Ranking the five best revenge games on the Chiefs’ 2019 schedule

It’s Revenge Week at SB Nation. We’re marking it with a ranked look at the revenge games on the Kansas City Chiefs’ upcoming schedule.

---

5. Week 8: Green Bay Packers at Chiefs

Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images

At first glance, this might not seem like much of revenge game. But the last time these two teams played was during Week 3 of 2015. The Packers were favored to win against the Chiefs — who came into Lambeau Field 1-1 — and proceeded to run up a 31-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Behind quarterback Alex Smith, the Chiefs made a heroic effort to come back but ended up losing 38-28.

That game — played on Monday Night Football — clearly demonstrated to a national audience the contrast between a fine quarterback like Smith and an elite quarterback like Aaron Rodgers, who spent the whole game completing passes off the wrong foot, taking advantage of offsides penalties and drawing defensive interference penalties downfield. It was a sad reminder to Chiefs fans that while Smith was ably serving his team, he was never going to become like the player across from him.

In this season’s game — again in front of a national audience on a Sunday night — it would be nice for the Chiefs to give Rodgers and the Packers a taste of their own medicine.

4. Week 10: Chiefs at Tennessee Titans

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

If this article were being written a year ago, an upcoming game against the Titans would be ranked much higher. Much of the sting of the Chiefs’ 22-21 playoff loss to the Titans that ended their 2017 season has been forgotten — and that’s completely understandable. One year later, the next playoff game in Arrowhead was a near-laugher as the Chiefs dominated the Indianapolis Colts, 31-13.

Those are the kinds of things that will make fans quickly forget a tough home playoff loss.

That said, only two things need to happen in this game.

Since the Chiefs have already signed Derrick Johnson to his one-day contract — thereby negating his chance to do it himself — Anthony Hitchens will have to step in, find a free shot on Marcus Mariota in the pocket, and finally collect that fumble the Chiefs (and Johnson) are owed from that playoff game. If Hitchens can do it, he’d better be sure that Johnson gets the ball.

And Mahomes needs to complete a touchdown pass to himself. You know he can do it.

3. Week 11: Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers, Mexico City

Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images

Since the Chiefs have pretty much owned the Chargers since head coach Andy Reid has arrived in Kansas City — winning nine straight against their division rivals before last season’s Week 15 game — the 29-28 loss to the Chargers in the final seconds of that game was especially brutal.

The Chiefs will be itching to make this rematch count — and quarterback Patrick Mahomes will want the national Monday Night Football audience to forget his miscues from the last time he appeared on MNF against an LA team: the 54-51 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in last season’s Week 11. It was only the second time in NFL history that a quarterback had thrown three interceptions and six touchdowns in a single game — Chiefs Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson did it in 1964 — but Mahomes will undoubtedly want to erase those picks from everyone’s mind.

2. Week 14: Chiefs at New England Patriots

Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

This game attracted national attention when the NFL schedule was announced — and why not? A rematch of the previous season’s dramatic (and widely viewed) AFC championship game... the reigning NFL MVP playing against potential all-time NFL MVP Tom Brady... Brendan Daly coaching the Chiefs defensive line against the team with which he spent the last five seasons... Andy Reid and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spending yet another Sunday afternoon at the chess table in the park, trying to gain an advantage as they move their pieces around...

...and oh, yeah — Dee Ford playing for the San Francisco 49ers in their Week 14 game against the New Orleans Saints.

1. Week 20: New England Patriots at Chiefs (AFC Championship)

Mark Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

This game isn’t on the schedule yet, but you know it’s going to happen. And regardless of what occurs in Week 14, this is the game where the Chiefs will finally have the opportunity to extract their full revenge.