Another Fan’s Opinion on the 2012 Kansas City Chiefs Schedule
I’m a few days late, but I thought I would join the party and go over the Chiefs’ schedule for the 2012 season. At first glance, the first part of the schedule looks brutal, but after that it doesn’t look too bad. You never know for sure how good teams will be from year to year, but Atlanta, New Orleans, San Diego and Baltimore have been consistent playoff caliber teams for a while now, in large part because they have what the Chiefs don’t have, a franchise quarterback. Buffalo, who started out great last season but tailed off big time to end the year, should be improved and will be ready to go in their home opener. It’s a tough way to start out the season, but fortunately three of those games are at home.
The Chiefs only got two primetime games, with both being on the road and being played back to back weeks. KC travels to San Diego in Week 9 to face the Chargers on Thursday Night Football and then 12 days later they go to Pittsburgh to face former head coach Todd Haley and the Steelers on Monday Night Football. After that, the schedule gets considerably easier, starting with three straight home games, but then ending with 3 out the last 4 games on the road.
Wk 1: Sept. 9th Atlanta Falcons 12PM CT on FOX
The return of Chiefs’ legend Tony Gonzalez. It’s going to be weird seeing Tony G in another uniform in Arrowhead Stadium. The last time he played in Arrowhead was the Dolphins’ game in 2008 when it was like -20 degrees. I know because I was there…it was cold. With it being the home opener and Gonzo’s return, it should be a loud and ready sold out crowd at Arrowhead. The Falcons will be a big test right off the bat, we’ll know a little bit more about the Chiefs after this game.
Wk 2: Sept 16th @ Buffalo Bills 12 PM CT on CBS
Revenge for ending Eric Berry’s season in our home opener last year. The Bills came into Arrowhead in Week One last year and dominated the Chiefs from the get go. Bills WR. Stevie Johnson ended Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry’s season with a block to the knees, tearing his left ACL. Time for some payback.
Wk 3: Sept 23rd @ New Orleans Saints 12PM CT on CBS
No doubt this will be one of the toughest games of the season for Kansas City. Drew Brees and company in the Dome are very hard to beat, but how will the whole Bountygate ordeal affect the Saints in 2012?
Wk 4: Sept 30th San Diego Chargers 12PM CT on CBS
The last two Chiefs-Chargers games at Arrowhead have been classics. Will this be another one? With Philip Rivers, the Chargers are always a threat, even if his surrounding parts are on the decline.
Wk 5: Oct 7th Baltimore Ravens 12PM CT on CBS
Payback for the 2010 Playoff loss. This will probably be a defensive minded game and another early season test for the Chiefs. If the Chiefs can go 3-2 in the first five games, it will be a big success.
Wk 6 Oct 14th @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12PM CT on CBS
For whatever reason, the Chiefs have always struggled in the state of Florida. For that reason alone, it would not shock me to see the Chiefs drop a game they should win, although I think the Bucs will be slightly improved from last year.
Wk 7 BYE WEEK
Wk 8 Oct 28th Oakland Raiders 3:05PM CT on CBS
Payback for ending the Chiefs’ playoff hopes last year. The Raiders knocked off the Kyle Orton led Chiefs 16-13 in OT in the final home game of the season and eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention. If the Chiefs would have won, they would have won the AFC West, not the Broncos (assuming the Chiefs still win in Denver the next week). Raider Week is always fun.
Wk 9 Nov 1st @ San Diego Chargers 7:20PM CT on NFL Network
The Chiefs then have to travel to the West Coast on only 4 days rest for a Thursday Night rematch against the Chargers. KC hasn’t had a lot of success in San Diego as of late, so this is always a game I pencil in as a loss, but you never know.
Wk 10 Nov 12th @ Pittsburgh Steelers 7:30PM CT on ESPN
The Chiefs then get 12 days of rest before going to Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football. KC will face off against former head coach and now Steelers’ offensive coordinator Todd Haley. The Chiefs always seem to play the Steelers tough (minus 2006).
Wk 11 Nov 18th Cincinnati Bengals 12PM CT on CBS
After two straight primetime road games, the Chiefs come back home for the beginning of a 3 game home stretch starting with the Bengals. The Bengals are one of those teams where you just have no idea what to expect this year. Will they take a step back after a playoff season with a rookie QB last year? No matter what, the Chiefs will need to take care of business at home.
Wk 12 Nov 25th Denver Broncos 12PM CT on CBS
The first matchup against Peyton Manning. This could potentially be a big time game with two teams in the running for the AFC West title. Arrowhead will be rockin as Manning comes to town after pretty much ignoring the Chiefs in free agency and choosing one of our biggest rivals. This is definitely one the most anticipated games of the season for me.
Wk 13 Dec 2nd Carolina Panthers 12PM CT on FOX
The Chiefs finish off the 3 game home stretch with Cam Newton and the Panthers. The Panthers should improve after last season, but again, the Chiefs have to win these types of games at home.
Wk 14 Dec 9th @ Cleveland Browns 12PM CT ON CBS
Kansas City begins a stretch of 3 out of 4 road games to conclude the season with a matchup against the Browns in Cleveland. I can’t see the Browns improving too much, this is a road game the Chiefs will need to win, as they did in 2010 in Week 2.
Wk 15 Dec 16th @ Oakland Raiders 3:15PM CT on CBS
The AFC West will be wide open again this year so this could very well be another big game in deciding the division. For a while now, the road team has won this game, so it would not be a surprise at all to see the Chiefs win in Oakland again.
Wk 16 Dec 23rd Indianapolis Colts 12PM CT on CBS
Andrew Luck gets his first taste of Arrowhead in the Chiefs’ final home game of the regular season. The Colts don’t have much around Luck, this should be a victory in what could be a must win game.
Wk 17 Dec 30th @ Denver Broncos 3:15PM CT on CBS
Why do the Chiefs always end the season in Denver? 3 out of the last 4 years now! This game last year could have been a win and get in game if the Chiefs would have taken care of business against the Raiders at home the week before, but they didn’t. Still, the Chiefs won and they also beat Denver in the season finale in 2009. Could the Chiefs do it again and knock off Peyton Manning in what could be the deciding game for the West? Would be awesome.
Going off the Chiefs’ opponents’ record from 2011, KC has the 20th hardest schedule in the NFL. Although Matt Cassel is still the starting quarterback, this team has so much talent and the only other position of need is NT. My pre-draft prediction for the Chiefs is 10-6, although I can see them ending up anywhere from 8-8 to 11-5. If the Chiefs had a franchise QB, they would be instant Super Bowl contenders, but until they finally find one, they will continue to hover around mediocrity no matter how much talent they have, and I cannot remember a more talented Chiefs team than this one.