Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers: Full Green Bay Game Preview
The Green Bay Packers will yet again be on the national stage in Week 3 for a nonconference Monday night matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Despite some key injuries, the Packers have gotten off to a fast and impressive start to their 2015 season that has them at 2-0 and looking down on the rest of the NFC.
A win over the division rival Chicago Bears in Week 1 was overshadowed by last Sunday night's home victory over the defending conference champion Seattle Seahawks.
As the Packers look to keep their winning train rolling, they'll have to take on a playoff-cailber team in prime time.
Green Bay fans, here's everything you need to know as a matchup with the Chiefs looms in Week 3.
Viewing Info
Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
Date: Monday, September 28
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Week 2 Results and Recap
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NFC North Standings
| Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | Streak |
| Green Bay Packers | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 58 | 40 | W2 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 29 | 36 | W1 |
| Detroit Lions | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 44 | 59 | L2 |
| Chicago Bears | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 46 | 79 | L2 |
The Packers kicked off their 2015 campaign as ideally as possible. Two wins in their first two games—both over rivals in their own way—has given them a 2-0 record and sole possession of first place in the NFC North.
It was Green Bay's 27-17 Week 2 victory over the Seahawks that stole headlines across the country, though. In a rematch of last year's NFC Championship Game, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers showed us Sunday night that he's still one of the league's best signal-callers—especially at home.
Rodgers went 25-for-33 with 249 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against a Seahawks defense that is widely regarded as the league's best. The highlight came when he led a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown-scoring drive capped by a two-point conversion in the fourth quarter that put the Packers up for good.
As ESPN Stats and Info pointed out, Rodgers' prime-time performance was statistically unheard of:
"Some of the highlights from @AaronRodgers12's impressive game against the Seahawks: pic.twitter.com/2TFnEe2Ojl
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 21, 2015"
Rodgers threw touchdown passes to second-year tight end Richard Rodgers and veteran wide receiver James Jones—marking the second straight game he's found his new old teammate in the end zone.
Although the Packers blew a 13-3 halftime lead on Sunday, their defense stepped up when it counted. It held Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch to just 41 yards on 15 carries and got a one-handed interception from an unlikely source—outside linebacker Jayrone Elliott—with 6:50 left in the game.
In a game that was a nightlong battle, the Packers ultimately outscored the Seahawks 11-0 in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
News and Notes
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Rodgers' Dominance at Home
As the Packers gear up for another game at Lambeau Field, it's hard to ignore what Aaron Rodgers has done at home lately.
His last 545 pass attempts at home without an interception is an NFL record, according to ESPN Stats and Info. His regular-season streak is at 451 pass attempts and 38 touchdowns without a pick; the next longest active streak in the league belongs to the one and only Charlie Whitehurst at 169 attempts, per SportCenter's Twitter account.
Here are some other cool notes, via Fox Sports 1 and SI.com's Peter King:
"Aaron Rodgers loves to play at home. Get loud Lambeau! pic.twitter.com/QDa2PlVlPt
— FS1 (@FS1) September 21, 2015"
"The last time Aaron Rodgers threw a pick at Lambeau Field, ball was snapped on the play by Jeff Saturday. -- Saturday retired 30 months ago.
— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) September 22, 2015"
Kansas City Presents a Unique Challenge
Despite Green Bay's clear advantage at home, the Chiefs aren't to be taken lightly. According to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Kansas City has never lost at Lambeau in its previous three visits to The Frozen Tundra in 1989, 1990 and 2003. The Chiefs even hold the overall head-to-head advantage over their cross-conference opponents—7-3-1 all-time against the Packers.
This time around, the Chiefs could benefit under the leadership of their head coach Andy Reid, who was an assistant coach in Green Bay from 1992-1998. Reid recently spoke about Lambeau's lore, via Arrowhead Pride's Joel Thorman:
"It's one of those places that makes the NFL the NFL, what this league is. There's that element, but you really focus in on the football team. When you're playing a team there, that's what you do, when you're coaching a team there, you're not really worried about, ‘this is Lambeau,' you're worried about that opponent coming in and trying to get ready, and it's vice versa when you're on the other side of it. It's no different.
"
Come Monday, we'll see if this odd trend holds up for the Kansas City faithful.
Rodgers Trolls Wilson
By now you've probably seen Aaron Rodgers' comments following the Packers' win over Russell Wilson's Seahawks.
If not, here they are for your viewing pleasure:
"Aaron Rogers slays Russell Wilson says God was a Packer fan tonight. https://t.co/sJkdnoQv1k
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravisBGID) September 21, 2015"
Latest Injury News
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| Player | Position | Injury | Status |
| Bryan Bulaga | RT | Knee | Out |
| Eddie Lacy | RB | Ankle | Questionable |
| Davante Adams | WR | Ankle | Probable |
| Morgan Burnett | SS | Calf | Probable |
| Randall Cobb | WR | Shoulder | Probable |
The Packers received some unfortunate news this weekend regarding their starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga, via Albert Breer of NFL Network:
"From @RapSheet and I -- In addition his sprained MCL, Packers OT Bryan Bulaga also needs meniscus repair. Could be out a while.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 19, 2015"
"Just to add here, Bulaga actually already had the surgery to repair his torn meniscus. Likely out six weeks.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 19, 2015"
On the bright side for Green Bay fans, though, the team's offensive playmakers should all suit up for Monday night's showdown.
