KC Chiefs 2022 schedule: Game-by-game, final record predictions
By KC Proctor
Let’s make our predictions game by game for the Kansas City Chiefs 2022 schedule and come up with a projected final record.
The NFL officially announced the 2022 regular season schedule last night. Before its release, we knew that the Kansas City Chiefs and the rest of the AFC West were scheduled for games against each team in the AFC South and NFC West as well as three other 2021 divisional winners (Buffalo, Tampa Bay, and Cincinnati).
With all of the biggest free-agency splashes concluded, and the draft behind us, here is a look at the week-by-week matchups on the Chiefs’ 2022 regular-season slate and predictions for each game on the schedule.
Week 1: at Cardinals (3:25 CST)
The season kicks off in the same place that the Chiefs hope to end it. Super Bowl 56 will be played on the Cardinals’ home turf at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, and while the big dance in February is always the target, there is a long, grueling journey between here and there. As far as week one goes, the Chiefs are likely to come in as favorites.
Beyond comparing the results of the teams’ campaigns from last year, it’s also important to note that Cardinals WR Deandre Hopkins will be absent to begin the season while he serves a 6-game suspension for breaking the league’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs.
Patrick Mahomes and the new-look Chiefs offense will use the late-summer desert temperatures to heat up, and the hopeful physicality of the revamped defense will have a chance to showcase its potential against a—albeit incomplete—high-powered NFC West offense.
Chiefs leave Phoenix with a win and head into the home opener 1-0.
Week 2 (TNF): vs Chargers (7:15)
It is rather unfortunate that the first matchup with the Chargers comes on a short week, but the increasing intensity of this rivalry paired with the energy of Chiefs Kingdom in its return to Arrowhead will overshadow the fact. It’s Chiefs and Chargers under the lights, and the hype will be met once again. This will be a barnburner as these two reinforced powerhouses reintroduce themselves to one another. The days of Kansas City running through the division scot-free are over, but favor falls on the Chiefs in their first home game of the year.
1-0 in the division, and 2-0 overall to begin the season will have energy around the building much higher than we experienced through the rough start to the 2021 campaign.