KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In what has developed into one of the more highly anticipated events of the offseason, the NFL released the 2014 regular-season schedule Wednesday night.
Oct 13, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs fans show their support during the second half of the game against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 24-7. Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
“We always look forward to the schedule coming out,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said in a statement released by the team. “This allows us to get started preparing for our opponents in the order we play them. Today is really about our fans. There is no question that Chiefs Kingdom will be fired up come September.”
The Chiefs open the season on Sept. 7 at Arrowhead Stadium against the Tennessee Titans and have a Week 6 bye on Oct. 12.
Of note, the Chiefs have three primetime games, with two at home against the New England Patriots on Sept. 29 and the Denver Broncos on Nov. 30.
The Chiefs travel to Oakland on Nov. 20 for the other primetime contest.
Coming off an 11-5 season and a playoff berth as a wildcard, the Chiefs face the league’s seventh-toughest slate based on 2013 win-loss records, according to ArrowheadPride.com.
While the schedule appears tough on paper, things aren’t often what they seem when it comes to the NFL where parity rules supreme.
As examples, the 2012 Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens finished last season at 8-8 and didn’t make the playoffs. The Atlanta Falcons are coming off a 4-12 season, a year removed from finishing 13-3. And there’s the Houston Texans, a 2013 summer pick to make the playoffs, finishing 2-14 after starting 2-0.
Another important factor to keep in mind surrounds the league’s 12-team playoff format, which was adopted in 1990. Since that implementation, at least four teams not making the postseason the prior season qualified for the playoffs.
Last season saw five teams: San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles and the Chiefs.
Here’s the full schedule, times are Central Standard Time, including the opponent’s 2013 final record:
• Week 1: Sept. 7, 12 p.m. – Tennessee Titans (7-9)
• Week 2: Sept. 14, 3:25 p.m. – @ Denver Broncos (13-3)
• Week 3: Sept. 21, 3:25 p.m. – @ Miami Dolphins (8-8)
• Week 4: Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m.– New England Patriots (12-4)
• Week 5: Oct. 5, 3:25 p.m. – @ San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
• Week 6: Oct. 12 – Bye Week
• Week 7: Oct. 19, 3:05 p.m. – @ San Diego Chargers (9-7)
• Week 8: Oct. 26, 12 p.m. – St. Louis Rams (7-9)
• Week 9: Nov. 2, 12 p.m. – New York Jets (8-8)
• Week 10: Nov. 9, 12 p.m. – @ Buffalo Bills (6-10)
• Week 11: Nov. 16, 12 p.m. – Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
• Week 12: Nov. 20, 7:25 p.m. – @ Oakland Raiders (4-12)
• Week 13: Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m. – Denver Broncos
• Week 14: Dec. 7, 3:05 p.m. – @ Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
• Week 15: Dec. 14, 12 p.m. – Oakland Raiders
• Week 16: Dec. 21, 12 p.m. – @ Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
• Week 17: Dec. 28, 12 p.m. – San Diego Chargers
