How will the Chiefs look in the win and loss column for the 2020 regular season?
We are less than one week away from the 2020 NFL season kicking off in Kansas City, and anticipation for the Chiefs is at an all-time high. The defending Super Bowl Champions will have a chance to defend their title against what is a very interesting lineup of opponents.
Week One: Houston Texans
Chiefs 37 Texans 17
The Chiefs will open up at home as champions against a familiar foe. The Texans beat the Chiefs in the regular season last year, but a wild comeback in the AFC Divisional round was the first step in the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl. Deshaun Watson will need to be accounted for and the Chiefs will likely have to stop the run early but Houston’s defense still has too many holes in it.
Week Two: @ Los Angeles Chargers
Chiefs 31 Chargers 10
Losing safety Derwin James for the season was a huge blow for what was shaping up to be a competitive Chargers defense. Patrick Mahomes and company will likely take advantage and try to air it out against a defense that historically has given them problems. The Chiefs defense will dominate LAC up front and make it tough on Taylor/Herbert to move the ball.
Week Three: @ Baltimore Ravens
Chiefs 42 Ravens 34
A potential AFC Championship game preview, this game should be fun. Patrick Mahomes has made some of his most iconic plays at the Ravens expense and I don’t see that changing any time soon. The Chiefs defense will need to find a way to stop the run, but if they can get Baltimore down early and make Jackson throw form the pocket they will have the edge. Look for a big game from Chris Jones.
Week Four: New England Patriots
Chiefs 30 Patriots 14
The new look Patriots come to Arrowhead with Cam Newton under center but they will still have the same issues on offense that plagued them last season, which is pass protection up front and the lack of a deep threat. This will be the week the Chiefs will really show how efficient their offense is, much like Kareem Hunt did in 2017 and 2018. This year Clyde Edwards-Helaire will be the weapon Mahomes uses to win the game.
Week Five: Las Vegas Raiders
Chiefs 45 Raiders 17
The team will ride the early hot streak at home to a dominating win over the Raiders. Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill will once again show the Raiders why they are the hardest duo to guard in the NFL. Derrick Carr will throw multiple interceptions to different Chiefs. Perfect Sunday at Arrowhead.
Week Six: @ Buffalo Bills
Chiefs 33 Bills 27
The Bills have a very strong defense and there is a good chance that at home on prime time they will come out fired up. I think the game stays close but the Bills QB play will doom them in the end.
Week Seven: @ Denver Broncos
Broncos 33 Chiefs 30
It is bound to happen at some point, isn’t it? The Broncos offense is much improved and Drew Lock looks to be threatening the top tier of quarterbacks in the NFL. This loss will not be the end of the world by any means but five seasons is a long time to go without beating a team. Have fun Broncos fans, there will be very few of these in the future.
Week Eight: New York Jets
Chiefs 37 Jets 7
The Chiefs get back in the win column and embarrass the Jets in the process. A fast start from Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman will lead the Chiefs to an easy win.
Week Nine: Carolina Panthers
Chiefs 42 Panthers 14
A rebuilding franchise with no QB against a team on the verge of another Super Bowl run. It will go about as expected. Tyrann Mathiue gets paired on Christian McCaffrey and finds a way to shut him down, allowing the offense to torch the Panthers defense.
Week Ten: Bye
Have to love the late Bye week!
Week Eleven: @ Las Vegas Raiders
Chiefs 35 Raiders 16
The Chiefs first trip to Sin City will be a fireworks show. While the Raiders did add more to their offense in the off season, their defense is still highly suspect. Maxx Crosby was erased by Mitchell Schwartz last season and I expect Mahomes to have a clean pocket again this year.
Week Twelve: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chiefs 30 Bucs 27
At this point in the season both teams will be in the thick of a race for the number one overall seed in their respective conferences. Mahomes and Brady will get to battle it out one final time but the Bucaneers will see trouble from the Chiefs pass rush, with Jones and Frank Clark having big games. Chiefs win on a Butker field goal.
Week Thirteen: Denver Broncos
Chiefs 38 Broncos 18
Revenge is a dish best served cold and the Chiefs play very well at Arrowhead in December. The Broncos hot streak will be over by now as the Chiefs get into playoff form and start a brand new streak.
Week Fourteen: @ Miami Dolphins
Chiefs 33 Dolphins 7
Back to the place no Chiefs fan will ever forget, we see a young Miami team run into a well oiled machine.
Week Fifteen: @ New Orleans Saints
Saints 37 Chiefs 35
This game could be a preview of what we could see in Tampa Bay in February. The Chiefs, having beaten Tampa earlier in the season, will have New Orleans go all out for a win as the two high powered offenses clash. It will be close all the way but I think Andy Reid saves some of his tricks for the playoffs.
Week Sixteen: Atlanta Falcons
Chiefs 38 Falcons 20
A cold day at Arrowhead is not good for a team that plays in a dome. The Chiefs will win this game with speed offensively and again the pass rush should dominate.
Week Seventeen: Los Angeles Chargers
Chiefs 30 Chargers 12
This game will be very similar to the finale of last year except the Chiefs will need a win to hold onto the one seed from Baltimore. With that being said, I think very vanilla play calling from Andy Reid will still be more than enough for the Chiefs to cruise into the playoffs with home field advantage and a win over the Chargers.
Final Record: 14-2
First Place AFC West
First Seed AFC
