If the Kansas City Chiefs are going to successfully defend their AFC West championship next season, there's little doubt they will have earned it.
According to last year's winning percentages, the Chiefs have the second-toughest schedule in the NFL in 2017—with their opponents having a combined winning percentage last year of .576, which only trails the Oakland Raiders (.578).
Here's a game-by-game look at the Chiefs' 2017 schedule:
It's the first game of the 2017 NFL season and there are many people who believe this could be the preview of the AFC title game this year.
While both teams have a lot of work to do before we get to that point, there's little doubt as to what a win in Foxboro would do for the confidence of a Chiefs team that has high expectations for the 2017 season.
The Chiefs will be looking for just the 27th regular-season win for a road team in Foxboro in the last 17 years. The Patriots are 110-26 under head coach Bill Belichick at home since 2000.
Quick glance at the Patriots:
Top players: QB Tom Brady, TE Rob Gronkowski, WR Julian Edelman, S Devin McCourty, LB Dont'a Hightower
Key additions:WR Brandin Cooks, DL Kony Ealy, RB Rex Burkhead, CB Stephen Gilmore
Key departures:CB Logan Ryan, LB Jabaal Sheard, TE Martellus Bennett, RB LeGarrette Blount
It's pretty easy to see why this game is going to mean something special to head coach Andy Reid, who faces an Eagles team he led for 14 years (1999-2012) prior to joining the Chiefs in 2013.
While Reid has already played his former team once, back in 2013, in a game in which the Chiefs won 26-16, it's going to be the first time he'll face his former protégé, Eagles second-year head coach Doug Pederson.
Pederson not only worked as Reid's offensive coordinator in Kansas City for three years (2013-15) before taking the job with the Eagles, but he also played quarterback for Reid and the Eagles (1999) before beginning his coaching career.
Quick glance at the Eagles.
Top players: QB Carson Wentz, WR Jordan Matthews, LB Brandon Graham, DL Fletcher Cox
Key additions:WR Torrey Smith, WR Alshon Jeffrey, DE Chris Long, OL Chance Warmack
Key departures:DL Bennie Logan, CB Nolan Carroll, LB Connor Barwin
After sweeping the AFC West last year and grabbing their first divisional title since 2010, the Chiefs will open divisional play on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chargers dealt with a rash of injuries last year and are hoping for a bounce-back year in their new home with their new head coach, Anthony Lynn, who came over this offseason from the Buffalo Bills.
This will be the second NFL regular-season game ever played at the StubHub Center in Los Angeles, which is primarily used as the home of the LA Galaxy soccer team and sits on the campus of California State, Dominguez Hills.
The StubHub Center has a seating capacity of 27,000 and is the temporary home of the Chargers until their new stadium is finished, which is supposed to be in time for the 2019 NFL season.
The Chiefs have won three straight on the road against the Chargers.
Quick glance at the Chargers:
Top players: QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, WR Keenan Allen, DL Joey Bosa, LB Melvin Ingram
Key additions:OL Russell Okung, RB Kenjon Barner
Key departures:OL D.J. Fluker, RB Danny Woodhead, LB Manti Te'o
The Chiefs host the Redskins in the first of two primetime games on Monday Night Football this season at Arrowhead Stadium.
Historically, the Chiefs have had plenty of success against the Redskins, although this particular team, which is led by quarterback Kirk Cousins, averaged 26 points per game on the road last season.
Quick glance at the Redskins:
Top players: QB Kirk Cousins, TE Jordan Reed, WR Jamison Crowder, LB Ryan Kerrigan, CB Josh Norman
Key additions:LB Zach Brown, WR Terrelle Pryor, S D.J. Swearinger, CB Tharold Simon, DL Stacey McGee
Key departures:WR Pierre Garcon, DL Ricky Jean-Francois, OL John Sullivan, WR DeSean Jackson
This will be the fourth time the Chiefs have played on the road against the Texans since September 13, 2015, and the Chiefs are 2-1 in those games.
