Six more weeks of winter? Not necessarily. The Chiefs let this game get away from them. Generally, when you're up by six points with five minutes remaining in the game, you don't lose by eleven points. But the Chiefs let Brett Favre and Co. run away with the game at the end. The Chiefs allowed ten fourth quarter points that were directly aided by long Brett Favre passes. And that's how we lost.

First Half

In case you hadn't noticed, the story on the Chiefs offense hasn't changed all season. Damon Huard played generally below average but showed flashes of brilliance. Larry Johnson struggled to run the football, gaining 53 yards on 19 carries. Tony Gonzalez, as usual, was the go to guy as he caught ten balls for 109 yards in a losing effort on my fantasy team. The supporting cast of wide receivers were for the most part no-shows.

The best play of the game by a wide receiver was probably Samie Parker getting defensive pass interference called on Atari Bigby in the end zone with twenty-five seconds remaining in the first half. That pass play was set up by a Benny Sapp interception with thirty-five seconds left that brought the ball to the GB thirty-yard line. On the play right after the PI call, Larry Johnson dove into the end zone for his third rushing touchdown of the season. The Chiefs went into the half up by one and feeling lucky.

Even though the first half ended on a good note for the Kansas City Chiefs, the other twenty-nine minutes of that half were anything but. Damon Huard completed only six passes for fifty yards in the first half to go along with nine LJ carries for twenty-seven yards, which is actually a good average for the now-injured running back. A good juxtaposition is the number of receivers Favre completed passes to in the first half (7) to how many different players Damon Huard completed passes to (2). Huard, and rightly so, locked into Tony Gonzalez in the first half and Tony delivered like the Hall of Famer he is.

The overall offense in the first half reminded me of the beginning of the season, especially the Houston and the Chicago game. The offense was flat, unimaginative and generally slow looking. Of the Chiefs six drives in the first half, we punted the ball away five times and scored a gift touchdown when LJ ran the ball into the end zone from the one-yard line. The Chiefs did not convert a third down the entire first half. We netted only 62 total offensive yards in the first half.

Here's what happened on each of the five 3rd downs the Chiefs had in the first half:

• 3rd and 3 - Huard sacked for -5 yards
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• 3rd and 5 - Huard sacked for -4 yards
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• 3rd and 6 - False start on RT Chris Terry (bailed out on the next play by defensive holding)
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• 3rd and 11 - First down via defensive holding
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• 3rd and 13 - Incomplete to Tony Gonzalez
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• 3rd and 5 - Huard sacked for -8 yards
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• 3rd and 7 - Incomplete pass to Jeff Webb
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The defense had zero sacks in the first half and only one for the entire game, which was split between Tamba Hali and Jared Allen early in second quarter. That sack resulted in a fumble which was recovered by Green Bay. In the previous five meetings of these two teams, Green Bay had fumbled the ball seven times and lost five of those. On Sunday, the Packers fumbled the ball twice but the Chiefs were unable to cover up on either one.

In the first half, the Packer offense was for the most part held in check. This was due in no small part to the ability of the Chiefs' defense to stiffen up in the red zone. The Packers only entered the red zone once in the first half and that resulted in a Mason Crosby field goal. The pass rush wasn't really there for the Chiefs in this game and especially in the first half. We did not have any QB hurries in the first thirty minutes of play.

Soundbite: The Kansas City Chiefs defense contained the Packers offense in the first half but watched from the sidelines as the Chiefs' offense struggled to convert third downs, run the ball and pass the ball to anyone besides Tony Gonzalez.

Story of our season. On to the exciting part...

Second Half

In the second half, Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzalez both basically doubled their first half numbers. Larry rushed the ball ten times for twenty-six yards and TG caught five more balls for sixty-two more yards.

As he's been prone to do this season, Damon Huard saved his best plays of the game for the second half. After putting up a 66.5 QB rating in the first half, Huard completed thirteen second half passes for 184 yards. But Huard also did his best to further destroy the myth that he is a "game manager" quarterback, one he won't win games for you but won't lose them either. A Huard INT with 2:15 left in the third quarter led directly to a Green Bay touchdown which put the Pack up by six.

The Chiefs responded with a nine play, 74 yard drive that gave Larry Johnson his first receiving touchdown of the season. The Packers came right back, bolstered by a Dave Rayner kickoff out of bounds that gave the Packers the ball on the forty-yard line. Brett Favre lined up on the forty yard line to begin that drive and bombed a a 44 yard pass to Donald Driver that eventually set up a Packer field goal. After the field goal, the Packers led 16 to 14 with a little under nine minutes remaining.

The next five and a half minutes were simultaneously joyous and depressing. After six plays and two Green Bay penalties, Damon Huard hit Tony Gonzalez in the left side of the end zone for a 17 yard touchdown pass that put the Chiefs up by five points. One Priest Holmes goal line dive later and the Chiefs are up by six with just over five minutes to play.

Unfortunately, on the second play of that drive, Larry Johnson sprained his ankle as Green Bay linebacker A.J. Hawk tackled and subsequently fell on Larry. In obvious pain, Larry Johnson was eventually carted off the field with a sprained ankle. Currently, his status is unknown.

I don't think the loss of Larry Johnson matters much to this team at this point. Larry Johnson has been a non-factor in pretty much every game this season so I fail to see how a combination of Priest Holmes and Kolby Smith is any worse. If anything, it will gives us fans a chance to see what's really wrong the running game. If Priest and Kolby Smith excel behind our horrendous offensive line, then we know that Larry's running style simply can't work with the current o-line personnel.

After the Chiefs went up by six points, I was feeling pretty good about our chances to win this game. The defense had shown the ability to stop the Packers on most of their drives but did not show an ability to stop the long pass play. And a long pass play killed the Chiefs' chances in this game. Right after the Chiefs went up by six points, Brett Favre completed four straight passes. The fourth one was a 60-yard heave to Greg Jennings for the touchdown. I have to admit that it was an amazing pass by Brett Favre. Jennings never had to slow down and Arrowhead gasped as the Packers tied the game on the touchdown then went ahead by one on a Crosby point after.

The Chiefs got the ball back and, wouldn't you know it, went three and out. Charles Woodson returned the Colquitt punt to the Chiefs 31-yard line and Mason Crosby further depressed the Chiefs fan base with a field goal to put the Packers up by four with with 1:40 left. The Chiefs got the ball back and Damon Huard was intercepted again on a pass intended for Priest Holmes, which Charles Woodson ran back for a touchdown. Game over.

Soundbite: The Chiefs battled the Packers late into the game but were unable to move the ball in the closing minutes to set up for a winning score.

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The bad news is that the Chiefs lost. The good news is that we are still tied for first place in the AFC west with San Diego. Yes, first place is a good place to be. But after yesterday's game, I can't say I feel confident about us staying there. The Chiefs had a chance to beat one of the best teams in the NFC but collapsed late. The offense still cannot move the ball effectively and despite forcing two Favre turnovers, the defense gave up some massive pass plays that set up winning scores for the Packers.

Missed opportunities, blown plays and a magical 38-year old quarterback did the Chiefs in on Sunday. We had a chance to build on a first place AFC west lead and show the rest of the league that we were a force to be reckoned with. But the Chiefs, scared by their offensive shadow, burrowed back into their hole and put up another dismal offensive performance.