:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4860459/134190321.jpg)
HOME GAMES: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Indianapolis Colts.
AWAY GAMES: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills.
Lots of interesting options for the Chiefs Week 1 game. I've ranked some of the possibilities. Here they are:
1. Manning. Duh. This is my pick for who the Chiefs should play in Week 1. I got trust in Romeo Crennel that he can give Manning some trouble in his first game. This would be the best option for the Chiefs Week 1 game.
2. Hello, Todd Haley the Steeler. Uh, yeah, that would be awesome. I don't really have a major beef with Todd Haley now that he's left KC but this would still be a fun matchup, especially this early in the season (before PIttsburgh gets hot).
3. The other rivalries. The Chiefs-Chargers rivalry is probably the weakest of the three rivalries (Chiefs-Broncos, Chiefs-CrooksRaiders) yet they landed on Monday Night Football the last two seasons.
4. Battle of the Belichick tree. Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff both worked with Bill Belichick in New England both tried to bring their spin to new franchises. Dimitroff has his franchise QB in Matt Ryan, but early playoff exits have hurt Atlanta's reputation as a contender. (The Chiefs can identify with the latter.)
5. An early test for Romeo's defense. The Saints would be a good barometer of where the Chiefs stand defensively. The Saints were a record-breaking offense last year with Drew Brees breaking Dan Marino's record. If KC can hang with the Saints, they can hang with anyone.
6. Playoff game rematch. OK, so they don't hype up playoff rematches when one team beat up on the other, as is the case when the Ravens visited Arrowhead in January 2011. But Chiefs-Ravens would be a solid matchup, especially if a guy like Kelly Gregg returns to the Chiefs, which is a possibility.
7. Progress check with the Bucs. Back in 2009, the Bucs hired a first time head coach, like the Chiefs. Three years later, that coach is gone, like the Chiefs. This would be a matchup to tell us where the Chiefs stand with a team who has gone through similar (re)building in the last three years.
8. Revenge game against the Bills. Remember Week 1 last year? 41-7? Yeah, I bet the Chiefs players do, too. I really would like to get some revenge here and set the record straight on who the better team is.