This game will be played in primetime on Sunday Night Football.
For the Texans, the former All-Pro and three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2012, 2014-15), J.J. Watt, looks to be back on the field and healthy after back surgery that caused him to miss most of last season.
While the Texans have questions at the quarterback position because they traded away last year's starter, Brock Osweiler, and a second-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for some cap space, the Chiefs will face one of the league's best defenses.
That's not to take anything away from two of the better skill position players in the league in running back Lamar Miller and receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
Quick glance at the Texans:
Top players: RB Lamar Miller, WR DeAndre Hopkins, LB Whitney Mercilus, DL Jadeveon Clowney, DL J.J. Watt
Key additions:N/A
Key departures:CB A.J. Bouye, S Quintin Demps, OLB John Simon, QB Brock Osweiler
The Chiefs will get a chance to avenge last year's divisional-round playoff loss.
That's the storyline of this game.
Quick glance at the Steelers:
Top players: QB Ben Roethlisberger, RB Le'Veon Bell, WR Antonio Brown, LB Ryan Shazier, LB James Harrison
Key additions:RB Knile Davis
Key departures:WR Markus Wheaton, OLB Jarvis Jones, LB Lawrence Timmons
For the fourth time in the first seven weeks of the season, the Chiefs will play in primetime as they face the Raiders on a short week on Thursday Night Football.
For a lot of reasons, this is a game that many will circle now as critical for the Chiefs to defend their AFC West title.
While much can change, the fact is both of these teams are going to be good and a primetime game against your rival is what it's all about.
It's important to note that while Raiders quarterback Derek Carr will once again undoubtedly have some MVP-hype surrounding his play, and for good reason—even coming off the injury— Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith is 9-1 in his career against the Raiders, tossing 19 touchdowns and just four interceptions.
On the other hand, Carr is 1-5 against the Chiefs and has completed just 55.1 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and five interceptions in those games.
With the Raiders moving to Las Vegas following the 2018 season, the Chiefs will have just two more opportunities to play in O.co Coliseum, and with a win this year, the Chiefs would guarantee an all-time winning record there as they currently sit 19-18-1 dating all the way back to 1966.
Quick glance at the Raiders:
Top players: QB Derek Carr, WR Amari Cooper, WR Michael Crabtree, LB Khalil Mack, S Reggie Nelson
Key additions:TE Jared Cook, WR Cordarrelle Patterson
Key departures:DL Stacey McGee, RB Latavius Murray, WR Andre Holmes, LB Perry Riley
Two of the Chiefs' most memorable games last season came against the Denver Broncos, and both of them came in primetime.
Therefore, this will just be another opportunity to continue that streak as the Chiefs host their second Monday Night Football game of the season, and their fifth of six primetime games overall.
Last year, it was Cairo Santos' game-winning "Doink heard 'round the world" on the road in overtime that won't soon be forgotten. A few weeks later, on Christmas Day, the Chiefs put up another statement win—a 33-10 dominating performance in which tight end Travis Kelce finished with 11 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown.
Kelce even gave us a little "Feliz Navidad" after his touchdown.
The most underrated battle of this game will once again be Broncos All-Pro edge rusher Von Miller against the Chiefs' standout right tackle, Mitch Schwartz. If you love the intricacies of the game and what happens away from the ball, that's the matchup to watch.
Quick glance at the Broncos:
Top players: LB Von Miller, CB Chris Harris Jr., CB Aqib Talib, WR Demaryius Thomas, WR Emmanuel Sanders
Key additions:OL Ronald Leary, OL Menelik Watson
Key departures:OL Russell Okung, LB DeMarcus Ware, DL Sylvester Williams
The Chiefs were originally called the Dallas Texans before the team's founder, Lamar Hunt, moved the team to Kansas City in 1963.
The connection with this team and the Dallas community goes back decades to the very beginning stages of what we now know as the NFL.
The roots run deep and it makes this matchup, which should be great on the surface with two good teams with high hopes squaring off, have a depth to it that few other matchups in the league could rival.
