As everyone knows by now, the Kansas City Chiefs 2011 preseason schedule has been released so we know the names of the first four opponents in the meaningless games (if we actually have preseason games): Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams and Green Bay Packers.
Some may not realize that individual teams can actually schedule on their own the final preseason game. Last year, that was the Packers, as it is this year.
So why would the Chiefs work it out so that they're playing Green Bay again?
I can't say that I have a good answer for that -- but I can guess.
First guess: The Packers had played the Tennessee Titans in the preseason finale for eight consecutive years but they went about it in different ways. The Packers played their starters for a few snaps, if that, and the Titans tended to play their starters a little longer. So that creates a scenario where you might have your first team facing someone else's second team. The Chiefs, like the Packers, didn't play their starters for very long last year -- QB Matt Cassel was in for three series' -- so it's possible that's the reason they like playing Green Bay.
Second guess: The Chiefs wanted to get some work in against against the Packers offense in particular, or maybe their 3-4 defense.
Those are just my guesses, though. Anyone with the real answer wins $50 from me. [Editor's Note: I have no intention of actually paying you.]
In years past, we'd see the Chiefs take on the Rams in that finale -- the Governor's Cup. That will go down this year but in the third preseason game as opposed to the final game.