The "next man up" mentality has helped the 2021 Packers overcome injuries to key contributors and will their way into narrow wins over the Niners, Bengals and Cardinals on the road. This week's trip to Kansas City - one that will now be made without Aaron Rodgers - will truly put that attitude to test.
Rodgers' unexpected positive COVID-19 test this week means an opportunity for Jordan Love to convey the development he's made as a passer since being drafted just over a year and a half ago. Thinking beyond whether it translates into a win or not on Sunday, Love's performance will be an important factor for the path that GM Brian Gutekunst and the Green Bay front office take this coming offseason.
Though we'll have to wait at least another three months for the heavily-anticipated Rodgers vs. Mahomes showdown, Sunday's game has become arguably more interesting than it was a week ago. If the Packers can beat the two-time reigning AFC champions on the road without the face of the franchise and three of their best players, you can already pencil in Matt LaFleur's name as a COY favorite.
On Offense
Despite making his first NFL start on the road, Love will get a favorable matchup in the passing game: Kansas City's defense is ranked 29th in the league versus the pass, having allowed monster performances to Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen and Ryan Tannehill this season. Of course, one can expect for Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to dial up the aggressiveness this week to try and induce poor decisions by Love.
Despite Love's aptitude for finding receivers downfield, he'll likely be asked to play within LaFleur's system this week. Expect the Packers' play caller to limit Love's vulnerability when dropping back and lean on the many high-percentage passes we saw during the preseason - plus constant movement from Aaron Jones in and out of the backfield. This will obviously be in addition to the run-minded game plan that LaFleur has so successfully executed over the past month, in particular.
Let's be perfectly clear: the expectations for Love should be high. With his rookie season in the rearview and having been afforded more time than most highly-routed quarterbacks to adjust to the speed of the NFL, Love should be able to operate an offense that found a way to score with Brett Hundley under center.
While Rodgers, himself, did struggle in the few appearances he made during his sophomore year, Love has inherited a much more fortunate situation. He's been gifted not only a blockbuster supporting cast, but also a play design master in LaFleur. Against this Chiefs defense, it would be highly disappointing to witness an offensive performance worse than the 17 points mustered by the Giants on Monday night.
On Defense
On paper, the Chiefs pose one of the most intimidating tests for defensive coordinators across the league. However, the unit has looked nothing like itself in 2021. Turnovers have been at the root of their problems this season, with constant fumbles and interceptions nearly resulting in season-altering losses to both Washington and New York.
Having scored over 20 points just once over the past four weeks, it's felt like Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' talented offense are due for a "get right" game. In 2019, the dangerous duo of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce amassed 139 yards on the Packers' defense with Matt Moore at the helm. With Mahomes healthy this time around, D-coordinator Joe Barry will need to deliberately account for these two difference-makers.
Sunday will mark the fifth-consecutive week that the Green Bay defense lines up against a quarterback they've never faced before. Thus far, Barry and the defense have managed well against the prior quarterbacks and their offenses, allowing more than 400 total yards just once in that time frame. Can they sustain this success versus one of the best young passers in the game in Week 9?
PackerDay Prediction: Chiefs 27, Packers 23
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