The Kansas City Chiefs will be put to the test with these three games on their 2024 schedule.
If there is one disadvantage to being a perennial contender and division winner in the NFL, it’s the relentless schedule that follows each season. As a division winner, the Kansas City Chiefs schedule in 2024 will consist of three division winners from the AFC.
While their NFC divisional draw (NFC South) will likely be the weakest in the conference, there are still a couple tough teams that the Chiefs will have to face from that group. There are also a handful of teams on the schedule that will feature a new quarterback in 2024. There are many different variables that will affect how tough the schedule ends up being for the Chiefs. With all of that said, here are three of the toughest games on the Chiefs schedule in 2024.
Week 1 vs Baltimore Ravens
The annual revenge tour against the Chiefs starts nice and early this year. Kansas City will play host to their 2024 AFC Championship opponent in the season opener. The Chiefs defense held the league MVP to just 10 points in that matchup, as the Ravens went over two quarters without scoring a point.
During that time, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense took the lead and extended it out to 10 points before the Ravens finally broke the drought. However, with just 2:34 left in the game, the Chiefs were able to bleed the clock out and win their fourth AFC Championship in five seasons.
The opportunity for revenge is clear for the Ravens, and they have reloaded in order to get theirs against the Chiefs. Their already lethal rushing attack got even deadlier, as they signed Derrick Henry in the offseason. They also spent their first two picks in the NFL Draft on key positions.
Cornerback Nate Wiggins and offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten will be put to the test immediately against what should be a much improved group of pass catchers and an underrated pass rush for the Chiefs. The opening game of the NFL season could set the tone for both of these teams, and it should be a good one.
Week 7 @ San Francisco 49ers
The biggest revenge game of the season will come in Week 7. That’s when the defending Super Bowl Champions head to San Francisco to square off against the team they beat to win the title. In fact, they’ll be facing the team that they have beaten in two of the last five Super Bowls.
The 49ers have been stuck on five Lombardi Trophies since 1994, and the Chiefs have stopped them from getting number six twice in the Mahomes Era. I’m sure San Francisco looks back on last season’s Super Bowl and realizes just how close they were to winning.
The 49ers held a seven-point lead at halftime and retook the lead with just under two minutes left in the game. However, they let the Chiefs march down the field and kick a game-tying field goal with just three seconds left in regulation. In overtime, an apparent miscommunication left Chris Jones unblocked on a 3rd & 4 play, leading to just a field goal for the Niners. On the ensuing Chiefs’ possession, they had the Chiefs on the ropes a couple different times (4th & 1 and 2nd & 13), but were unable to come up with a stop. A touchdown pass with three seconds left in the first overtime once again ended the 49ers championship dreams. They will have the most bitter taste in their mouth coming into the 2024 matchup.
The 49ers come into the 2024 season with most of the same starters that they had in 2023. That bodes well for their chances to win any game they play in. What doesn’t bode well for them is the fact that the Chiefs will be coming off their bye week prior to this matchup.
Andy Reid is 21-4 as a head coach when coming off the bye week. His ability to prepare his team with an extra week is unmatched. As the landscape of the NFL begins to take shape around this time of the season, this game could hold major weight in both the AFC and NFC playoff picture.
Week 17 @ Pittsburgh Steelers
On paper, this game doesn’t stand out as one of the premier matchups on the 2024 schedule for the Chiefs. However, it’s the timing of the game that makes this one so interesting.
With the NFL deciding to have games on both Christmas day and the Saturday before, there are some weird quirks late in the season for a few teams. From Week 15 to Week 17, the Chiefs will play three games in just 10 days. No matter who the third game would have been against, it would have been a tough game.
The Steelers are known for their physical style of play, which could be a benefit or hindrance in this case. On one hand, they could be better built to withstand the short rest. On the other hand, that many physical games in a short period could wear them down more than a team who plays a more West Coast style of game. The biggest factor in the game, however, could be who is under center for Pittsburgh.
This offseason, the Steelers moved on from Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph, and Mitch Trubisky at quarterback. To replace them, they brought in two polarizing options.
Russell Wilson is likely a Hall of Famer, but his play has been a bit sporadic over the past few years. When he’s on his game, he is still one of the better quarterbacks in the league. When he’s off his game, he is a liability to his team. Justin Fields is very similar in that way. He can be one of the most electric quarterbacks in all of football. He can also be one of the most mistake prone quarterbacks in all of football. If one of them can figure their game out, the Steelers can be a real threat in the AFC. That would make this Week 17 game that much tougher for the Chiefs as they push towards the playoffs in search of a third straight Lombardi Trophy.
