For the first time in franchise history, the Kansas City Chiefs are entering a season fresh-off a second-straight AFC West Division title—signaling the kind of consistent regular-season success Chiefs' Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt envisioned when he brought Andy Reid to the organization before the 2013 season.
And while the team looks towards a deeper playoff run in the near future—building upon the five-straight winning seasons they've accomplished thus far under Reid—the facts are that you can't get to a Super Bowl without having success in the regular season, and more specifically, in your division.
Under Reid, the Chiefs have had success there—amassing a combined record of 21-9 against the Broncos, Chargers, and Raiders, including having won 18 of their last 20 overall.
And while the 2018 season signifies more than just a chance at three-straight division titles and hopefully a deep playoff run, it also highlights a youth movement—headlined by the change at quarterback over to second-year player Patrick Mahomes , who at 22 years old is set to help lead a roster that has average age right now of just 25.5 years old, compared to the 26.5 they were at this time last year.
NFLIX Season 59 Now Streaming #ScheduleRelease2018 pic.twitter.com/AgfCqKbbse — Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 20, 2018
Despite the changes and influx of young talent, the expectations for this team are still as high as they've ever been.
With all that said, here's a game-by-game look at what the Chiefs will face in 2018 as they work toward those goals.
The Chiefs open the 2018 season on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Quick glance at the Chargers:
Key Additions:TE Virgil Green, K Caleb Sturgis, QB Geno Smith, C Mike Pouncey, DB Jaylen Watkins
Key Departures:DE Jeremiah Attaochu
The Chiefs will travel in back-to-back weeks to begin the 2018 season, taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.
Quick glance at the Steelers:
Key Additions:S Morgan Burnett
Key Departures:CB William Gay, S Mike Mitchell, S Robert Golden
Only one other time in franchise history have the Chiefs opened their season at Arrowhead against the 49ers, and it was a pretty memorable game back in 1994.
It was Joe Montana facing his former team, and there were same names to know in that game. In fact, there were six Pro Football Hall of Famers on the field that day—three for each team.
For the Chiefs, it was Montana, Marcus Allen and Derrick Thomas against the 49ers' Steve Young, Jerry Rice and Richard Dent, who played just one year with them during his Hall of Fame career.
This year, it'll be a couple of young guns in quarterbacks' Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Quick glance at the 49ers:
Key Additions:LB Korey Toomer, G Jonathan Cooper, DL Jeremiah Attaochu, RB Jerick McKinnon, G/C Weston Richburg, CB Richard Sherman
*Key Departures: *C Daniel Kilgore
After a brief stop at home in Week 3 against the 49ers, the Chiefs are back on the road in Week 4 for the third time in four weeks to begin the season—travelling to take on the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football in the first of five prime time games for the Chiefs this season.
Quick glance at the Broncos:
Key Additions: QB Case Keenum, P Marquette King, S Su'a Cravens, OT Jared Veldheer
Key Departures:RB C.J. Anderson, CB Aqib Talib, TE Virgil Green, QB Trevor Siemian, T Donald Stephenson
The Chiefs begin a two-week stretch in which they'll face the two teams that played in the 2017 AFC Championship game.
It'll also be the second team the Chiefs will have faced so far in 2018 that won their division last season (Steelers).
Quick glance at the Jaguars:
Key Additions:QB Cody Kessler, TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, WR Marqise Lee, WR Donte Moncrief, TE Niles Paul, CB D.J. Hayden
Key Departures:WR Allen Hurns. TE Marcedes Lewis, RB Chris Ivory, LB Paul Posluszny (retired)
The Chiefs travel to take on the Patriots on Sunday Night Football in a rematch of last year's opening game of the NFL season, which the Chiefs won, 42-27.
Quick glance at the Patriots:
New England Patriots
Key Additions:WR Jordan Matthews, WR Cordarrelle Patterson, DE Adrian Clayborn, RB Jeremy Hill, CB Jason McCourty, DL Danny Shelton
Key Departures:WR Brandin Cooks, LB Shea McClellin, TE Martellus Bennett
The beginning of a stretch when three out of the next four games will be played at Arrowhead Stadium.
Quick glance at the Bengals:
Key Additions:QB Matt Barkley, LB Preston Brown, OT Cordy Glenn, DT Chris Baker
*Key Departures: *HB Jeremy Hill, OT Andre Smith, QB AJ McCarron, DE Chris Smith
The Chiefs finish up their two-game series with the Broncos in 2018.
Quick glance at the Broncos:
Key Additions: QB Case Keenum, P Marquette King, S Su'a Cravens, OT Jared Veldheer
Key Departures:RB C.J. Anderson, CB Aqib Talib, TE Virgil Green, QB Trevor Siemian, T Donald Stephenson
The new-look Browns led by general manager John Dorsey host the Chiefs in the game that kicks-off the second half of the 2018 NFL season.
