KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs probably scrapped whatever defensive game plan they were pondering the moment they learned Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had tested positive for COVID-19 this week. There’s no way they would have blitzed the crafty MVP the way they did his understudy Sunday. The new pressure-filled plan worked against Jordan Love, though. The Chiefs brought the heat just about every down, and the Packers were unable to counter it until the fourth quarter. Kansas City hung on for a 13-7 victory that snapped Green Bay’s seven-game winning streak. “I thought our defense did a nice job. We didn’t hold back,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “Guys played hard and aggressive, and you’ve seen things happen when teams are favored. You have to bear down every week the best way you can.” Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week, forcing the three-time All-Pro to miss his first game since the 2017 season. Love responded by going 19 of 34 for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception, both coming in the fourth quarter as the Packers tried to rally from a 13-0 deficit against the defending AFC champs. Love’s touchdown pass to Allen Lazard with 4:49 left gave them a chance. But Patrick Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill on third-and-10 near midfield with less than two minutes left for a first down that allowed the Chiefs to run out the clock. “Aaron’s had experience where he can get you out of some situations,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said, “but you know, that’s why I think when you have a young quarterback, you have to have the right plan as a coach. … I think this falls on me not having a good enough plan to go out there against that pressure, especially with a young quarterback.” Patrick Mahomes was just 20 of 37 for 166 yards — his fewest in a full game in his career — along with a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce. And while the Chiefs (5-4) managed just 237 yards of total offense, that was enough to edge above .500. “I feel like we’re close,” Mahomes said. “You can see drives here and there where we’re the team everybody knows and loves, but you have to consistently do that throughout every single drive in a game. We’re just not executing.” The Packers (7-2), who are 6-12-1 without Rodgers since 2008, only managed 301 yards of offense. Mason Crosby yanked a 40-yard field-goal attempt in the first quarter. He had a 37-yarder blocked in the second period. And when the Packers punted later in the half, one of their downfield blockers accidentally touched the ball with his toe and the Chiefs recovered, eventually turning it into a chip-shot field-goal. Green Bay finally put together a solid drive early in the fourth quarter, when Love completed seven straight passes, but that drive was cut short with an interception by L’Jarius Sneed near the Kansas City goal line. The Packers scored on their next drive, but the Chiefs made sure it happened too late to matter.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs probably scrapped whatever defensive game plan they were pondering the moment they learned Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had tested positive for COVID-19 this week.
