Predicting the Chiefs' Primetime Games Ahead of 2024 Schedule Release
By Joe Summers
It's expected that we'll get the NFL schedule this week, likely on Thursday though possibly not until next week, and that means it's time to start dreaming of what the Chiefs' will ultimately look like and what primetime games Kansas City will get.
We already know who the Chiefs' opponents will be, though it's not yet clear who the two-time defending Super Bowl champions will face during what week or at what time.
Since the Chiefs were slated at six primetime games in 2023, I'll use that as the bar and say they'll get six again this season. With that in mind, let's take a look at six possible options as primetime contests when the 2024 schedule is officially released.
Predicting the Chiefs' 2024 Primetime Games
1. Houston Texans (Home)
The Chiefs will open the NFL regular season with a home primetime game on Thursday, September 5th. Without a shadow of a doubt, that game will be a standalone in front of a national audience. Most media pundits believe that game will come against the upstart Houston Texans and I tend to agree.
Patrick Mahomes has already taken down Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, and Lamar Jackson. C.J. Stroud feels like the next challenger up, and Houston generally seems to have the same kind of hype the Detroit Lions did when they faced Kansas City in Week 1 of the 2023 season.
It'll be Stefon Diggs' debut with the Texans as well. This is a team many (myself included) will pick to make the AFC Championship game. Why not start the season by facing Mahomes' latest challenger?
2. Baltimore Ravens (Home)
A rematch of the AFC Championship game seems like a logical choice for primetime as well. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have to be itching to get a rematch, especially in a game that was helped decided by L'Jarius Sneed's epic forced fumble on Zay Flowers at the one-yard line.
It feels like last year was Baltimore's best chance, and I don't expect the team to rank in the top five of both offense and defense this year. Even still, Jackson is the youngest two-time MVP in NFL history and he'll want revenge after Steve Spagnuolo embarrassed him in that 17-10 Chiefs win.
I still expect the Ravens to be one of the AFC's best teams, though Kansas City should be improved. This is a game I look forward to betting on the Chiefs to win and I'll be surprised if it doesn't wind up in front of a national audience.
3. Buffalo Bills (Road)
After all of the heartbreak the Chiefs have given Josh Allen and the Bills over the last several seasons, Buffalo finally hit a reset button of sorts this offseason. Gone are Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, in comes talented young WR Keon Coleman.
The Bills have come so, so close so many times against the Chiefs and fallen just short, but this is still the most exciting matchup every year. Buffalo knows how to take Kansas City to the brink, though Mahomes seemingly always finds a way to win.
Somewhat ironically, the Chiefs are 0-3 in their last three regular-season games against the Bills but 3-0 in the playoffs. This is a game Buffalo will feel like it can win. Even still, it'd be a hollow victory until the Bills vanquish their playoff demons.
That makes for a strong top three, now let's dive into the next three on the following page.