2017 NFL win/loss projections for all 32 teams
By John Buhler
Kansas City Chiefs
For a team that has a top-10 roster in football, the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t exactly win in the offseason. Trading up for future franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes seems like the right player, but he shouldn’t see the field as a rookie in 2017. He’s as raw as they come coming out of that Air Raid offense at Texas Tech.
Kansas City had major salary cap issues heading into free agency. While the Chiefs were able to bring back their best player in safety Eric Berry, running back Jamaal Charles was cut and defensive tackle Dontari Poe signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Firing former general manager John Dorsey on the same day that head coach Andy Reid received a contract extension was one of the most puzzling days of the 2017 NFL offseason.
That being said, Kansas City has the most complete roster in the AFC West, albeit one that didn’t improved considerably this spring. Playing in an AFC West that has four teams honestly vying for playoff spots won’t make things easier for the Chiefs to repeat as division champions. However, they have the second-half schedule to make it happen once the weather changes.
Not to say that Chiefs will get off to a horrendous start like they did in 2015, but there are some Ls on the schedule before Halloween. They are not going to win the season opener on Sept. 7 in Foxborough against the New England Patriots. Kansas City will face six 2016 playoff teams before Thanksgiving, five of them on the road.
That being said, it’s mostly bad AFC East teams and division rivals post-Thanksgiving. If Kansas City is resilient during a tough first two-thirds of the season, the Chiefs can catch fire in the cold and win the AFC West for the second straight year. The more momentum the Chiefs have heading into the AFC Playoffs, the better, as they will definitely need it in January.
Projected Record: 10-6, AFC West Champion (No. 4 seed)