Sept. 28, 2015; Green Bay, WI; Packers LB Clay Matthews sacks Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith during the second half at Lambeau Field. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
The Kansas City Chiefs looked completely discombobulated for the second straight week in primetime and the Green Bay Packers rolled their way to victory, 38-28.
Granted, the second half compared to the first half was reminiscent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but the transformation wasn’t enough in the end after the Chiefs (1-2) failed to complete a two-point conversion.
The Chiefs dropped their first game ever at Lambeau Field, bringing the ledger to 3-1 in games played at the Frozen Tundra. The Packers have also now defeated Andy Reid four straight times, three coming when Reid coached the Philadelphia Eagles.
There were several low moments and a few glimmers of hope during the Chiefs’ ugly showing during on Monday Night Football.
LOWS
• The offensive line crumbled under pressure. Smith was sacked seven times, two of those coming back-to-back in the third quarter. Smith, who was sacked a career-high 45 times in 2014, is on pace to be sacked 69 times this season, after being sacked twice at Houston, four times against Denver and seven times at Green Bay. If the 69 number holds throughout the season, Smith will be third all-time in times sacked during a single season.
• The Chiefs defense as a whole could not stop quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense. Rodgers’ passer rating was 138.5; a perfect rating is 158.3. For context, a perfect QBR has been achieved 52 times since 1971. Also, Rodgers threw for 333 yards. The last time the Chiefs allowed a single quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards was on Jan. 4, 2014, when Colts quarterback Andrew Luck passed for 443 yards.
• Despite the wide receiver touchdown stat falling by the wayside, Smith didn’t complete a single pass to a wide receiver during the first half. Smith’s first half stat line was less than stellar, completing 2 of 7 passes for 39 yards.
• Getting called for 12 men on the field once every now and again happens, but it happened for Kansas City twice in one game. Aside from those two high school-esque penalties, the Chiefs racked up seven penalties for 38 yards.
• Cornerback Phillip Gaines went down with a left knee injury in the back of the end zone during the first quarter. Gaines had to be helped to the locker room by Chiefs personnel and did not return to the game. Coach Andy Reid told reporters after the game that Gaines suffered a knee sprain. Running back Knile Davis left the game with an ankle injury in the third quarter. He, like Gaines, did not return to the game.
HIGHS
• Inside linebacker Derrick Johnson tied, and then surpassed Gary Spani’s record of 999 career tackles as a Chief on Monday night. Johnson tied Spano’s record after tackling Packers running back James Starks for no gain at the end of the second quarter. To take Spano’s record for his own, Johnson tackled Starks again in the third quarter. Johnson ended the night with eight tackles, totaling to 1,003 career tackles.
• Outside linebacker Tamba Hali recorded his first sack of the season by bringing down Rodgers during the second quarter. Hali has 80 1/2 sacks throughout his 10-year NFL career. Hali ended the night with three tackles, one tackle for loss, one sack and two quarterback hits.
• Punter Dustin Colquitt had his work cut out for him throughout the night, especially during the first half. Colquitt punted six times during the game. His punts landed at the Green Bay 24-, 11-, 31-, 22-, 30- and 2-yard lines.
• The lack of a Chiefs wide receiver regular-season touchdown streak officially ended when Smith found Jeremy Maclin in the end zone in the third quarter. The last time a Chiefs quarterback completed a regular-season touchdown pass to a wide receiver was in Week 17 of the 2013 season when quarterback Chase Daniel connected with wide receiver Dexter McCluster for a 2-yard touchdown reception.
• Running back Jamaal Charles had a career game at Lambeau Field. Charles found the end zone three different times on rushing attempts, marking the first time he’s had a triple touchdown rushing game during his eight year career in the NFL.
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Amie Just is a contributing writer for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach her or find her on Twitter: @Amie_Just.
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