Kansas City Chiefs 2012 Schedule: How Will They React to Tough Start?

The NFL released its schedule on Tuesday night, and while the Kansas City Chiefs will play a fourth-place slate, the league did them zero favors to start the season.

They open at home against Atlanta, followed by road games against Buffalo and New Orleans, then two more home games against San Diego and Baltimore. If the Chiefs can emerge from that stretch with no worse than a 2-3 record and a healthy roster, the rest of the season plays out pretty favorably.

The rest of the way, the Chiefs have road games against Tampa Bay, San Diego, Pittsburgh and Cleveland while hosting Cincinnati, Carolina and Indianapolis; not to mention a home-and-home with Denver and Oakland.

Although it is impractical to predict how any of these teams will look when the season arrives, based on last year's results, the Chiefs have to like the position they are in.

After a very tumultuous 2011 season, the Chiefs still found a way to finish 7-9, narrowly missing the playoffs and repeating as AFC West champions.

Injuries and lack of preparation are to blame for lackluster results. However, with Jamaal Charles, Tony Moeaki and Eric Berry returning, along with the offseason additions of Eric Winston, Peyton Hillis and Kevin Boss, the Chiefs are well prepared to reclaim the division crown.

After finishing 2009 with a 4-12 record, the Chiefs found themselves in the basement of the division, thus playing a fourth-place schedule in 2010. But after successful drafting, new management settling in and players becoming more comfortable in their new roles, the Chiefs were able to go 10-6 in 2010 while winning the division.

It is a common view that teams coming off a surprisingly successful season tend to take a step backwards the following year before taking a larger leap forward in year three. If that holds true for the Chiefs, the 2012 season could be special.

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