One interesting nugget heading into this game is that the Chiefs' Tommy Brasher, who now has the title of "special projects" after previously serving as the defensive line coach, played college football at Arkansas with Dallas Cowboys owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones.
Quick glance at the Cowboys:
Top players: QB Dak Prescott, RB Ezekiel Elliott, WR Dez Bryant, WR Cole Beasley, LB Sean Lee, CB Byron Jones
Key additions:Stephen Paea, CB Nolan Carroll
Key departures:OL Ronald Leary, CB Brandon Carr, CB Morris Claiborne, S Barry Church
Week 10 – BYE
After the Week 10 bye, the Chiefs will travel east to take on the Giants in Week 11.
It's the first of three straight games again New York-based teams, and the Chiefs will be travelling to take on the Giants for the first time since 2005.
The Chiefs are 0-6 all-time on the road against the Giants.
Quick glance at the Patriots:
Top players: QB Eli Manning, WR Odell Beckham Jr., S Landon Collins, DL Olivier Vernon, DL Jason Pierre-Paul, DL Damon Harrison
Key additions:OL D.J. Fluker, QB Geno Smith, WR Brandon Marshall
Key departures:DL Johnathan Hankins, OL Marshall Newhouse
If it seems like the Chiefs are always playing the Bills, that's because they are.
This will be the ninth time in the last 10 years that these two teams have hooked up.
Quick glance at the Bills:
Top players: QB Tyrod Taylor, RB LeSean McCoy, DL Kyle Williams, LB Lorenzo Alexander
Key additions:CB Micah Hyde, WR Andre Holmes, CB Jordan Poyer
Key departures:CB Stephen Gilmore, LB Zach Brown, CB Nickel Robey-Coleman, WR Robert Woods
The Jets were 2-6 at home last season.
Quick glance at the Jets:
Top players: RB matt Forte, WR Quincy Enunwa, DL Leonard Williams, S Calvin Pryor, LB Darron Lee
Key additions:CB Morris Claiborne, WR Quinton Patton
Key departures:WR Brandon Marshall, QB Geno Smith
The Chiefs play three of their final four games of the season at Arrowhead Stadium, and even though there's plenty that's going to take place between now and this game, there's no doubt this game will have implications for one, if not both, teams.
Quick glance at the Raiders:
Top players: QB Derek Carr, WR Amari Cooper, WR Michael Crabtree, LB Khalil Mack, S Reggie Nelson
Key additions:TE Jared Cook, WR Cordarrelle Patterson
Key departures:DL Stacey McGee, RB Latavius Murray, WR Andre Holmes, LB Perry Riley
Quick glance at the Chargers:
Top players: QB Philip Rivers, RB Melvin Gordon, WR Keenan Allen, DL Joey Bosa, LB Melvin Ingram
Key additions:OL Russell Okung, RB Kenjon Barner
Key departures:OL D.J. Fluker, RB Danny Woodhead, LB Manti Te'o* *
This is the sixth and final primetime game for the Chiefs, and it comes on a Saturday night.
It's the first Saturday regular-season game the Chiefs have played since 2011.
Quick glance at the Dolphins:
Top players: QB Ryan Tannehill, RB Jay Ajayi, WR Jarvis Landry, WR Kenny Stills, LB Cameron Wake, DL Ndamukong Suh
*Key additions: *S Nate Allen, LB Lawrence Timmons, S T.J. McDonald, TE Anthony Fasano
*Key departures: *OL Branden Albert
This is exactly the way you want to finish out a season—playing a divisional rival on New Year's Eve.
There's a good chance this game has playoff implications for someone.
Quick glance at the Broncos:
Top players: LB Von Miller, CB Chris Harris Jr., CB Aqib Talib, WR Demaryius Thomas, WR Emmanuel Sanders
Key additions:OL Ronald Leary, OL Menelik Watson
Key departures:OL Russell Okung, LB DeMarcus Ware, DL Sylvester Williams
