The Green Bay Packers are heading into their Week 8 matchup on Sunday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs with the opportunity to improve to 7-1 on the season. Matt LaFleur has started his career off as the head coach in Green Bay with a bang and the team is looking like a legitimate contender.
Last week, the Packers took care of business against the Oakland Raiders. They have shown a much improved defense and their offense has been firing on all cylinders lately. Aaron Rodgers threw for five touchdowns last season, while also running one in on the ground.
Rodgers and company are running into the Chiefs at a great time. Patrick Mahomes will not be able to play this week after suffering a dislocated knee. That gives the Packers a very good chance to come up with a big win on the road in a primetime matchup that many had them marked down as likely to lose.
While Mahomes may not be on the field, the Chiefs are still a very dangerous football team. Matt Moore isn't known as a playmaker, but he is a serviceable backup quarterback.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at four reasons the Packers will defeat the Chiefs this week.
4. Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams Will Open Up the Pass
One of the biggest aspects of the Packers' offensive success recently has been the production they have been receiving from their running backs. Aaron Jones went off for a four-touchdown performance against the Dallas Cowboys, with Jamaal Williams racking up over 100 rushing yards the next week.
LaFleur loves pounding the football on the ground to open up the pass. That will be the case again this week. Kansas City has quite a few holes in their defense and the running backs will exploit some of them.
3. The Pass Rush Will Help Force Turnovers
Another huge part of the success that the Packers have been having is their pass rush. Gone are the days of hoping that Nick Perry and Clay Matthews will step up. Here are the days of Preston and Za'Darius Smith dominating more often than not.
Moore is a quality backup quarterback, but he will make mistakes under pressure. He isn't as mobile as Mahomes, which will play into Green Bay's hands. If their pass rush plays up to their capabilities, they are going to force some turnovers and give themselves a good chance to win.
2. The Receivers Are Picking Up the Pace
Davante Adams is going to miss this week's game once again with a toe injury. Some thought the Packers would be unable to overcome the loss of their superstar wide receiver, but they have been just fine.
Green Bay has been able to rely on Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Allen Lazard. Jimmy Graham has even stepped into a bigger role. Jake Kumerow has been an X-Factor as well and the Packers' receivers will be ready for the Kansas City defense.
1. Aaron Rodgers Is an MVP Once Again
Finally, the Packers have to be excited about the version of Rodgers that they have been seeing the last couple of weeks. He has finally come into his own in the LaFleur offense. That doesn't bode well for the Chiefs.
Rodgers is going to have another big performance this week for the Packers. He may not throw for another five touchdowns and 400 yards, but he certainly has the potential to have a 300-yard game and three touchdowns. Kansas City's secondary leaves something to be desired and Rodgers will exploit every single weakness that he sees.
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