players.

Win

Week 12 @ Carolina Panthers

The Panthers only won two games last year, and while they can’t get much worse, they aren’t expected to be much better this year, especially considering they didn’t have a first-round pick. You can never underestimate an opponent, but there would be no excuse for losing to the Panthers.

Win

Week 13 vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Friday after Thanksgiving)

The Raiders have added talent to their defense, which will be huge for trying to slow down the Chiefs. Still, it won’t be enough to overcome Kansas City, especially considering the talent discrepancy at the quarterback position. Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell will be duking it out for Las Vegas’ starting gig, but neither can compete with Mahomes.

Win

Week 14 vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Sunday Night Football)

The Chargers have one of the worst defenses in the league, especially against the passing attack. Their secondary is weak, and their star pass rushers — Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack — struggle to stay on the field together. Kansas City’s already strong passing game got even better this offseason. Speed kills in the Chiefs’ offense, and the team brought in Marquise Brown and Xavier Worthy as additional weapons for Mahomes. Brown is one of the best burners in the NFL, and Worthy was taken as a first-round pick after he broke the 40-yard dash record at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Win

Week 15 @ Cleveland Browns

The road to the Super Bowl goes through Kansas City, which means teams are trying to bulk up on defense in an effort to bring down to back-to-back champions. Cleveland has arguably the best defense in the league, and they are led by Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. The Deshaun Watson trade hasn’t worked out the way that the Browns anticipated, but it is possible he will turn things around if he is able to stay healthy.

Loss

Week 16 vs. Houston Texans (Saturday)

The Texans are an up-and-coming team. C.J. Stroud and company are hungry and ready to win now, but they may still be a little ways away from being able to handle the Chiefs. Regardless of the outcome, this Week 16 battle will surely be a shootout between two of the best offensive teams in the league. When it comes down to who can score more points, we are going to default to the team led by Patrick Mahomes in what will surely be an important game in the playoff race.

Win

Week 17 @ Pittsburgh Steelers (Christmas Day)

The Steelers rarely look like one of the most stacked teams on paper, but they always find a way to win games. The team has been .500 or better in 20 straight seasons, thanks largely in part to the culture Mike Tomlin has in place in Pittsburgh. They will surely find wins in unexpected places again this year, and stealing a game away from the Chiefs is certainly a possibility on Christmas Day.

Loss

Week 18 @ Denver Broncos

A win against Denver both at home and the road would mark victories against the Broncos in 18 of 19 games since Peyton Manning retired. The Broncos used to be looked at as the powerhouse in the AFC West, but the Chiefs’ recent success and Denver’s recent failures have opened up a spot for Kansas City to be looked at as the most prestigious team in the division’s history. Kansas City wins this game and will be in a possible position for the top seed in the AFC.

Win

Record: 13-4