The 2025 NFL regular season has finally arrived after months of waiting, and the Kansas City Chiefs are fully focused on avenging their devastating Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The new campaign could very well be tight end Travis Kelce's final year in the league, so it's more important than ever for the team to get off to a hot start and secure a top seed in the playoffs.
Kansas City's opening schedule is brutal, and they'll have to play the first six games without rising star Rashee Rice. That said, the Chiefs are 16-4 in their last 20 September games and have six straight wins in the month. This is a franchise that knows how to start on the right foot.
They'll take on the Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Baltimore Ravens in September this year. Let's go through each matchup and predict what Kansas City's record will be when we turn the calendar to October.
Week 1 - Kansas City Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers, Sept. 5 (São Paulo, Brazil)
Kicking things off with a divisional showdown against a team with playoff expectations will be difficult, though it'll be an excellent test in front of an international audience. Going overseas is tricky, but the Chiefs are a perfect 3-0 in international play. They have seven consecutive wins over the Chargers, but the last three have come by a combined 11 points.
Fans should expect a close game. Those typically favor Kansas City, though all eyes will be on a few major additions. Josh Simmons steps in at left tackle, while Kingsley Suamataia is expected to be the left guard, and it's also the first chance to get a look at the new starting safety group in Jaden Hicks and Bryan Cook, to say nothing of signings like cornerback Kristian Fulton.
Ultimately, this is a contest that George Karlaftis and Chris Jones should dominate up front. With Los Angeles star left tackle Rashawn Slater out for the season with injury, the Chargers are weak in the trenches. Provided the Chiefs can stop the run, they should have no problem putting pressure on Justin Herbert in obvious passing situations.
Trust the defense to get a victory while the offense prioritizes ball control. That's a formula that drove some people mad in 2024, but it's hard to argue with the effectiveness.
Final Score: Chiefs 20 - Chargers 17
Week 2 - Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Sept. 14
The game that everyone across the NFL has circled on their calendars is the Week 2 Super Bowl rematch. Whether the Chiefs can improve on their embarrassing effort depends on how effective that rebuilt offensive line is. Losing Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears represents a massive blow, and Simmons and Suamataia may experience growing pains as they grow together.
If this game were in the middle of the season or near the end, it'd be a lot easier to envision a Kansas City victory. Throwing Simmons and Suamataia to the wolves this early won't be easy, and the loss of Rice reduces the number of comfort blankets that Patrick Mahomes can target.
The Chiefs are 4-2 in their last six contests with the Eagles, and last year's regular-season battle was a nail-biter, so there is some hope. Kansas City gets extended rest just like Philadelphia does, and Andy Reid is at his strongest as a coach when he has extra time to prepare.
Unfortunately, the potential offensive line mismatch is just too much to confidently predict a Chiefs win. Expect potential vengeance to come in February.
Final Score: Chiefs 21 - Eagles 27
Week 3 - Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Giants, Sept. 21 (SNF)
Finally, an easy matchup! The Giants are on the short list for the team in the NFL, so this is a game that Kansas City should handle easily. There's a fear of it being a trap game sandwiched around the Eagles and Ravens, but that's no excuse for a team as good as the Chiefs.
New York is starting Russell Wilson, whom Kansas City is quite familiar with, and has a head coach in Brian Daboll fighting for his job. They have just one win in their last 11 matchups and ranked 24th in opponent yards per play (5.6) last season, so there are plenty of ways that the Chiefs' offense can exploit the defense.
Malik Nabers is a superstar wide receiver and will provide Trent McDuffie, Fulton, and Jaylen Watson some trouble. He's just one player, though, and he can't do it all by himself. If you can't beat up on a team like the Giants, you have some serious soul-searching to do in the mirror.
The only advantage that New York has in this game is Nabers. Provided he doesn't have a Miles Austin-like performance, the Chiefs will win easily.
Final Score: Chiefs 30 - Giants 14
Week 4 - Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens, Sept. 28
It's thrilling every time these two teams square off, as Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson has become one of the better rivalries in the NFL, even though the Ravens haven't toppled the Chiefs in the playoffs yet. These games are always exciting, and Baltimore once again looks like a juggernaut fully capable of finally breaking through.
For as good as the Ravens are, though, they've struggled relative to Kansas City in the first month of the season. They're 2-3 in their last five games, including ugly losses to the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts. One of the victories was against the Buffalo Bills, however, indicating they're just as capable of beating the top teams as they are of losing to the worst ones.
The Ravens know that the Chiefs are their de facto boogeyman. They'll want to prove to themselves that they can topple Kansas City, so the Chiefs will undoubtedly get their best effort. Considering that Kansas City gets an easy opponent in New York the previous week, it'll be easier for Reid to devote resources to getting ahead of preparation for Baltimore.
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has devised tremendous game plans to stifle Jackson in the playoffs, forcing the two-time MVP into a pair of rough games. He won't reveal all of his tricks this early, yet he's got Jackson's number regardless.
Ravens ballhawk Kyle Hamilton is the X-factor. He's a do-everything defensive back wizard and could stifle the Chiefs' passing attack if the pass rush can hold up. It'll once again be a major test for the offensive line, but after learning from facing the Eagles, Simmons and Suamataia will be better prepared to handle it. This will be a tight, high-scoring game, though Mahomes should still get the job done to finish the month at 3-1.