Week 13 SNF Recap

Written by: William Petersen •

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After a wild week 13 Sunday slate, Patrick Mahomes found himself making his Lambeau debut on Sunday Night Football as the Kansas City Chiefs rolled into Green Bay looking to close the gap between them and the AFC leading Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs are 2-3 in their last five weeks and will be asking questions after their inability to get to Packers quarterback Jordan Love and exploit Green Bay’s weak secondary after losing as favorites 27-19. Although Mahomes has not had back to back games this season with an interception, the only turnover of the game would result in a nine point loss and Mahomes finishing 21/33 for 210 yards and a touchdown and said interception. Green Bay forced Mahomes to try to beat them in the middle of the field all night, taking away the deep ball and short check down game that Mahomes loves to utilize in short yardage situations. The Packers have now won their last four out of five games and are firmly in the playoff hunt after getting back to .500 at 6-6 after a controversial final hail mary play that left much to be desired for Chiefs fans after a no call on the final play finalized a Green Bay victory.

Kansas City will be flying back home with a sour taste in their mouths after missed opportunities and poor defensive pressure allowed the Packers to dictate the tempo of the game all night. With a defense that ranks near the top of the league statistically, the Chiefs were unable to apply consistent pressure to Jordan Love, only recording two sacks and four quarterback hits. This lack of pressure on the young quarterback allowed for Love to show his maturation as a starter by placing perfect throws throughout the Kansas City secondary all game. Struggling to slow down the Packers offense resulted in Mahomes forcing the issue even though Isaiah Pacheco finished with 18 carries for 110 yards and a touchdown. Pacheco would get ejected on the final drive of the game after punching Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon following extracurricular actions after the whistle. Taylor Swift was in attendance for tonight's game which typically means Travis Kelce has a productive evening. Kelce had trouble finding his usual pockets in secondaries tonight finishing with only 4 receptions but for 81 yards. This is now Kelce’s third straight week without finding the endzone and I now wonder if the Swift luster has worn off at the wrong time. Kansas City will look to bounce back in week 14 as they welcome a refreshed Buffalo Bills squad who are desperately trying to find forward traction in the back half of the season. Look for this game to be a shootout despite the Bills record and I would not be surprised to see this game finish past regulation as Mahomes and Josh Allen love to battle.

Green Bay can now be considered the hottest team in the NFL after the Denver Broncos fell to the Houston Texans in the early slate. The Packers have found this recent success through the development of Jordan Love and his growing ability to dissect NFL defenses. Love finished 25/36 for 267 yards and 3 touchdowns in a performance that reminded me of a vintage Packers legend, Brett Favre. The Utah State product was extending plays left and right, moving the chains effectively and continues to show his budding connection with second year wideout Christian Watson. Watson showed glimpses of his big play ability in his rookie season, but tonight was a clear example of his potential after hauling in 7 receptions for 71 yards and 2 touchdowns. Watson used every inch of his 6’4” frame to secure his second touchdown and prove he is Love’s go to target after going 14/33 for 236 yards and one touchdown in the Packers first six games of the season, but 14/20 for 186 yards and four touchdowns from weeks 7-13. Love and Watson’s chemistry continues to grow and at this rate I would be surprised to see the Packers not secure a wildcard spot at the end of the regular season. The Packers now shift their focus to a week 14 matchup with the struggling New York Giants on Monday Night Football. I would be surprised to see the Packers drop this one, but stranger things have happened in a league that is characterized by parody.

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