After taking care of the Raiders in Las Vegas, the Chiefs will once again be on the road. This time they’ll be in Green Bay for a Sunday night showdown against the Packers. After a tough 4-game losing streak, the Packers seem to have righted the ship and have won three of their last 4, including an impressive Thanksgiving Day win at Detroit.
Chiefs vs. Packers: Last time they met
Last time these two teams met was November 7, 2021, at Arrowhead. To everyone’s disappointment, former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had to sit out due to a positive Covid test, and we have yet to see Rodgers vs. Mahomes. That gave Jordan Love his first career start for the Packers. Love would finish the game 19 of 34 for 190 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. (Football Reference) However, both offenses struggled as the Chiefs went on to win 13-7.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers -Barry Werner/ Y Sports
A lot of things have changed since the last meeting two years ago. For the Chiefs, star wide receiver Tyreek Hill was traded to the Dolphins. Like the Chiefs, the Packers also traded their star receiver, Davante Adams, with Adams going to the Raiders. The biggest change however was future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers signing with the Jets, beginning a new era of Packers football.
Thankfully for the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes is still their quarterback, Andy Reid still coaches, and Travis Kelce has yet to age. Also, through the Tyreek trade, they were able to grab dynamic cornerback Trent McDuffie in the first round. This helped to revamp the defense and turn it into a strength.
Packers defense
Hopefully the Chiefs have officially turned the corner on offense. After a slow start last week, they finally had a strong second half. Even after only having 11 first quarter yards, Kansas City was able to post 31 points against a solid Raiders defense. This week could prove more challenging, playing at Lambeau against a top defense.
This week the Chiefs will go up against the 10th best defense in points per game. They also rank 9th in pass yards per game allowing just 205.1. However, the Chiefs can look to move the ball on the ground as Green Bay ranks 27th in rush yards per game at 135.2.
The Chiefs could catch a big break Sunday night if cornerback Jaire Alexander has to sit out again. Alexander has not played since November 5th against the Rams due to a shoulder injury.
Packers CB Jaire Alexander (23)- Mark J. Rebilas/ USA TODAY Sports
Packers offense
As I mentioned earlier, the Packers have been playing much better lately. That coincides with quarterback Jordan Loves improved performances. In his last 4 games, Love has completed 65% of his passes and averaged 276.8 yards per game. He has also thrown 8 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. (ESPN) These are the type of performances Green Bay has been desperate to see, and now their hope is that it is sustainable.
But it won’t be easy for Love this week. It’s no secret that Kansas City’s defense has been outstanding this season. They are 3rd in points per game, and 4th in pass yards per game. However, like Green Bay, Kansas City’s rush defense can be a problem at times. They currently rank 19th with 113.4 yards per game. Last week, the Chiefs saw Josh Jacobs carry the ball 20 times for 110 yards.
The Chiefs might once again catch a break on Sunday, as Green Bay’s two main running backs AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones have both been dealing with injuries. Dillon has been dealing with a groin injury, but did play last Thursday at Detroit. Jones has already been ruled out for Sunday with a knee injury.
Prediction
Going into Lambeau and getting a win is never an easy task. On offense, Kansas City needs to continue to limit penalties and take care of the ball. On defense, they need to make Love uncomfortable by getting pressure early. I believe both sides of the ball will be up to the challenge.
Chiefs 23- Packers 20