Running back Eddie Lacy, who left last week's contest in the first quarter with a sprained ankle, hopes to play against the Chiefs after X-rays came back "negative" on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Lacy's injury is "minor," according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Head coach Mike McCarthy will wait to see how Lacy holds up in Thursday's practice before making a decision, via the Packers' official Twitter account.
"McCarthy: Eddie (Lacy) was here today for treatment. We'll see how he moves around Thursday.
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) September 21, 2015"
Meanwhile, wide receiver Davante Adams returned to Sunday night's game and played much of the second half after being carted off with an ankle injury in the second quarter. McCarthy said he'll evaluate Adams in practice this week as well, via ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky.
"McCarthy said Davante Adams' ankle is similar to Lacy's. Plan is to see where both are on Thursday (no practice Wednesday).
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) September 21, 2015"
Safety Morgan Burnett, who was held out in Week 1, and wide receiver Randall Cobb, nursing a shoulder injury, both started in the Packers' win against the Seahawks and should play Monday without any setbacks.
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Top Matchups
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Packers RT Don Barclay vs. Chiefs OLBs Justin Houston and Tamba Hali
Right tackle Don Barclay, filling in for the injured Bryan Bulaga, had his hands full with the Seahawks pass-rushers last week. Although he didn't surrender a sack on Sunday night, Barclay allowed his quarterback to be pressured 10 times, according to Pro Football Focus (via ESPN Wisconsin's Jason Wilde).
Unfortunately for him and Packers fans everywhere, it won't get much easier this time around against Kansas City. He'll be tasked with holding off two elite rushing outside linebackers in Justin Houston and Tamba Hali on Monday night.
Houston, who had a league-high 22 sacks last year, has three already this season, including two in last week's loss to Denver. Hali lurks on the opposite side of him, and the veteran has had six sacks or more in eight of nine seasons, including three double-digit years.
Barclay should benefit from facing the always-stout Seahawk D, but the Chiefs employ a pass-rushing combination that is one of a kind.
Packers Safeties vs. Chiefs TE Travis Kelce
Green Bay will undoubtedly have its hands full with a Kansas City running game headlined by Jamaal Charles. But if the defense finds a way to bottle up the All-Pro like it did with Marshawn Lynch last week, their biggest worry should shift to the tight end position.
Travis Kelce, with 10 receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns through two games, is the Chiefs' leading receiver in those categories and the most dangerous weapon in their passing game. He's quickly become one of the hardest matchups in the league, as teams struggle to find someone on their defense to cover the 6'5", 260-pound pass-catcher.
That responsibility will most likely fall on the shoulders of Green Bay's safeties. Although covering the tight end has been Morgan Burnett's job in years past, Micah Hyde has gotten in on the action over the early-goings of this season with Burnett nursing a calf injury. The duo did hold Seattle's Jimmy Graham to just one catch for 11 yards Sunday.
X-Factor
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Packers X-Factor of the Week: WR James Jones
This is nothing new for Green Bay fans. The Rodgers-Jones combination is one they got used to seeing from 2007 to 2013, when Jones caught 27 touchdowns and racked up 4,305 receiving yards in green and gold.
This season is a little different, though.
When Jordy Nelson was lost for the year with a torn ACL last month, Rodgers was suddenly without his top target and one of the league's top pass-catchers. So instead of relying on a Randall Cobb-Davante Adams-Ty Montgomery combination for 2015, the Packers went out and signed an old friend.
Jones came to Green Bay and immediately contributed as the veteran receiver for Rodgers to trust in. He already has three touchdown receptions in the first two games and has been the leading red-zone target for his quarterback.
That combination is going to have to be spot-on this week against a tough Kansas City defense. If you thought its pass rush was a threat, don't overlook a secondary that gave Peyton Manning and Co. fits last week. Standout rookie Marcus Peters will most likely shadow Cobb—he did so with Demaryius Thomas in Week 2—making it risky for Rodgers to go there in tight coverage.
Jones will need to have another big game if the Packers want to win. There's no doubt Rodgers will find his open receivers, but will Jones be among them?
Prediction: Packers 30, Chiefs 24
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Aaron Rodgers will have a bad game at home one of these days and the Packers will follow suit—but it won't be this week. Green Bay's signal-caller is coming off an MVP-worthy performance against arch rival Seattle, and he'll likely pick apart a Kansas City secondary that is devoid of playmakers.
Even if Eddie Lacy can't go on Monday, the Packers showed they can make do with James Starks at tailback as well.
This game will be a close one because of the Chiefs' potent offense, though. Charles is a stud at running back who's coming off a 125-yard performance against a tough Denver defense, and Green Bay's tacklers are at least a tier below those of the Broncos. Alex Smith will manage his way to a fourth-quarter nail-biter, and he might even throw a touchdown pass to a Chiefs receiver(!).
In the end, though, it'll be Rodgers leading the Pack to victory yet again at Lambeau Field.
Final Prediction: Packers 30, Chiefs 24
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