Kansas City, Mo. ? The Kansas City Chiefs ended 2007 with a nine-game losing streak.

Stopping the streak there could be difficult.

The Chiefs open the 2008 regular season on the road for the second straight year with a matchup against the New England Patriots, who lost in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants to spoil their undefeated season.

And Kansas City’s schedule doesn’t get much easier from there, with four other games against teams that made the playoffs in 2007: at home against Tampa Bay and Tennessee, and twice against San Diego.

The Chiefs, coming off their second-worst record (4-12) in 30 years, follow the season opener in New England with a home game against the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 14, then travel to Atlanta for the first time since 1997.

Another long streak ends two weeks later – after a home game against Denver – when Kansas City plays its first regular-season game in Carolina since 1997. An even longer interlude ends on Nov. 2, when the Buccaneers play at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since 1986 – the second-longest active streak in the NFL.

The Chiefs catch a short break in the schedule with home games against New Orleans and Buffalo at the end of November, but that’s followed by road games against two of their AFC West rivals, Oakland and Denver.

Kansas City closes the season against Cincinnati on Dec. 28 after a pair of home games against San Diego and Miami.

Chiefs’ Schedule

Sept. 7 – at New England, noon

Sept. 14 – Oakland, noon

Sept. 21 – at Atlanta, noon

Sept. 28 – Denver, noon

Oct. 5 – at Carolina, noon

Oct. 12 BYE

Oct. 19 – Tennessee, noon

Oct. 26 – at N.Y. Jets, noon

Nov. 2 – Tampa Bay, noon

Nov. 9 – at San Diego, 3:15 p.m.

Nov. 16 – New Orleans, noon

Nov. 23 – Buffalo, noon

Nov. 30 – at Oakland, 3:15 p.m.

Dec. 7 – at Denver, 3:05 p.m.

Dec. 14 – San Diego, noon

Dec. 21 – Miami, noon

Dec. 28 – at Cincinnati, noon