KANSAS CITY, MO (WTAQ) – Preparing to play without the MVP and actually playing without Aaron Rodgers were two different things as the Green Bay Packers seven game winning streak came to an end at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs, 13-7 at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur knew he would be without Rodgers after his positive COVID-19 test lasts week and did everything he could to get Jordan Love ready for his first start in the NFL. He knew the Chiefs would bring all kinds of pressure against the novice (19 blitzes on 35 dropbacks). Up until Love finally beat a blitz on his first pro touchdown pass, a 20 yarder to Allen Lazard who ducked under Daniel Sorensen with 4:54 to play, the relentless heat flustered the former number one pick into errant targets toward Davante Adams, one that got picked by L’Jarius Sneed with just under 9 minutes to play. The offense just couldn’t connect on a play that might have called off the dogs sooner.
The defense put forth a stellar effort against a team that was averaging over 400 yards and 26 points a game, holding Patrick Mahomes and company to 237 yards and just 13 points. They forced 4 three and outs against a unit that had only three over the first 8 weeks. The defense gave up a touchdown on the opening drive, a one yard pass to Travis Kelce after the Chiefs had to convert an early 4th and 1 along with a third and 4 at the 7. They were stout the rest of the way.
It’s the third phase that really denied the team. The special teams left six points on the board and gave up three. Mason Crosby was wide left from 40 in the first quarter, he had a 37 yard try blocked with Alex Okafor pressuring through Dennis Kelly. Then Amari Rodgers and Malik Taylor misplayed a punt, Rodgers let it bounce and it glanced off the toe of Taylor with the Chiefs covering it up at the nine. A huge third down stop by Krys Barnes had Kansas City settle for a field goal. Three more points were gifted in the final seconds of the half when Kevin King dropped a certain interception and Harrison Butker cashed in a 55 yard boot to make it a 13-0 game at halftime.
With the defense getting off the field, Love and the offense finally found some rhythm starting a drive at their own 8 (one of 4 possessions begun inside their own 15). After Aaron Jones put up runs of 9 and 6 yards to reach the Kansas City 24, three straight passing plays resulted in two incompletions and the Sneed interception.
Randall Cobb’s 15 yard catch and run on third and 10 was the first third down conversion of the afternoon, coming in the final 6 minutes. It led to the Pack’s only touchdown.
Needing one more stop, Mahomes converted a third and 10 but running to his right with Rashan Gary closing in. He found Tyreek Hill open up the right sideline when Chandon Sullivan slipped down for a gain of 13. Two knees later, the Chiefs pushed their record to 5-4 while dropping the Pack to 7-2.
Afterwards, Lafleur summed it up:
Love actually put up better numbers than Mahomes, a former Super Bowl winner and MVP. He completed 19 of 34 balls for 190 yards, got sacked once, threw a pick and touch for a passer rating of 69.5 Mahomes was 20 of 37 for 166 yards, one sack, a touchdown but no interceptions (after 10 thrown in the first 8 games) for a rating of 74.8.
Green Bay ran the ball better, 25 carries for 122 yards, an average of 4.9. Kansas City mustered 77 yards on 25 carries.
The special teams gaffs were huge. Crosby’s body language suggested a poor hold by Cory Bojorquez on the first miss, there was a high snap from Steven Wirtel making his NFL debut for the released Hunter Bradley, another poor hold and weak blocking on the one that got swatted. Aside from the muffed point which led to points, Rodgers dropped another one that he scrambled to recover. On one punt formation, Dillon ran onto the field late. There was an illegal formation penalty declined on the kickoff to end the first half. It was a mess for coordinator Maurice Drayton.
But all the attention was on Love, understandably so. Getting mop up snaps in a blowout loss in week one after playing a couple of pre-season games against vanilla defenses, the live bullets fired by coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit were coming fast and furious and he just didn’t have the answers but he stood in front of the cameras and microphones to answer for it:
Adams led the receiving effort with 6 catches on 14 targets but for only 42 yards. The connection between the two was amiss because Adams was just activated off the Reserve/COVID-19 list late in the week with little practice time together. Marquez Valdes-Scantling came off IR and played for the first time in five weeks and had two catches.
David Bakhtiari was not activated off the Physically Unable to Perform list and the Packers must do so by next Wednesday. Guard Jon Runyan left after coming down ill and Jake Hanson had to step in for a couple of series.
On defense, Eric Stokes got injured during pre-game warmups, landing awkwardly on his knee and he was a late scratch. LaFleur doesn’t think it’s a long term issue. Kenny Clark had to leave the game in the second half with a back injury and Dean Lowry was on a snap count with a bad hamstring. Yet, led by Barnes and De’Vondre Campbell who combined for 16 tackles, it was a performance that would win a lot of ballgames. But not with a green QB under duress in a hostile environment.
Love will get another week of reps with the starters even though he probably won’t start next Sunday against Seattle. Rodgers is eligible to come off the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday before the game if all the protocols are met. Those that were met and some that weren’t continue to be investigated by the league and both Rodgers and the team should be bracing themselves for fines.
A fine opportunity to overcome even more obstacles dissolved before 73,476 fans in Kansas City.
The Packers will play five of their remaining 8 games at Lambeau Field beginning with the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday afternoon. They still own a three and a half game lead on both the Vikings, who lost to Baltimore in overtime, and the Bears who travel to Pittsburgh on Monday night.
