With the release of the 2015 NFL schedule, Kansas City Chiefs fans around the country were eager to find out when they could see their beloved team in primetime. They were surely delighted to see that the Chiefs were awarded three prime time games into 2015 and were also selected to play in London for the first time.
The Chiefs have been contenders in recent seasons ever since the team brought in coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith. They have been one of the more consistent teams in the league and are constantly challenging for the AFC West title. The Denver Broncos have been the class of the division recently but the Chiefs are never far behind.
The primetime games come fast and furious for the Chiefs as they have two late-night dates in the first three weeks of the season. The first is a Thursday night showdown at Arrowhead Stadium against the Denver Broncos in Week 2. This match-up could set the tone for the division race and since the Broncos have won the division two years in a row and swept the Chiefs last season, this is an early chance to knock them off their perch.
The Chiefs then get 10 days to prepare for a Monday night trip up to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers. The Packers were one botched onside kick from reaching the Super Bowl and are one of the elite teams in the NFL featuring a former MVP and Super Bowl winner in Aaron Rodgers.
Sep 7, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; An overall view of Arrowhead Stadium before the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
The third prime time game is a Sunday night showdown at Qualcomm Stadium with the San Diego chargers. The Chiefs and Chargers have been scrapping for second place in the division ever since Peyton Manning headed west and this is the second divisional game in a stretch of four in five weeks from Week 10 to Week 14.
While the game in London in Week 8 against the Detroit Lions is not technically in prime time, it is still one of the NFL’s showcase games. The league has chosen the Chiefs to represent its product to the fans across the pond and while they haven’t chosen the best teams to play there in the past, this is another sign of the prestige of the franchise.
The Chiefs are one of the oldest franchises in the NFL and were one of the founding teams of the AFL. The team has not won a Super Bowl since 1969 but they have won three AFL championships in their history.
The team also has some significant star power on and off the field. Head coach Andy Reid is one of the most recognizable faces on the sidelines and is one of the more successful coaches in the league. He is best known for leading the Philadelphia Eagles to three straight NFC championships but has yet to win a Super Bowl.
On the field, the Chiefs have one of the best running backs in football in Jamaal Charles and recently signed star wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. On the defensive side of the ball, they have established pro bowlers in Tamba Hali, Justin Houston, and Derrick Johnson.
They have one of the most established fan bases in the league and Arrowhead Stadium is famous for its legendary home-field advantage. Arrowhead is considered one of the toughest places in the league to play and the fans set a Guinness world record for loudest stadium in the world in September 2014 against the New England Patriots.
Last season the Chiefs also had three prime time games with mixed results. The first was the aforementioned game against the New England Patriots in which the Chiefs dominated proceedings and won by 27 points. They also had to back to back prime time games last season but both proved disastrous to the team’s playoff hopes.
The first was a crushing loss to the rival Oakland Raiders in a muddy and rainy Oakland Coliseum. It was Oakland’s first win of the season and it was a game the Chiefs could ill afford to lose. Ten days later the Denver Broncos came to town and beat the Chiefs to effectively end Kansas City’s playoff hopes.
The Chiefs will look to move past a difficult 2014 season in which the offense struggled and a wide receiver did not catch a single touchdown. The Chiefs scored more than 30 points on four occasions last season and have proven that they possess the offensive firepower to match their dominant defense. To early-season tests on national television against the Broncos and Packers will be an excellent way to show the resr of the NFL that the Kansas City Chiefs mean business.
Next: Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles knows the biggest need
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