With the NFL regular season fast approaching, we at SportsUntapped are taking our crystal balls out of storage and examining each team’s full 16-game schedule to prognosticate how the 2012 season will play out. We’ll look at all 32 teams and reveal each one’s final record. Next up: Matt Cassel and the Kansas City Chiefs, who will try to bounce back from a disappointing 2011.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Last year’s record: 7-9
 
Vegas Over/Under on 2012 Regular Season Wins: 8

First four games:
Sep 9 Atlanta 1:00 pm
Sep 16 @Buffalo 1:00 pm
Sep 23 @New Orleans 1:00 pm
Sep 30 San Diego 1:00 pm

The Chiefs never fully recovered from an 0-3 start last year, and this year’s opening month schedule is probably even tougher than last year’s. This looks like another 1-3 start for KC.
 
Second four games:
Oct 7 Baltimore 1:00 pm
Oct 14 @Tampa Bay 1:00 pm
Week 7 BYE 
Oct 28 Oakland 4:05 pm
Nov 1 @San Diego 8:20 pm

The bye week will probably help the Chiefs get two wins during this stretch, but that still leaves them at 3-5 at the season’s midpoint.
First four games of the second half:
Nov 12 @Pittsburgh 8:30 pm
Nov 18 Cincinnati 1:00 pm
Nov 25 Denver 1:00 pm
Dec 2 Carolina 1:00 pm
 
Three straight home games looks like a place Kansas City could make a run, but the Chiefs were only 3-5 at home last season.  Put them down for two more losses here, but maybe still in the AFC West race at 5-7 heading into the final four games.

Last four games:
Dec 9 @Cleveland 1:00 pm
Dec 16 @Oakland 4:25 pm
Dec 23 Indianapolis 1:00 pm
Dec 30 @Denver 4:25 pm

The Chiefs finish with three of thier last four on the road. I can’t see them beating Peyton Manning in Denver in the final week, and the trip to Oakland will also be very tough.  With losses in those two games, they’ll end a second straight season at 7-9.