Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 9/26

Chiefs Opponent Preview: Get to Know the Green Bay Packers from The Mothership

When you're talking about the Packers, there's no reason to start with anyone but quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

He's the reigning NFL MVP and has completed 76.8 percent of his passes for 438 yards with 5 touchdowns and not a single interception through his first two games of 2015.

Rodgers has been historically good at Lambeau Field as well.

He's 4-1 at home on Monday Night Football and hasn't thrown an interception on his home field since December 12, 2012.

In his last 18 home games, Rodgers has thrown 43 touchdowns and no interceptions, spanning 545 consecutive passing attempts.

Chiefs vs. Packers: Five Things to Watch from The Mothership

2. Jamaal Charles vs. Packers rush defense

The Chiefs all-time leading rusher has never faced the Packers during his eight-year NFL career.

The Packers currently rank No. 30 in the NFL against the run, allowing 154 yards per game on the ground.

Charles is coming off a 21-carry, 125-yard performance against the Denver Broncos last Thursday night, but it was the two fumbles that people will most likely remember about that game.

It's easy to believe Charles will be plenty motivated on Monday night.

Across the Lines: Six Things the Packers Are Saying Regarding the Upcoming Game with the Chiefs from The Mothership

McCarthy explained that he enjoys the environment Lambeau Field, and as the noise level increases, it's becoming more and more like Kansas City. "

"We're trying to get it to be as loud as Arrowhead," he said. "I know last week was an impressive moment for us. I just think, over the years, with Lambeau, the expansion and adding more seats, we've really focused on our game day. I think our environment has definitely - I don't think, I know it has - it's definitely increased. I thought this past week was probably one of our loudest games. Arrowhead has been loud for a long time."

10 Takeaways from Chiefs Media Availability on Friday from The Mothership

Pederson explained what the Chiefs need to do to be better on third down.

"You have to do well on first and second down," he said. "Teams that have gone into Lambeau and won have controlled the ball and controlled the clock - and it puts an emphasis, a little bit, on that. Being successful, getting those four, five, six yards on first down and being in those third-and-manageable-type situations and then converting. We struggled last week to convert a third down. We have to do that this week - execution - but keeping ourselves manageable helps us do that."

Marcus Peters Shows Rare Combination of Confidence, Competitiveness and Humility from The Mothership

He's been every bit as advertised of the playmaker the Chiefs were hoping he would be when they selected him with the No. 18 pick in the draft last April.

But it's not just about what he's done on the field that's been remarkable.

This laid-back rookie has displayed a rare combination of confidence, competitiveness and humility.

He's impressed head coach Andy Reid with not only his playmaking ability, which is obvious, but also with how he's prepared for his craft and how he's carried himself.

Notebook: Chiefs' De'Anthony Thomas has vote of confidence despite fumbles from Chiefs Digest

Thomas' issues with securing the ball are out of character when considering he didn't lose a fumble during his rookie season of 2014, and his special teams coach doesn't appear concerned.

"Last year, he was solid," special teams coordinator Dave Toub said. "He might have bobbled a couple, but he came off a great year last year.

"We talk about just securing the football, making sure he makes the catch before he takes off. He got a little excited on that one. He saw it was a clear, wide-open deal, he just didn't finish the catch."

Chiefs not concerned about De'Anthony Thomas' punt return fumbles from ESPN

Thomas missed most of the preseason because of a calf injury, so he had just one return under game conditions heading into the regular season. That could be a factor, but Toub said Thomas worked on returning kicks in practice even while he was injured.

The Chiefs have some options to Thomas as their punt returner. The most intriguing is Jeremy Maclin, who did the job well in college at Missouri and in limited chances earlier in his NFL career for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Chiefs taking the soft-sell approach to turnovers from ESPN

"We don't spend a ton of time browbeating our guys about turnovers," offensive coordinator Doug Pederson said. "They know. You've got to protect the football. That's what you're in this business for. They know they have to protect the ball.

"We talk about it. We don't preach about it. If we bring emphasis to it, you don't let them go play. They don't cut their talents loose. Now they're thinking about protecting the ball rather than breaking that tackle and gaining that extra 10 yards. It's something we talk about but we're not going to beat them up over it."

Week 3: Friday injury report from Chiefs Digest

Offensive lineman Jeff Allen (knee), right tackle Eric Fisher (ankle), tight end Demetrius Harris (foot), linebacker Josh Mauga (Achilles), left tackle Donald Stephenson (ankle), wide receiver De'Anthony Thomas (calf), running back Charcandrick West (Achilles) and wide receiver Albert Wilson (shoulder) practiced fully for a second straight day.

Eddie Lacy, Davante Adams return to practice for Packers from ESPN

Both players had suffered ankle injuries -- Lacy's right and Adams' left -- in Sunday's win over the Seahawks.

Coach Mike McCarthy said before practice that both players may do only individual drills, but it's a good sign that they might play Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Eric Berry returns to starting lineup in Chiefs' base defense from ESPN

The Chiefs defense, of course, utilizes numerous personnel packages, including a dime grouping with Berry, Abdullah and strong safety Ron Parker on the field at the same time with three cornerbacks.