Quick glance at the Browns:
Key Additions:QB Drew Stanton, WR Jeff Janis, CB E.J. Gaines, OL Donald Stephenson, DB Terrance Mitchell, RB Carlos Hyde, DB T.J. Carrie, DB Damarious Randall, QB Tyrod Taylor, WR Jarvis Landry
*Key Departures: *TE Gavin Escobar, QB Kevin Hogan, QB Cody Kessler, DB Jason McCourty, DL Danny Shelton, QB DeShone Kizer
The Cardinals are in their first season under new head coach Steve Wilks, who spent the previous six years working with the Carolina Panthers' defense.
Quick glance at the Cardinals:
Key Additions:QB Sam Bradford, TE Bryce Williams, WR Brice Butler, G Justin Pugh, T Andre Smith, QB Mike Glennon
Key Departures: RB Adrian Peterson, QB Carson Palmer (retired), OT Jared Veldheer, NT Xavier Williams, S Tyrann Mathieu
The Chiefs and Rams will face off at Estadio Azteca on Monday Night Football in Mexico City as part of the NFL's International Series.
This will be the sixth time in franchise history that the Chiefs have played internationally, and the first since they went to London to take on the Detroit Lions in 2015, but it'll be their first game in Mexico City.
Quick glance at the Rams:
Key Additions:DT Ndamukong Suh, WR Brandin Cooks, LB Ramik Wilson, CB Marcus Peters, CB Aqib Talib, CB Sam Shields
Key Departures:OLB Robert Quinn, LB Alec Ogletree, RB Lance Dunbar
Week 12 – BYE WEEK
Two longtime friends meet as Chiefs' coach Andy Reid and Raiders' new head coach Jon Gruden kick off what should be a great rivalry for years to come.
Quick glance at the Raiders:
Key Additions: RB Doug Martin, CB Rashaan Melvin, WR Jordy Nelson, OLB Tahir Whitehead, S Marcus Gilchrist, DE Armonty Bryant, WR/RS Dwayne Harris, CB Leon Hall, LB Emmanuel Lamur, CB Shareece Wright
Key Departures:WR Michael Crabtree, CB T.J. Carrie, CB David Amerson, K Sebastian Janikowski, P Marquette King, WR Cordarrelle Patterson
The first game of the last quarter of the season, which is also the start of a four-game stretch that has three of the contests played in the friendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium.
Quick glance at the Ravens:
Key Additions:QB Robert Griffin III, WR Michael Crabtree, WR John Brown
Key Departures:WR Jeremy Maclin, RB Danny Woodhead, DB Lardarius Webb
The Chiefs host the Chargers on Thursday Night Football in the only home prime time game of the year.
Quick glance at the Chargers:
Key Additions:TE Virgil Green, K Caleb Sturgis, QB Geno Smith, C Mike Pouncey, DB Jaylen Watkins
Key Departures:DE Jeremiah Attaochu
The Chiefs find themselves on national television for the second week in a row as they travel to take on the Seahawks on Sunday Night Football.
Quick glance at the Seahawks:
Key Additions:K Sebastian Janikowski, QB Stephen Morris, RB Mike Davis, G/T D.J. Fluker, WR Jaron Brown, LB Barkevious Mingo, TE Ed Dickson
Key Departures: DE Michael Bennett, CB Jeremy Lane, CB Richard Sherman
The last game of the regular season against your rival at Arrowhead Stadium—exactly the way it should be.
Quick glance at the Raiders:
Key Additions: RB Doug Martin, CB Rashaan Melvin, WR Jordy Nelson, OLB Tahir Whitehead, S Marcus Gilchrist, DE Armonty Bryant, WR/RS Dwayne Harris, CB Leon Hall, LB Emmanuel Lamur, CB Shareece Wright
Key Departures:WR Michael Crabtree, CB T.J. Carrie, CB David Amerson, K Sebastian Janikowski, P Marquette King, WR Cordarrelle Patterson
Back to work ✅#ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/xn7Kdd24LL — Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 16, 2018
If you'd like to purchase single-game tickets to any of these contests, follow this link.
Tickets will go on sale for Season Ticket Members on Friday, April 20, at 8 a.m. as part of an exclusive one-day promotion of no service fees.
Additionally, in accordance with the team's long-standing policy, the taxpayers of Jackson County, Mo. will have an opportunity to purchase single-game tickets for the 2018 season from an exclusive allotment of preferred inventory in all price points beginning at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 20, through 5 p.m. on Friday, April 27.
Jackson County taxpayers purchasing tickets must come to the Arrowhead Stadium Ticket Office during normal business hours and have one form of identification that includes a photo of the purchaser and a personal 2017 Jackson County, Mo. property tax receipt.
Tickets will be available to the public on Chiefs.com beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday. All single-game and group tickets for Chiefs home games are subject to availability and dynamic pricing. Ticket delivery will be mobile-entry only.
