Kansas City Chiefs 2021 NFL schedule: 5 must-win games

The Kansas City Chiefs must win these five games in 2021.

While there is no question that the Kansas City Chiefs are an NFL superpower they enter the 2021 season with something to prove. A loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV denied Patrick Mahomes and company a chance to repeat, but oddsmakers still rate Kansas City as one of the favorites to claim the Lombardi Trophy in Los Angeles next February.

There is still a long way to go before the Chiefs can get to a third straight Super Bowl, including a grinding regular season schedule. Let’s take a look at five games that Kansas City has to win this year, beginning with a critical division showdown.

5 games the Chiefs must win on their 2021 NFL Schedule

5. At Los Angeles Chargers

The path to the postseason starts with winning the AFC West and the Chiefs will face their biggest challenge from the Los Angeles Chargers. The threat comes primarily from second-year quarterback Justin Herbert, who looks like the kind of rising superstar that won’t be afraid to square off with Mahomes on any given Sunday.

The Chargers finished strong down the stretch, rallying from a 2-7 start to finish 7-9 with a stretch that included three divisional wins. Kansas City will have to find a way to hold off the Chargers to win the AFC West, making this game in Los Angeles a must-win for the Chiefs.

Super Bowl LVI is also scheduled to be held in Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, making this contest a chance for the Chiefs to presumably experience what the building will be like with fans in attendance. Those factors combine to make it a very important game for Kansas City in 2021.