With the 2020 NFL Schedule release, we can look ahead and figure out exactly how the Chiefs may fair this season, with our game-by-game predictions.
Coming off the franchise’s first Super Bowl Championship in 50 years, expectations have rarely been higher for the Kansas City Chiefs.
In 2019, their 12-4 regular season finish was good enough for their fourth consecutive AFC West title and the second seed in the AFC—a seed which they carried all the way to Super Bowl LIV in Miami and a championship win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Heading in to 2020, according to oddsmakers, the Chiefs have the best chance to win Super Bowl LV, and are favored in nearly every contest.
However, when we look at the schedule itself, do those projections actually make sense for Kansas City?
Weeks 1-4
Week 1
The Houston Texans embarrassed the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs a season ago with a 24-0 pounding—for the first 15 minutes of the game. For the final 45 minutes, the Chiefs pinned one of the most dominant performances the NFL has ever seen on Bill O’Brien‘s seemingly helpless ball club, outscoring Houston 51-7 over the game’s final three quarters, to end their season. The Texans are worse than the playoff version from a year ago after a confusing offseason. The Chiefs are better, still hungry, and hanging a banner in this one. Expect Patrick ‘Showtime’ Mahomes to show up in a big way in prime time.
Week 2
The Los Angeles Chargers are going to be the worst team in the AFC West in 2020, and they’ll find themselves picking once again in the top 10 in the 2021 NFL Draft. That is a reflection of the offense, and especially the offensive line and quarterback positions. The defense, though, is going to be a top 10 unit in football. Despite that, the Chiefs will score a lot of points in every single game, and the Chargers will not be able to keep pace. None of this is to mention the Chiefs get extra rest before this one, coming off the Thursday night season opener. The Chiefs defense has no issues in this one, and even with an off day, the offense gets the job done.
Week 3
There are only two teams in the NFL that should consistently contend with Kansas City, and they’re both road games on the schedule in 2020 (Baltimore Ravens and New Orleans Saints). The Chiefs may defeat both, but it seems more likely that they split or even lose them both. The rushing attack Baltimore will roll out in 2020 is better than the 2019 version, and the receiving threats are still there. The Ravens defense is the best unit in football. The Chiefs are in for a battle in Baltimore.
Week 4
The New England Patriots may (or may not) be “Tanking for Trevor,” but regardless of what the plan is, 2020 is not going to be it for the Pats. They have limited pass-catching options with even more limited quarterback options, and every other part of the team appears on paper to be worse than the 2019 iteration. The Chiefs run away with this one and never look back.
Week 5
The Las Vegas Raiders score a garbage time touchdown and twice in the fourth quarter to make the score look respectable, but Andy Reid takes his foot off the gas in this one and it’s never really close. The Chiefs are deadly on offense, and when they get to play at home, the defense steps it up a notch. The Raiders will be contenders again but not just yet.
Week 6
The Buffalo Bills took a big leap forward in 2019 by making the playoffs as a Wild Card team. In 2020, they’re the favorites to win the AFC East and host their first playoff game in decades. Even with all of that, they’re still not in the tier with Baltimore and Kansas City, the AFC’s elite. While this one appears close, it’s only by virtue of a late, deep touchdown pass for Buffalo.
Week 7
The odds of the Chiefs winning every game against the AFC West in perpetuity are approaching zero. Last year notwithstanding, the Broncos have traditionally played Kansas City pretty tough and close, and their defense has been the most consistent in terms of limiting the vaunted Chiefs offense. Initially, the road game at Denver felt like a possible loss for Kansas City. However, the Chiefs get extra rest before this one coming off of their Thursday night matchup with Buffalo, and you can’t pick against Andy Reid coming off of extra rest. The schedule-makers do the Chiefs a solid here, and they Broncos pay for it.
Week 8
Despite believing in their quarterback, the New York Jets appear to (once again) not have used the offseason to give him much of a chance. They drafted a project at left tackle with the 11th overall selection (instead of a wide receiver), and their biggest offensive free agent signing was who? Frank Gore? This team is going to contend for the first overall pick in 2021, the Chiefs are going to contend for 1st place. This is the easiest game on Kansas City’s schedule.
Week 9
Carolina is too one dimensional and Tyrann Mathieu shuts down Christian McCaffrey for the most part in this one. The Panther defense is no match for an offense that runs on all cylinders from week one, and never slows down. Patrick Mahomes shreds the Panthers defense all day long, the Chiefs run the football when they have the ball in the fourth quarter, and the game is never close.
