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Prediction time. We asked the Arrowhead Pride staff to predict the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers game on Monday. A few Chiefs fans here are confident in one of the hardest places to play in the NFL. The Chiefs are a 6.5-point 'dog depending on where you look.
Here are our predictions...
Joel Thorman: Chiefs 21 Packers 27
The Chiefs have the type of team that can beat the Packers. They can rush the passer, their secondary is aggressive and they seem to have figured out how to stop the run. That's a good formula for success. Except this is Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay we're talking about. He is a robot. The Chiefs will have the ball late in the game so we can "The Chiefs had the ball with a shot to beat the Packers" but they won't do it. At least they'll cover!
MNChiefsfan: Chiefs 34 Packers 31
Aaron Rodgers scares the daylights out of me, so I've got this game pegged as the first time the Chiefs DEFENSE allows 30+ points in over a year.
On the other hand, we're talking about a Packers defense that allowed Matt Forte to run for nearly 150 yards (at almost 6 yards a clip) and was only able to contain Seattle because Seattle's offensive line is the only one in the league worse than Denver's (and maybe the Colts', now that I think about it). After two consecutive weeks of playing very good defenses, the Chiefs are going to have an easier time getting their offense going.
And frankly, all the Chiefs need to do to have offensive success is NOT have 5 turnovers, which should be fairly easy considering how well the team has done in that aspect over the last few seasons.
With the Packers not boasting elite corners or a JJ Watt, this is the game Jeremy Maclin gets more involved in Andy Reid's game plan (and it's about time) and the Chiefs are able to stun the NFL.
Clay Wendler: Chiefs 20 Packers 28
Green Bay doesn't have Denver's problems on the offensive line. Aaron Rodgers is going to have time to throw, and that spells doom for a KC secondary that's still sorely missing Sean Smith. Rodgers typically doesn't lose at home, and a punchless KC offense isn't going to be much of a matchup to contend with. The Chiefs should look for a moral victory Monday night, like a wide receiver touchdown, or maybe a third down conversion, which are both proving hard to come by this season.
Stagdsp: Chiefs 27 Packers 24
So, I was half right last week. The Broncos game COULD have been like the 2014 Patriots win... just didn't turn out that way. That said, there was plenty to like about the Chiefs performances, especially Howard, Peters, Houston, Shag to name a few. I do believe the team will build upon the last two games and we surely won't see another five turnover game this season ... right? At Green Bay is a huge challenge but the strength of this team is the defense. Houston and co. should at least be able to contain the third future HOF player in three weeks (Rodgers ... Watt and Manning the other two). The Chiefs offense should get back to first-half-Houston-game-form, and KC will be competitive throughout. If they can get an early lead the Chiefs could pull out a win .... just don't ask them to come from behind late.
Super G: Chiefs 35 Packers 27
The Chiefs are 7-3-1 all time against the Packers. Reid is historically excellent with extra time. The offense will come out firing on all cylinders looking to make up for the teams forgetful performance last Thursday. Reid saw the F he received from AP last game and will pull a couple of all nighters studying Green Bay's weaknesses in a desperate attempt to improve his grade. The Chiefs will have to take care of the ball and consistently help Fleming to win this game.
Matt Conner: Chiefs 150 Packers 0
It feels weird to write this but it's true: The Chiefs showed me absolutely everything I needed to see in the loss to the Broncos. The game should have been a 20 point blowout, and the Chiefs took the wheels off themselves. The Chiefs have the coaching and player leadership to make sure that wake-up call is heard the rest of the season. At this point, I don't care if it's the Packers or Kansas Jayhawks, the Chiefs aren't losing this week.