The Kansas City Chiefs still have much to play for this season, as we know now the road to the Super Bowl will run through Arrowhead Stadium.
But on Monday, the NFL finalized the Chiefs’ opponents for 2019 (2018 records in parentheses). The Chiefs will play the NFC North and AFC South divisions this season.
Here are the opponents:
Home: Denver Broncos (6-10), Los Angeles Chargers (12-4), Oakland Raiders (4-12), Baltimore Ravens (10-6), Green Bay Packers (6-9-1), Houston Texans (11-5), Indianapolis Colts (10-6), Minnesota Vikings (8-7-1)
Away: Denver Broncos (6-10), Los Angeles Chargers (12-4), Oakland Raiders (4-12), Chicago Bears (12-4), Detroit Lions (6-10), Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11), New England Patriots (11-5), Tennessee Titans (9-7)
Upon first glance, the home schedule does feel a bit tougher than the road schedule, but I would remind you that NFL teams greatly differ from year to year.
I know there is one opponent on the schedule that will immediately make fans say, “Again!?” and that is once again traveling to play the Patriots, which the Chiefs will be doing for the third year in a row. This has nothing to do with the NFL trying to screw the Chiefs, which I know will be the assumption for some of you.
The best way I have right now to explain this is twofold—it is a little bit of randomness and a little bit of the Chiefs being good. In 2017, the AFC West played the AFC East, and the Chiefs hosted Miami and Buffalo while traveling to New England and New York (Jets). For 2018 and 2019, the AFC West winner has been previously slated to go on the road to play the AFC East winner. The repeat this year is likely because of the end and beginning of a new cycle, meaning at some point in the future, the AFC East winner will travel to face the AFC West winner.