KC Chiefs: The four toughest games remaining on the schedule

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 27: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers greets quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs at midfield after the Packers defeated the Chiefs 31-24 to win the game at Arrowhead Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 27: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers greets quarterback Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs at midfield after the Packers defeated the Chiefs 31-24 to win the game at Arrowhead Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – SEPTEMBER 19: Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during the game against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – SEPTEMBER 19: Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during the game against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

The K.C. Chiefs are through the “gauntlet.”

Once the regular season schedule was revealed earlier this offseason, the Chiefs schedule was essentially referred to as before/after this very point. The first five games featured a series of AFC contenders, one right after the other—a veritable Who’s Who? of conference hopefuls. The Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, L.A. Chargers, and Baltimore Ravens are now all in the rearview mirror (at least one of those Charger meetings, at least) and now the Chiefs enter the “after” portion.

There was good reason to divide the schedule like that. While the first half was loaded with games that are likely going to come into play later in the year for playoff positioning in the conference, the rest of the schedule has other tough games peppered alongside some easier fare.

The AFC West is a typical cakewalk for the Chiefs ever since Andy Reid arrived, and no one was going to take the New York Giants visiting Arrowhead all that seriously either. The same can be said for the Cincinnati Bengals late in the year.

Still that doesn’t mean the Chiefs can expect to just saunter their way through the rest of the regular season schedule. (We’re not even sure what sauntering would even mean.) Let’s look at the toughest matchups remaining for K.C.