Each sub-package will depend on what the opposing offenses brings out on the field, but Berry has been a large part of the defense.

Eric Berry will remain in starting lineup for Chiefs from ESPN

Safety Eric Berry reached a milestone of sorts last week when he started a game for the first time for Kansas City Chiefs for the first time since being declared cancer-free last summer.

Defensive coordinator Bob Sutton indicated Berry would reach another one on Monday night when the Chiefs play against the Packers in Green Bay. Sutton said Berry would start again at free safety.

"I would say so,'' Sutton said. "I think he pretty much did that the other night.

"He's back. He's playing all the time and doing a great job.''

Chiefs wide receiver corps put individual statistics aside for good of team from Chiefs Digest

"You can't control targets because you're a secondary position," Avant said, "but you can control uncovering all the time. So, as a group we want to be known for those, that when you look at the film we always have separation from our defender, so that's our goal."

Rookie Chris Conley deemed Avant a master in that discipline and noted that, as with many other elements of the game, creating separation from a defender is as much a mental endeavor as it is a physical one.

Alex Smith won initial battle with Aaron Rodgers, has lagged ever since from ESPN

Alex Smith won his initial competition with Aaron Rodgers when the two quarterbacks were vying to be the first pick in the 2005 NFL draft. Smith went No. 1 overall that year to the San Francisco 49ers while Rodgers fell to the back half of the first round and the Green Bay Packers.

Rodgers has won the bigger battle, at least so far. He's been the better professional player, with a Super Bowl victory and four division titles for the Packers in his seven seasons as a starting quarterback.

NFL fines Broncos' DeMarcus Ware, Malik Jackson for hits against Chiefs from Chiefs Digest

The NFL fined outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware $17,363 for roughing the passer, while defensive end Malik Jackson was fined $8,681 for unnecessary roughness, a league spokesman confirmed Friday with ChiefsDigest.com.

Ware's infraction occurred at the 10:50 mark of the first quarter.

Week 3 NFL predictions: Bet big on Patriots, Packers, Seahawks, Steelers from ESPN

MONDAY'S GAME

CHIEFS VS. PACKERS

Kansas City Chiefs: Chiefs rookie cornerback Marcus Peters has an interception in each of his first two NFL games, including a pick-six against Peyton Manning last week. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn't thrown an interception in his past 545 passes at Lambeau Field. Peters might get his interception, but Rodgers will make enough plays to win the bigger battle. Packers 27, Chiefs 17. -- Adam Teicher

Green Bay Packers: The idea of playing Jamaal Charles shouldn't scare the Packers after they held Marshawn Lynch to just 41 yards on 15 carries last week. B.J. Raji has been a force in the middle of the defense, and that should help neutralize Charles and the Chiefs' running game. The Packers should extend their home winning streak, the longest in the league, to 11 games. Packers 24, Chiefs 14. -- Rob Demovsky

Your Comprehensive Week 3 NFL Picks from Grantland

HOME FAVORITE LIGHTNING ROUND

VIKINGS (-2.5) over Chargers
RAVENS (-2.5) over Bengals
DOLPHINS (-3) over Bills
PACKERS (-6.5) over Chiefs

Mike McCarthy: T.J. Lang did 'exactly what he was taught to do' on penalty from ESPN

Regardless of the $8,681 fine from the NFL, Green Bay Packers right guard T.J. Lang said he would do the same thing if a similar situation presents itself next Monday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.

And coach Mike McCarthy would applaud him for it.

Jaye Howard turning heads for Chiefs from KC Star via The Wichita Eagle

Offensive and defensive linemen are often the most anonymous of football players, but Jaye Howard has been disruptive and active enough this season that people have taken notice, often with an accompanying question.

"Everybody keeps asking me ‘What happened? Where did this come from?" Howard, a fourth-year pro, said with a laugh.

To a certain degree, that's a fair question. Howard played in 16 games for the Chiefs last season, starting 10, and finished with 36 combined tackles and a sack. But he was nowhere near as disruptive as he's been early this season.

NFL countdown: Packers vs. Chiefs from FS Wisconsin

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. In Week 1, the Packers gave up 5 receptions for 55 yards and a 24-yard touchdown to Bears tight end Martellus Bennett. In Week 2, they allowed just one catch for 11 yards to Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham. This will be the third straight game going up against a dangerous pass-catcher at that position, as Kelce is Kansas City's leading receiver (10 catches, 164 yards, two scores). It will be interesting to see how Green Bay's defense, especially linebacker Nate Palmer, tries to contain Kelce -- or if they can.

After Thursday Night Collapse, Hope Remains For Kansas City from Sports Quotient

Andy Reid's squad seemed like a disciplined group of men in week one against the Texans when they were only penalized twice. Against Denver, it was a different story, as the referees blew the whistle nine times against the red and gold. Penalties add up, and it was as if they were multiplying in Thursday night's game. If Kansas City is going to succeed this season, they need to clean up the turnovers and penalties.

