The Raiders Leave Lambeau with a Loss
Last Sunday, we saw the Pack beat the Raiders 42-24 in a game in which QB Aaron Rodgers had a perfect quarterback rating, throwing for 5 touchdowns and running for one. He received help from 8 different receiving targets, if memory serves correctly. It was a great game from an offensive standpoint. Defensively, the Packers still are giving up too many explosive plays particularly through the air in the secondary. Seemed as if in many cases there wasn't even a defensive back in the same zipcode as the Oakland receivers. Somehow, someway, that has to be tightened up. But they also seem to make enough plays at the right time, goal-line stands, etc., that have been making wins possible. So there's that. |
| Packers QB Aaron Rodgers on his way to a perfect QB rating and win vs. the Raiders on Oct. 20, 2019 at Lambeau Field. (Photo: Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) |
Kansas City, Kansas City Here We Come
But what about now? What about tonight's game in Kansas City? In this rematch (in name only) of the teams in Super Bowl 1, the Packers are favored by 4-1/2 points at the time of this writing. The Chiefs will be without their MVP QB, Patrick Mahomes, as well as reportedly about 5 other starters. That likely helps explain the Pack being favored. Arrowhead Stadium is arguably the loudest stadium in the NFL and opponent offenses often have to rely on hand signals to make their calls. Not an easy place to play so getting the Chiefs with so many missing parts right now is a bit of a gift.
While still without WR Davante Adams, the Packers have been winning as other receivers have begun to step up in his absence. The Pack's running game also has to be respected with the two-headed threat of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.
We have to believe that a Rodgers-led Packers offense will get it done against a Mahomes-less Chiefs. The biggest challenge for the Pack's defense will be to somehow minimize the damage that wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins, along with TE Travis Kelce, can do. The secondary, as noted, as had its issues this season, and covering good tight ends — of which Kelce is among the best in the league — has also been a challenge. But if the defense can keep these weapons in check and the offense does what it's capable of doing, the Packers are likely to leave KC with a win.
The Prediction
We already gave it away in the last sentence above, didn't we, Packers fans?
We're calling it Packers 31 - Chiefs 24.
Go Pack Go!!!
Self-Check at the Midway Point of the Season
We'll revisit this after today's game, but taking at look back at our Preseason Preview, we had the Packers coming through the first half of this season at 5-3. Depending on what happens against the Chiefs, the actual record will either be 7-1 or 6-2. Either way, glad to know we underestimated this team. Better and deeper than earlier looks indicated.
