The Kansas City Chiefs enter this week's matchup against the Atlanta Falcons sitting at 6-2. No game in the NFL is a gimme. However, the Falcons present one of the more winnable matchups left on the Chiefs' 2026 schedule.
Next week, Kansas City plays host to the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have stunned a few teams this year. Yet Arizona is currently just 3-6 and is now down to its third starting quarterback of the season, rookie Carson Beck.
After these next two games, the Chiefs face as challenging a stretch as anyone in the NFL. K.C. has plenty of experience in huge games over the years. But in order to get back to their ultimate goal, stacking wins in the near future is a must, with what lies ahead of them after the matchup against the Cardinals.
Thanksgiving kicks off a brutal Chiefs road trip
Just four days after facing Arizona, the Chiefs will begin a stretch of three consecutive road games. It begins on Thanksgiving night in a battle with their longtime AFC rival, the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo is 7-1 and currently holds the number one seed in the conference.
For the most part, the Bills have topped the Chiefs in the regular season when Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen square off. Can Kansas City finally get the regular-season head-to-head edge over Buffalo? It will have to come on short rest.
Following the matchup with the Bills, the Chiefs are in Los Angeles to take on the Rams. The Rams have not been anywhere close to living up to the hype they received in the offseason. Health questions, continued special teams errors, and inconsistency on offense have held Los Angeles back.
But suddenly, the Rams are enjoying their best stretch of the season so far. If they remain hot these next few weeks, this Chiefs-Rams game is back to receiving the anticipation most had for it when the schedule came out.
Finally, the three-game road trip concludes with a date at the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are still relying heavily on the trio of Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins. Do they have enough of a different gear outside of those three to go deep in the playoffs? Either way, the challenge of facing that Bengals trio is an item Kansas City is very familiar with. The intensity surrounding this specific matchup should once again be high.
No rest for the weary as Patriots and 49ers await at Arrowhead
After those three straight road games, the Chiefs will welcome both the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers into Arrowhead Stadium. Hosting New England comes on a Monday night. So on one hand, Kansas City gets a little extra rest after traveling to Cincinnati. That leaves them one less day to prepare for the 49ers, though.
The Patriots are still figuring out some things on each side of the ball. Protecting the football on offense and the pass defense drastically hurt New England in recent losses. But as we all know, Mike Vrabel can prepare his team as well as anyone for challenging opponents.
San Francisco played like the best offense in football during parts of the first two months of this season. Health is always a concern with its older roster. But with Kyle Shanahan's scheme, you are always left with your hands full when facing the 49ers. San Francisco, like Buffalo, currently holds its conference's number one seed. It is important to note that the Chiefs have never lost to the 49ers with Mahomes. Super Bowl wins over San Francisco in that stretch are the most memorable, of course.
Tougher opponents raise stakes for Chiefs' next two games
In these next two games, Kansas City will see a pair of hamstrung NFC counterparts. The Falcons and Cardinals are each 3-6 entering Week 10. A combined record of 6-12 between the two is a stark difference compared to what the Chiefs will see in the five games afterward.
Right now, the Bills, Rams, Bengals, Patriots, and 49ers have a combined record of 30-12. Some of those teams should have no issue adding to their win totals in the coming weeks. For example, Buffalo gets to play lowly division opponents like the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins before facing the Chiefs.
Cincinnati will get to see struggling NFC teams like Washington and New Orleans in the coming weeks. New England gets its shot at the still-winless Los Angeles Chargers in a couple of weeks as well.
Plus, Kansas City is likely going to see its division race with the Denver Broncos come down to the wire, so long as the Chiefs do not completely flounder in this daunting stretch. The Broncos are on a bye this week. If K.C. takes care of business against Atlanta, the Chiefs will be tied at the top of the AFC West with Denver sitting at 7-2.
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