The Kansas City Chiefs' 2017 regular-season schedule was announced Thursday night. If you haven't seen it yet, take a look at the full schedule here.
Here are 10 things that jump out:
For the first time in franchise history, the Chiefs will open the NFL season.
The Chiefs look to play the role of spoiler as they begin the season on "banner night" in New England, taking on the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots. The game sets up a rematch of the 2015 divisional round game, which the Chiefs lost, 27-20.
The last time the Chiefs and Patriots met in the regular season was back in late September of 2014 on the same night Kansas City's fans set the Guinness World Record for the "loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium." The Chiefs won on Monday Night Football in blowout fashion, 41-14.
Holy primetime.
The Chiefs will play in a franchise-record six primetime games in 2017, beginning with the abovementioned opener. More on that here.
Chiefs-Eagles set for Week 2.
Head coach Andy Reid won't have to wait long for his second matchup since joining the Chiefs against his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he spent 14 years.
The Eagles travel to Arrowhead on September 17, or Week 2. Reid first played the Eagles as head coach of the Chiefs back in 2013, in a game the Chiefs won 26-16 in Philadelphia.
Chiefs can avenge last year's postseason loss to Pittsburgh.
We knew the Chiefs would have an opportunity to get another shot at the Steelers. Now we know when it will take place.
The Chiefs and Steelers will meet Week 6, on Sunday, October 15, at Arrowhead Stadium. The game time is set for 3:25 p.m. CT.
Raider Week on Thursday night was so nice, the NFL is doing it twice.
The buildup to last year's Thursday Night Football game against the Raiders had some analysts calling it the most anticipated game in Thursday night history. First place was on the line in early December, and the Chiefs defeated the Raiders at Arrowhead, 21-13.
This year's Thursday night rematch will take place much earlier in the season—Week 7 on Thursday, October 19—and in the confines of the o.Co Coliseum.
A New York state of mind.
The Chiefs have three consecutive games against New York-based teams in 2017. From Week 11 to 13, the Chiefs will take on the New York Giants, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets in succession.
Home, Sweet, Home.
The Chiefs' final four games of the 2017 season starts with three games in a row at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, including two against divisional opponents—the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers.
Saturday, Saturday.
The Chiefs will play on a Saturday in the regular season for the first time since 2011, when they lost on Christmas Eve to the Oakland Raiders, 16-13.
The Los Angeles Chargers visit the Chiefs Week 15 on Saturday night, December 16.
Longest day callback?
And speaking of Christmas Eve…
On Christmas Day, 1971, the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Miami Dolphins in an AFC divisional round matchup, now widely known as, "the longest day."
The Dolphins defeated the Chiefs, 27-24, when kicker Garo Yepremian hit a 37-yard field goal midway through the second overtime. The game still stands as the longest played game in NFL history.
46 years later, in 2017, the Chiefs will host the Dolphins Week 16, on Christmas Eve at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chiefs only play back-to-back games on the road once, and it is sandwiched by their bye week.
Could this be an advantage?
The Chiefs only play back-to-back road games one time during the season—their Week 9 game in Dallas against the Cowboys and their Week 11 game against the Giants in New York. In between, there is the Week 10 bye week, meaning the Chiefs truly don't have back-to-back road games all season long.