Things to Know for Monday's Packers-Chiefs Game from WBAY

GET LOUD LAMBEAU

At crucial times during the game, messages and videos on the TundraVision boards will encourage fans to "get loud," taking advantage of the acoustics of the renovations to Lambeau Field. An example is when the Packers are defending on third and fourth downs. Fans will also see "Get Loud Lambeau" signs in the concourses and giveaways encouraging fan participation.

Packers' Eddie Lacy, Davante Adams test injured ankles at practice from The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"I definitely went through the majority of practice," Lacy said. "I felt good enough to be able to keep going longer than what was expected, though. It's cool."

Like Lacy, Adams began practice with his left ankle taped and also took part in individual drills. He later shed the ankle tape, which he said was putting too much pressure on his foot, and felt reasonably comfortable with his range of motion.

"The cutting isn't really the problem," Adams said. "It's just the pressure when I lean on it a certain way or things like that, but I was able to cut on it pretty good today. I can run pretty much full speed; it's just a matter of the reactionary type things just making sure that everything feels right when I get hands on me and things like that."

Packers vs. Chiefs: Five key matchups from Packers.com

1. David Bakhtiari and Don Barclay vs. Tamba Hali and Justin Houston - The Packers' offensive tackles got all they could handle from Seattle's outside rushers last week, and Kansas City's duo might be even better. Houston is coming off a 22-sack season and already has three this year. It was a long time ago, when Bakhtiari and Barclay were still in college, but it was the Chiefs' pass rush that dominated the last meeting between these teams in 2011 and produced the upset.

Matthews' production hinges on run defense from The Fond du Lac Reporter

The media still crowd his locker. His commercials are no less popular. Clay Matthews is a household name, a Pro Bowl linebacker.

He just hasn't been a pass rusher.

It's not for lack of talent. Matthews, one of the NFL's elite sack artists, is fresh off an 11-sack season. Through two games this year - and especially in the Green Bay Packers' win against the Seattle Seahawks last week - Matthews' role in the middle of the defense has changed. His production is more subtle, less glamorous.

Game-by-game look at Week 3 in the NFL from The Associated Press via The Boston Globe

Time: Monday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN. Line: Packers by 6½.

Records: Chiefs 1-1 (1-1 vs. spread), Packers 2-0 (2-0 vs. spread).

Notes: Only Chiefs (3-0) and Texans (1-0) are undefeated at Lambeau Field in regular season . . . Chiefs rookie CB Marcus Peters has interceptions in each of his first two NFL games . . . Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has thrown 451 straight passes at home without an interception, an NFL record.

Key injuries: CHIEFS: FULL: G Jeff Allen (knee), T Eric Fisher (ankle), TE Demetrius Harris (foot), WR Jeremy Maclin (knee), LB Josh Mauga (Achilles), T Donald Stephenson (ankle), WR De'Anthony Thomas (ankle), RB Charcandrick West (Achilles), WR Albert Wilson (shoulder). PACKERS: DNP: T Bryan Bulaga (knee), CB Demetri Goodson (hamstring), LB Mike Neal (groin). LIMITED: WR Davante Adams (ankle), S Morgan Burnett (calf), RB Eddie Lacy (ankle). FULL: WR Randall Cobb (shoulder).

Rookie of the Year watch: David Johnson a standout from NFL.com

2. Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs cornerback While No. 11 overall pick Trae Waynes has yet to play a snap for the Vikings, No. 18 overall pick Peters has the look of a future lockdown cornerback. Through two games, Peters has recorded seven pass deflections, two interceptions and a touchdown.

Falcons Favored at Dallas? You Bet from The Associated Press via The New York Times

Kansas City (1-1) at Green Bay (2-0), Monday night

The Chiefs' most recent prime-time appearance was a fiasco, blowing that Thursday night home game against Denver in the final minute, allowing two scores. If anything, look for running back Jamaal Charles to better protect the ball.

"I just know better as a vet, playing this game a long time," Charles said. "I have to know not to fumble the ball at the end of the game, know to try to make it go to overtime to compete for a win. I didn't give us any chance and that's the hardest feeling right there."

Green Bay has two relatively close wins, and 2014 MVP Aaron Rodgers is at his very best at home. He's thrown 451 straight passes there in the regular season without an interception, and has 38 consecutive TD passes at home without a pick, both NFL records.

For historians, it's a rematch of the first Super Bowl, won by the Vince Lombardi-led Packers 35-10 in January 1967. But Kansas City is 3-0 at Lambeau Field.

Six for Sunday: Will Derek Carr snap 0-8 road skid? What 0-3 really means from CBS Sports

Is there a bull's-eye on quarterbacks this season? Tony Romo is out for two months. Jay Cutler is sidelined for a few weeks. Josh McCown is just coming back from a concussion.Drew Brees is out this week and Matthew Stafford is nowhere near 100 percent. And it's only Week 3 in the NFL.

I would hope your favorite QB isn't lining up against one of the top-five defenses that are getting after quarterbacks at an alarming rate. Denver, Kansas City, New England, Carolina and the Jets are the top five defenses that make quarterbacks' lives miserable. Sam Bradford faces the Jets and he looks like a guy ready for a beating. Aaron Rodgers has to deal with the Chiefs and young Blake Bortles has to go into Foxborough against the Patriots.