'The Start, the Guts and the Finish' - Breaking Down the Chiefs 2026 Schedule | Defending The Kingdom
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In this episode of 'Defending The Kingdom,' hosts Mitch Holtis and Matt McMullen break down the Kansas City Chiefs' 2026 NFL schedule, framing it around the three key phases: the start, the guts, and the finish. They highlight the significance of a strong opening against the Broncos in Week 1 on Monday Night Football, emphasizing the symbolic reset this game offers after a disappointing 2025 season. The early schedule features two primetime games and a bye in Week 5, creating a critical window to build momentum. The middle 'guts' phase includes a grueling stretch with back-to-back road games against the Seahawks and Broncos, followed by three consecutive noon Sunday games against the Jets, Falcons, and Cardinals—challenges that test resilience. The final 'finish' portion features a pivotal Thanksgiving game in Buffalo, a Thursday-night road game against the Rams, and a high-stakes home finale against the Raiders, with the final two games still TBD in date and time, adding logistical complexity. Throughout, the hosts stress the importance of early wins to build 'equity' and avoid being in a must-win situation in November and December.
Start strong: A 3-1 or 4-0 record in the first six weeks is critical to avoid a season-long grind.
The 'guts' phase includes three straight noon games and back-to-back road trips—test your team’s depth and resilience.
The Buffalo Thanksgiving game is a potential season inflection point; a win could spark momentum, a loss could derail the campaign.
The final two games are TBD—this creates logistical challenges for fans and teams, but also adds unpredictability.
The Chiefs haven’t finished a season at home in years—this year’s home finale is a rare and meaningful opportunity.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Start: Kickoff Against the Broncos
“It's the first time in the Chiefs-Broncos history that the season will open Chiefs-Broncos in Kansas City. How is that possible? I have no idea.”
The Guts: A Grueling Middle Stretch
“You don't have to be a nuclear physicist to figure out this is definitely the guts of the schedule. It is going to require guts to manage this portion of the schedule.”
The Finish: Home Finale and TBD Games
“We haven't finished at home in a long time. We're home. Yeah, finally.”
Building Equity Early
The hosts repeatedly emphasize the need to build 'equity' in the first six weeks—winning early to avoid being in a must-win situation in late November and December. They reference past seasons where early wins led to playoff success, and contrast that with last year’s 0-2 start that derailed the entire campaign.
The Buffalo Inflection Point
“I think that Bills game, if you look at this right now, really could be the crux of the season.”
“I think that Bills game, if you look at this right now, really could be the crux of the season.”
“You don't have to be a nuclear physicist to figure out this is definitely the guts of the schedule. It is going to require guts to manage this portion of the schedule.”
“It's the first time in the Chiefs-Broncos history that the season will open Chiefs-Broncos in Kansas City. How is that possible? I have no idea.”
Hosts
Kansas City Chiefs
other
Mitch Holtis
person
Matt McMullen
person
Patrick Mahomes
person
Denver Broncos
other
Andy Reid
person
Buffalo Bills
other
Los Angeles Rams
other
Cincinnati Bengals
other
New York Jets
other
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