The Kansas City Chiefs may be staring at one of the toughest stretches of the 2026 NFL season between Weeks 12 and 15. During that span, Andy Reid’s squad will hit the road for huge matchups against the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and Cincinnati Bengals before finally returning home to take on the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. There’s really no easing into this part of the schedule. It’s one tough matchup after another, which is the same concern recently raised by the host of The Herd.

“Chiefs face Josh Allen, Matt Stafford, and Joe Burrow—all on the road in succession.” Colin Cowherd said via Starcade Media. “Followed by Drake Maye, Brock Purdy, and Justin Herbert. Interesting 6-gamer.”

Patrick Mahomes and the unit will find themselves going head-to-head with three of the NFL’s top quarterbacks in some of the league’s toughest road environments. It’s the kind of stretch that could have major playoff implications in the AFC and may ultimately play a huge role in whether Kansas City can lock down home-field advantage once again.

The Chiefs will head to Buffalo in Week 12 for a Thanksgiving night showdown against Josh Allen and co. Over the past few years, this matchup has grown into one of the NFL’s premier rivalries. And then, in Week 13, the Chiefs will go against Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams, facing one of the NFC’s most dangerous teams on its home field.

Week 14, however, may be the toughest challenge yet for the Chiefs. The team will head to Cincinnati for another major AFC showdown against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. And by now it’s well known how Burrow and the Bengals have consistently troubled the Chiefs.

This three-game stretch alone will go a long way toward affecting the AFC standings and deciding whether the Chiefs will be able to get home-field advantage in the playoffs once again. Historically, the Chiefs have been far more dominant at Arrowhead Stadium, posting a 318-186-4 all-time home record compared to a 235-266-8 mark on the road.

Above all, the Chiefs have an early Week 5 bye before a grueling stretch of 13 straight games, with more than half coming against 2025 playoff teams, including the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Even after that difficult road stretch, the schedule offers almost no relief, as Kansas City returns home in Week 15 to face the defending AFC champion Patriots before hosting the San Francisco 49ers the following week.

The Chiefs are scheduled to host the Denver Broncos on Sept. 14 in a “Monday Night Football” season opener. And many around the league appears to be operating under the belief that Mahomes will be back on the field by opening night despite suffering torn ACL and LCL injuries.

“I think he’s pretty far ahead of schedule.” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said earlier this month on the “Pat McAfee Show.” “He’s such a motivating presence and an example to the building on how to approach every day like a true professional. I’m excited for him to get back out there.”

Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen set for Thanksgiving primetime battle

The thought of watching Patrick Mahomes face off against Josh Allen on Thanksgiving night would seem to be a perfect holiday treat for any football fan.

The NFL has officially delivered what fans have been eagerly waiting for, confirming that the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs will meet on November 12, 2026, in Week 12. As per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, this highly anticipated clash will air on NBC instead of CBS this season. It will also be the first official game hosted at the Buffalo Bills’ new home stadium.

That alone makes the game feel special, but there is even more history attached to it. This will be the first Thanksgiving home game in the Bills’ franchise history and their first appearance on the holiday since facing the Detroit Lions in 2022.

For Kansas City, it will be the second straight season playing on Thanksgiving and the 12th Thanksgiving appearance in franchise history. The Chiefs are 5-5 all-time on the holiday, including a 31-28 loss against the Dallas Cowboys in 2025. However, Buffalo has enjoyed massive success on Thanksgiving with a 6-4-1 record overall. With Allen under center, the Bills are undefeated on the holiday against Dallas, New Orleans, and Detroit.

On the other hand, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes have put up very similar numbers throughout their careers. Allen has recorded 220 total touchdowns, while Mahomes has 267. Both quarterbacks have also led their teams to more than 80 career wins, making this matchup more interesting

Truly, adding Chiefs versus Bills to the Thanksgiving lineup could make this one of the NFL’s best holiday slates ever.