The Chiefs 2012 Schedule: A Win-Win Situation

The Chiefs schedule for 2012 looks like a winner. You could say it’s a… win-win-win-win… situation. As Patrick Allen pointed out last night on AA Radio, if the Chiefs can come away with a 6-4 record at the beginning of the season, then the last part of the Chiefs schedule should allow them to reach the playoffs. Now, I was a’thinkin’ it as he was a’sayin’ it and it was a deja vu all over again.

Looking at the first six games before the Bye Week: the Ravens appear to be the most formidable foe. The first game with Atlanta will be a good test but, it’s a home game and although Buffalo proved that Chiefs home openers are no gimme last season, the Chiefs will have a strong chance of taking the Falcons out on day one. Even in Gonzo’s swan song season… it’ll be good to show Tony we’re heading upwards.

The second week against the Bills, when the Chiefs travel to Buffalo, it will be a revenge game. Chiefs players won’t soon forget the nearly illegal blind sided block Steve Johnson put on Eric Berry, taking him out for the season. I can’t wait for that game and I think there’s a better than 50 percent chance the Chiefs fly home on a high.

Week three the Chiefs go to the Saints, or the land of the bountiful. Every one is counting on New Orleans being the same top tier team they’ve been the past five years but, I don’t buy it. You can’t go through the muck they’re going through and not get dirtied up, emotionally. In week three, I’d predict many players to still be out on suspension and the heart and soul of that team will still be getting re-assembled. It will come as no shock to me when the Chiefs leave the French Quarter with a frumage-y smile.

Week four: the Chiefs return home to take on the Chargers. This will be a tough game because of what happened in Arrowhead to Phillip Rivers last season: fumbled away a victory. This will not be an easy game but, the Chiefs could easily own the Chargers in all locations this season.

Week five, when the Ravens arrive at Arrowhead, they will have played the Bengals, perhaps the most improved team this offseason; the Eagles, perhaps getting ready to fulfill their dream season; the Patriots, their favorite nemesis and then the Browns. By the time the Ravens reach the Browns they will likely be ready to kick some butt, especially after a very rough start to their season. Once they turn their attentions to facing the Chiefs at Arrowhead, they may well be looking past the Chiefs to the Cowboys and the Texans, their next two opponents. IOW… it could be a trap game for the Baltimore bullies. I’m not counting the Chiefs out of that game at all either.

Week six, traveling to Tampa Bay won’t necessarily be a cake walk, but the Chiefs won’t be forced to walk any planks either. TB’s Greg Schiano will still be getting his new coach feet under him and the Chiefs experience could make him wonder why he didn’t just stick to the college circuit.

Week seven- Bye Week: this bye week is a little later than the past couple of seasons: week six in 2011 and week four in 2010. The later bye week should help the Chiefs make it through the last half of the season better.

Week eight, when Oakland visits KC, it will be another dandy trick or treat game, coming three days before the Raider holiday. Coming back from a bye week to face the usually very physical Raiders, it will be helpful to have spent two weeks at home prepping for the game, on our own home grown lawn. We better win this game.

Week nine: traveling to San Diego for a Thursday night game should produce an incredible amount of energy for Chiefs players. It better… because it’s a very short week to travel form Sunday to Thursday, going half way across the country. That will be crazy fun to watch.

Week ten: the Chiefs travel again… to Pittsburgh… after an 11 day rest. It’ll be like a second bye week, sort of. The Chiefs have a great chance in this one because the players will want to win one for RAC vs. ex-coach Todd Haley. Can’t get much yummier than this. Many think the Steelers have “reloaded”… I think those people are loaded and that the Steelers have a ways to go before they get back to their Super Bowl form of two years ago. If the Chiefs win these two back-to-back road games they will announce to the world, “although we may be a bit pitchy, KC is in it to win it.”

Week eleven: hosting the Bengals will be no cupcake. If the Chiefs win in Pittsburgh… and with their next game playing host to the Broncos… this game could be a trap game for the Chiefs. Once the draft is over and grades are handed out for the offseason, I think the Bengals will be at the top of the lists of teams that improved themselves. Watch out!

Week twelve: Broncos.

Peyton Manning. Arrowhead convulsions.

Avenging the shun. Oozing with epic slime.

Week thirteen: Carolina Cam. This is when the fun begins. The Chiefs “should” beat the Panthers… but, we’ll know by this part of the season whether or not Cam Newton is going through a sophomore slump or not. Either way… the Chiefs should be able to handle them… and him.

Week fourteen: traveling to the Cleveland Browns will be a good energy game for RAC, Peyton Hillis and Brady Quinn. In fact, we may see Quinn on the field in this game. I’m counting this as a “W.” By the way… W stands for Whipping.

Week fifteen: going to Oakland at this time of the year could be challenging but, that is if the Raiders are able to challenge anyone. Stanford Rout should play an exceptionally good game. It’ll be interesting to watch his old home drama unfold. You can expect him to go for a pick or two.

Week sixteen: the Colts. The Luck of the draw has the Chiefs shutting down the rook and racking up the points. It’ll be strange to play the Colts on one weekend and Manning the next.

Week seventeen: at Mile High.  You have to almost want to Chiefs and Broncos to be tied going into the last week of the season. Either way, it’s going to be one sweet mile high piece of pie. Hope the Chiefs are the ones slicing and serving up the pieces.

The Chiefs faced a rough five game stretch last season and even though they suffered the fate of their best players going out for the year on offense and defense they came within a field goal of winning the division. I don’t see anything like the five game stretch last season in the 2012 schedule and with the new additions and a full offseason to prepare together, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chiefs keep from losing two games in a row all season long.

And, I call that a win-win situation!