Arrowhead Report

Rival Roundup: Chiefs' Foes Flounder in Week 1 – Are the Bengals in Trouble?

While the Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed a long weekend, the rest of the AFC West and several of KC's other key foes struggled to begin the 2024 season with a win.

Joshua Brisco

Sep 8, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley (8) celebrates after stripping the ball from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in the third quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
Sep 8, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley (8) celebrates after stripping the ball from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) in the third quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Sam Greene/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
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The Kansas City Chiefs handled their business against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday in the NFL's season-opener, so the reigning back-to-back champions were able to sit at 1-0 while watching the majority of teams kick off their 2024 seasons on Sunday. In a number of fascinating showdowns, the Chiefs saw plenty of struggles from their AFC foes. Here are some of the most noteworthy results as Kansas City keeps an eye on the rest of the conference.

New England Patriots 16, Cincinnati Bengals 10

You can judge it by the football or by the vibes — it all seems bad for Cincinnati right now. Next up: the Bengals head to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Chiefs in Week 2.

According to Next Gen Stats via Jake Liscow on Twitter/X, Joe Burrow was pressured at the third-lowest rate of his career and still only averaged 5.6 yards per attempt while not under pressure. According to a still-not-extended Ja'Marr Chase, there are a lot of places to point the finger.

Wide receiver Tee Higgins didn't play due to a hamstring injury and Chase returned after a tumultuous offseason in his attempt to get a new contract before the season. There's a lot of time for the Bengals to get back on track in 2024, but how will they look next week when they visit Arrowhead? Cincinnati could be desperate to prove they won't be washed out of the top of the conference after just two weeks of football, while the Chiefs could deal a devastating blow to perhaps their fiercest rival.

Buffalo Bills 34, Arizona Cardinals 28

The Bills' defense couldn't get a stop in the first half, but a better second half and some Josh Allen hero-ball gave Buffalo enough to overcome a team that could be frisky but probably won't be contending in 2024. I'm still expecting a 2015 Cam Newton-esque MVP-caliber season from Allen, while the team would likely be better off if he didn't have to so much of the work himself.

Los Angeles Chargers 22, Las Vegas Raiders 10

There wasn't a lot of Sunday glory for the rest of the AFC West. Jim Harbaugh's new-look Chargers were up 9-7 entering the fourth quarter, and a disastrous coaching decision from Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce kept this game from being compelling for the final seven minutes.

The only individual performance worth highlighting came from new Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, who took 10 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown, putting together a fabulous stat line for a player returning from a series of serious injuries.

Seattle Seahawks 26, Denver Broncos 20

Bo, no.

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a debut to forget for Denver, completely unable to push the ball downfield. The Broncos' attempt at a rebuild looks beyond 2024, but early returns suggest the Chiefs shouldn't be sweating about Denver's retooling.

Houston Texans 29, Indianapolis Colts 27

Despite some outstanding highlights (and a fair share of misses) from Anthony Richardson, the Texans held on for a road win against a divisional rival. Nico Collins, Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon make for a fascinating stable of weapons for C.J. Stroud as the Texans look to keep pace with Kansas City for a shot at the AFC's No. 1 seed.

Miami Dolphins 20, Jacksonville Jaguars 17

With recent history in mind, it's hard to imagine the Chiefs actually stumbling against either of these Floridian AFC contenders in the playoffs, but here's what you may have missed: Tyreek Hill is still great. Jaylen Waddle and the rest of the ensemble are still fast and productive. The Jaguars still can't stick a landing. We'll see how it goes.

Chicago Bears 24, Tennessee Titans 17

The Titans don't meet the standard of "AFC rival," but they're worth watching in 2024 for one reason: the Chiefs have Tennessee's 2025 third-round draft pick from the trade of cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. It's still only a third-rounder, but the more the Titans struggle, the better the pick becomes for KC.

Read More: Chiefs Get 'B' Grade for Week 1 Win Over Ravens, Should 'Worry' NFL

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Joshua Brisco
JOSHUA BRISCO

Joshua Brisco is the editor and publisher of Kansas City Chiefs On SI and has covered the Chiefs professionally since 2017 across audio and written media.

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