Kansas City, Mo. ? The next three weeks could go a long way toward determining how the Kansas City Chiefs do in the AFC West.

Starting with a trip to San Diego (4-1) this Sunday, the Chiefs (3-2) will meet all three AFC West rivals in successive weeks. Denver (4-1) and Oakland (4-0) will be in Kansas City the following two weeks.

Then, in an unusual scheduling twist, the Chiefs do not meet a division rival again until making another three-week trek to Denver, San Diego and Oakland in the final three games of the regular season.

So how does Dick Vermeil feel about this kind of schedule?

“I can’t say it on television,” he responded.

“This is when you find out what you’re all about. I think the combined win-loss record is two losses amongst that group. That’s our division.”

Already facing a won-loss deficit against the other AFC West teams, logic might dictate the Chiefs will have to win at least two of these next three to stay in the race. But the Chiefs, with a defense ranked last in the league and an offense ranked second in both scoring and overall yardage, need to show some better balance, Vermeil said.

“You know, we’re very pleased with our offense right now and not pleased with our defense, and we’re going to have to play a lot better defense,” Vermeil said Tuesday. “You can’t beat any of those teams with a one-sided game. It won’t happen.”

Kansas City quarterback Trent Green passes during the Chiefs' 29-25 victory against the New York Jets on Sunday at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Green and the Chiefs will travel to San Diego this Sunday for the first of three straight games against AFC West rivals.

The Chargers game will have special meaning for Chiefs fans, since Kansas City will be going against Marty Schottenheimer. Now in his first year in San Diego, Schottenheimer coached the Chiefs from 1989-2000 and brought them from the bottom of the league to a consistent winner.

With the Chiefs leading the league in offensive categories and Schottenheimer’s Chargers playing his usual brand of hard-nosed, defensive-minded football, the game will offer a stark contrast in the style and philosophy of the two opposing coaches.

The Chargers seem to be playing much like Schottenheimer’s Chiefs teams of the mid-90s when they twice led the AFC with 13-3 regular-season records.

“I would say it’s a Marty Schottenheimer-coached football team sound in every area, low-risk, don’t take many chances, positive on the turnover ratio and sound defense,” Vermeil said.