Week 10
BYE WEEK
Week 11
Jon Gruden is building a competitive team with the Raiders and they may even contend for an AFC Wild Card bid this year with the addition of a third such team in to the new playoff format. But, they’re not yet ready to hang with Kansas City. The Raiders will have a chance to win this game. Ultimately, they’ll run out of steam in the fourth as the Chiefs will be well rested coming off of their bye. Las Vegas will play Kansas City closer than they did last year, but score a late touchdown to make the final be within one score.
Week 12
It is a little beyond comprehension that so many people believe that Tom Brady is suddenly going to transform the Buccaneers in to Super Bowl contenders. Yes, this game will feature two critical components of Super Bowl LV (AFC Champs + Location), but the NFC representatives will be nowhere to be found. The Tampa Bay offensive line is still not very good, and the defense is downright awful. The Chiefs offense lets off the gas in the fourth quarter of this one, otherwise they may hang 50 on them.
Week 13
We’re getting Kansas City, at home, in prime time against a young and inexperienced quarterback. There is no chance we’re taking anyone but the Chiefs in that scenario. The Denver Broncos will be much improved in 2020, and will be a playoff contender, but they are not yet ready to compete for a Super Bowl. There is just too much working against Denver in this one.
Week 14
The Miami Dolphins have added some nice pieces over the course of the offseason, and may be on the way to building a competitive team. But, in 2020, the team is unlikely to be competitive with the most elite teams in the NFL. Kansas City is more talented and more complete in every phase of the game.
Week 15
In a battle between the NFL’s two best offenses, what will matter is which defense has the best day in the dome. Unfortunately for Kansas City, the Saints defense plays incredibly well at home, and this game will demonstrate that home field advantage matters when the game is on the line. New Orleans scores with just over a minute left in the fourth, giving the Chiefs a chance to engineer a game winning drive. The comeback attempt fails, however, when the Saints make a game winning interception on a deep pass by Mahomes.
Week 16
The Atlanta Falcons have a potent offense which is made even more intimidating by the presence of a fully healthy and hungry Todd Gurley. Unfortunately for Atlanta, the Chiefs offense is still a bit better. And, even more problematically, the Kansas City defense is much better than Atlanta’s. This one threatens to turn in to a shootout, but the Chiefs prevail.
Week 17
Andy Reid has dominated the AFC West and there is no reason to believe that this year will be different. The Chargers have gone from Super Bowl contenders to AFC West bottom-dwellers in just two short years. The defense is strong, but loses out to a better offense in this one. The offense is a major work-in-progress, and it shows big time in this game. The Chiefs could have rested the starters in this one, but have to play to win because of the week three loss. Fortunately, the schedule gave Kansas City good fortune, as they get to finish with one of the season’s weaker opponents.
Record: 14-2
Seeding: 1st Seed, AFC Playoffs
The Kansas City Chiefs are the best team in the NFL, but it’s not the slam dunk that many seem to believe. The Baltimore Ravens have closed the gap that was already pretty small, and the New Orleans Saints are just as dangerous offensively as Kansas City.
Despite the regular season loss at Baltimore, the Chiefs are able to squeak by with the one seed by virtue of the Ravens losing early against the Cowboys, inexplicably falling to the Philadelphia Eagles on the road in October, and at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thanksgiving
As for Kansas City, Mahomes is better in year four and secures his second NFL MVP award en route to helping secure home field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs. First round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire is the week one starter, makes Andy Reid forget all about a running back committee and runs away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award on his way to being named to his first (of many Pro Bowls).
As defensive MVP Tyrann Mathieu has predicted, the defense is, in fact, better in 2020 and the team rides their efforts to a fifth consecutive AFC West title. They give up more total points in 2020, but that’s a result of more fourth quarters which are played with predetermined outcomes.
The season comes down to the AFC Championship game, at home in a rematch against the Ravens. Patrick Mahomes is more clutch and just better than Lamar Jackson, and the Chiefs head to Tampa Bay for Super Bowl LV, and the Chiefs win 31-24.
The Chiefs should face
the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl, but Drew Brees is injured and unable to complete the season. Jameis Winston throws too many interceptions and the Saints are eliminated early in the playoffs. The Chiefs, then, face off against the Seattle Seahawks in the big game. The Chiefs defense is better, makes more big stops against the adversary’s potent offense, and the Chiefs win their second consecutive Super Bowl Championship, 33-24.