NFL Power Rankings and the KC Chiefs schedule
Competitive Teams That Will Miss The Playoffs
I don’t think the teams in this tier are bad teams, but I do think they will all be out of the playoffs this season. They are still good enough to give any team a tough game and since the Chiefs have a total of six games against teams in this tier they will need to make sure they don’t let their guard down.
I’ll just come out and say it. I think the Carson Wentz experiment is going to fail. I hope I’m wrong, but I just don’t think you can “un-rattle” a quarterback by changing teams. Wentz looked completely broken in Philadelphia. To make matters worse, the Colts are gambling on Eric Fisher being ready in time to protect a quarterback who desperately needs to build up his confidence. If Fisher misses the first part of the season and Wentz has his blind side protection to worry about, that is not how you get a quarterback to calm down and find his confidence. The rest of the roster is solid, but I think the team takes a step back this season because of the quarterback.
If this was only about roster talent, the Cardinals would be about five spots higher on this list, but because of how good I think the other three teams in their division are, I think the Cardinals will struggle to keep pace. I like Kyler Murray, but I have serious doubts about Kliff Kingsbury as a head coach and NFL offensive mastermind. If you gave this team a better coach and offensive scheme and put them in a different division, I’d have them in the playoffs. For now I think they remain on the outside looking in.
Pittsburgh vs Kansas City: Week 16 – 12/26/21
The Steelers have some really nice pieces and I like and respect Mike Tomlin, but the issues with this team are starting to pile up. Ben Roethlisberger is washed up and he’s playing behind a bad offensive line. He still has some nice weapons, but with that line, I don’t think it will matter. I also think the defense lost more than it gained this offseason. They will still be a tough team from week to week, but I think their playoff chances are fading.
This is a team that I am glad the Chiefs are playing late in the season. I think by Week 16, Big Ben will either be out with an injury or will have taken enough punishment behind that line that he’ll have mentally checked out on the season. I think the Chiefs will be fine as long as they show up and don’t sleepwalk through this one.
21. Chicago Bears
I think the Bears will probably be a playoff team in 2022, but it’s going to take them a year to get there. Andy Dalton just isn’t a playoff caliber quarterback, and even if Justin Fields starts this year, he’s going to need a little time to adjust to the NFL game. Their defense is still solid, so this will be a tough team to face from week to week, but I think the offense is going to need more time (and maybe some more weapons) before this team is back in the playoffs and competing for the NFC North again.
22. Atlanta Falcons
If the Falcons had somehow found a way to keep Julio Jones they would have had one of the most exciting passing attacks in all the NFL. Without him they will still be good on offense, but not enough to make up for what is still a suspect defense. I’m a big fan of what Arthur Smith did in Tennessee, so given some time and a better defense, this team could surprise some people. I’m just not ready to predict them getting back in the playoffs without Julio.
Kansas City at Las Vegas: Week 10 – Sunday Night Football – 11/14/21
Las Vegas at Kansas City: Week 14 – 12/12/21
I don’t know what the Raiders are doing. They were a tough enough team last year that if they had made noticeable improvements to their defense this offseason, I might have had them sneaking into the playoffs. Instead of focusing on improving the defense though, they decided to blow up their offensive line which was one of the strengths of the team instead. Then they reached for a lineman in the first round to fill the hole that they unnecessarily created, and then proceeded to draft what seemed like 15 safeties after that. I just, I mean… I don’t get it.
The Raiders proved last year that they match up pretty well with the Chiefs, beating them once and playing them tough in the other matchup. I still think you have to pick K.C. in both of these games, but they certainly aren’t games that I’ll take for granted. Hopefully the team won’t either. I think they’ll remember how the Raiders celebrated last season and will want to make sure they show them who the big dog in the division is.
24. Denver Broncos
Denver at Kansas City: Week 13 – 12/5/21
Kansas City at Denver: Week 18 – 1/9/22
The Broncos don’t have a quarterback. If they somehow trade for Aaron Rodgers, this team would skyrocket up the rankings, but with things as they stand now, I just don’t see how they can be a real playoff contender. They loaded up at cornerback and still have some offensive weapons, but I just don’t see how they keep pace with teams like K.C. and the Chargers with their current quarterback situation.
This is another team that I’m glad KC is playing in the second half of the year. My guess is that by Week 13, this team is going to be well aware that they don’t have a quarterback good enough to win. That can take the fight out of a team and if the Broncos defense and offensive line starts mailing it in this team will be way less dangerous. If the Chiefs are still fighting for the number one seed (or an undefeated season), the final game of the year at Denver could be interesting, but I think it’s more likely that Chad Henne gets the start that week in a meaningless game.
I’m genuinely excited to watch the Sam Darnold experiment in Carolina this season. This spot in the power rankings is based off Darnold playing like he did in New York. However, I’m a Matt Rhule fan, and if he can get Darnold to live up to the potential most saw in him coming out of college, they could compete for a playoff spot. It’s kind of a no-lose situation for the Panthers. If they get Darnold to be good, they’re in the running for the playoffs. If they don’t, they’ll be in decent position to draft a new quarterback next year.
26. New York Giants
New York vs Kansas City: Week 8 – Monday Night Football – 11/1/21
The Giants have a pretty good arsenal of weapons on offense and their defense improved to “middle of the pack” last season, so a playoff run isn’t impossible for this team. That having been said, I’m not a big believer in Joe Judge as an NFL coach, and I don’t see Daniel Jones ever becoming more than an average NFL starter. If those two both prove me wrong they could outperform this ranking, but my guess is, after this season, they might not only be looking for yet another coach and another quarterback, but maybe they’ll get smart and get rid of the general manager that brought them both to New York.
The Chiefs get to face the Giants on Monday Night Football this year. Maybe Danny Dimes will come in and give Patrick Mahomes a run for his money, but somehow I doubt it. This was a weird MNF matchup, but maybe being in primetime will keep the Chiefs from taking this game for granted.
Finally, the bottom tier of teams that I don’t see have any real playoff shot this season.