The Chiefs are trying to keep an old formula humming in 2026: handle the AFC West, and the rest of the season gets a lot easier.
That has been the backbone of Kansas City’s run under Andy Reid. Beginning in 2016, the Chiefs stacked up nine straight AFC West titles while also posting a winning record against the Broncos, Raiders and Chargers every year. Both of those streaks ended last season, but Kansas City has opened this year in strong shape again, beating the Broncos and Raiders on the way to a 4-0 start.
Now comes another division test.
The Chiefs host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, with Kansas City carrying a two-game lead in the loss column over the Broncos and Raiders, who are both 3-2. The Chargers arrive at 0-5 and are still looking for their first win.
Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. Central on Sunday, Oct. 18, at Arrowhead in Kansas City.
The game will air on CBS/Paramount, with local television coverage on Channel 5 in Kansas City and Channel 12 in Wichita. On radio, the Chiefs-Chargers matchup will be carried on KFNZ (96.5 FM) in Kansas City and KNSS (98.7 FM) in the Wichita area.
On the betting side, Draft Kings opened Kansas City as an 8 1/2-point favorite, with the over/under at 43 1/2. The Chiefs are 2-2 against the spread this season and did not cover as a 4 1/2-point favorite in their 30-27 win over the Raiders in Week 4.
In Other News...
Chiefs Still Have A Left Tackle Problem They Cant Define
Josh Simmons entered the Chiefs plans with plenty of intrigue after a torn patellar tendon two years ago altered his draft path, and his recovery has been watched closely ever since. He did enough in rehab to win the starting job for the first five games of the 2025 season, which at least suggested Kansas City might have found some stability at left tackle after a long search for it.
Instead, the position remains unsettled because Simmons has barely been on the field since arriving in Kansas City. He has played in only eight of the teams 21 games since being drafted, and the club still does not have a clear timetable for when he might be back, leaving the Chiefs to keep sorting out the blind-side spot without a defined answer. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Got The Bye Week Break They Needed Before A Tricky Stretch
The bye week gave Kansas City a chance to sit back, rest up and watch the AFC West landscape shift around it while the Chiefs stayed undefeated at 4-0. Their lead in the division held firm as the Las Vegas Raiders fell to the New England Patriots, even as the Denver Broncos managed to win despite some offensive trouble, a reminder that the standings can look steadier than the football underneath them.
Now the attention turns to the bigger race, where the Chiefs are tracking the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens as some of the most relevant challengers, with Buffalo still set to take the field on Monday night. The next test on the schedule is a tricky one against the Los Angeles Chargers, and after a week off, Kansas City enters it with a little more clarity on the road ahead and a lot less margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Unbeaten Start Is Rewriting What Fans Thought About This Roster
The early weeks of the season have given Kansas City a very different kind of storyline than many around the league expected. A perfect 4-0 start has pushed the Chiefs into a place where the usual questions about aging stars and depth pieces have, at least for now, been replaced by evidence that this roster is producing in all the right places. Kenneth Walker III has been one of the biggest drivers of that surge, Travis Kelce has been dependable again, and rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane has already looked like he belongs after going sixth overall.
What makes the opening month especially interesting is how much of this success has come from players who were not penciled in as the main attraction when the season began. Kahlil Benson, in particular, has carved out an unexpected role up front, giving the Chiefs stability at a spot that often decides how far a team can go. The bigger question now is whether this fast start reflects a real reworking of what the roster can be, or just the kind of early-season momentum that still needs to survive the grind ahead. [Read more 🡒]