Chiefs vs. Packers: Inside The Enemy Camp

The Kansas City Chiefs will try to do what no team has done in some time by beating the Green Bay Packers tomorrow afternoon.

In an effort to gather some intel on how to beat an unbeatable team, I sat down with Ray Rivard of Lombardi Ave, FanSided’s Green Bay Packers site.

Let’s go Inside The Enemy Camp with Lombardi Ave.

Do you ever get bored after watching blowout wins every week?

It’s not been boring watching the Green Bay Packers this season. Though they have dominated teams with their offensive prowess, you just never know what the defense is going to bring.

That’s what’s made this team entertaining to watch … At least for me. The defense has allowed teams to move up and down the field, but always seems to come up with the huge defensive stop when they need it … The interception, fumble recovery, the fourth down stop … This opportunistic group just seems to know when to turn it up a notch.

And blowout wins are never boring … Especially when the team is 13-0.

When you have a guy playing like Rodgers is right now, are you constantly terriified that something bad is going to happen to him?

Oh yes, he’s escaped injury many times on brutal hits and we all know he’s a concussion away from being sidelined.

But that’s football … Every team deals with it. We just hope Rodgers stays standing and injury-free as we head into the home stretch … But you might remember the Packers have Matt Flynn waiting for his chance … He’s no slouch.

Who are some young Packers players that KC fans should keep an eye on Sunday?

Randall Cobb. Robert Francois. DJ Smith. Morgan Burnett. Marshall Newhouse. Bryan Bulaga. Brandon Saine. TJ Lang. Sam Shields.

The Packers simply seem to find players who continue to become stars in their own right when given the chance.

Those named above are all first and second year players who have either become starters because of injury or have contributed significantly in substitute roles.

And there are others … I would especially watch Cobb. Because of the injury to Greg Jennings, he might see a few more touches. He’s explosive.

The Packers are rolling but all teams have weaknesses. What are some weaknesses Green Bay has that KC might want to try to exploit?

The defensive backfield has been opportunistic but has continuously given up huge chunks of yardage. On the other side of the ball, the Packers’ offensive line has been banged up for most of the season. The running game has been inconsistent and Rodgers has been knocked around and forced to scramble a lot because of pressure … Though Rodgers is as deadly out of the pocket as he is in it.

If the Chiefs have any chance of winning, they have to control the clock, keep Rodgers off the field and they have to mount a ferocious rush and make Rodgers get rid of the ball before he wants to. One of the biggest knocks on Rodgers over the years is that he hangs onto the ball too long. If a defense is going to have success against Rodgers, they have to cover well and get pressure in his face. The Vikings and Bears have had some success with that, but Rodgers has more times than not found a way to complete passes.

In a nutshell, there hasn’t been any team that has been able to exploit the Packers’ weaknesses enough to equate to a win.

Will the Chiefs? I doubt it.

What is your prediction for Sunday’s game?

The Packers won’t be intimidated by the fan noise at Arrowhead, so home field will not be a factor.

Rodgers will come out and not miss a beat despite the absence of Greg Jennings. Look for James Jones, Jermichael Finley and Kansas State Comet Jordy Nelson to all contribute … And don’t forget about rookie Randall Cobb on special teams and out of the slot … He could be the X factor in Jennings’ absence. The old veteran Donald Driver has also come up big in recent games. I never count that guy out. BTW, he’s less than 30 yards from a career 10,000 … Look for Rodgers to help him reach that milestone.

So, long story short … The Packers have way too many weapons for the Chiefs to stay on the same field. While the offense scores at least four times, I wouldn’t be surprised if the defense kicks in one or two scores off turnovers. Charles Woodson is due for a pick-six.

Packers 38 Chiefs 13