Green Bay Packers vs Kansas City Chiefs: What and who to watch
The Green Bay Packers are traveling to Kansas City to go head-to-head with the Chiefs in the last game of the NFL preseason for both teams.
The Kansas City Chiefs will be hosting the Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead Stadium in the preseason finale for both teams. As both squads are rated high in their respective conferences, their matchup on Thursday night could be a preview of things to come in Super Bowl LVII.
Both the Chiefs and the Packers have split their games, losing their preseason openers to the Chicago Bears and the San Francisco 49ers, respectively. Kansas City bounced back to beat the Washington Commanders, while the Packers defeated the New Orleans Saints in game number two.
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No Rodgers-Mahomes showdown
Though it’s always exciting to have a sneak peek into a possible Super Bowl matchup, there is one thing that fans are not likely to be treated to, and that’s a face-off between the two teams’ superstar quarterbacks.
Although their teams have come up against each other five times since Patrick Mahomes started for the Chiefs (three times in the preseason, twice in the regular season), the two stars have never played against each other. This will probably continue in tonight’s game, as reigning NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers has not played in the preseason since 2018.
Field time for Jordan Love
Packers fans can look forward to seeing Jordan Love in action, as he had not much time on the field since he was selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
On the side of the Chiefs, the hometown crowd could see playing time divided between Mahomes and Shane Buechele, just like it was a year ago in Kansas City’s third preseason game.
Who will make the roster?
The final matchup before the regular season begins is also the last chance for players to impress and make a case for their inclusion in the roster, as the list has to be narrowed down to 53 by Tuesday next week.
The Chiefs are still firming up their lineup, so watch out for the performances of wide receiver Josh Gordon and defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth to see if they are likely to make the cut.
The health of the Chiefs
Viewers should also keep an eye on how the Chiefs are doing health-wise, as their list of injuries is steadily growing. Running back Derrick Gore broke his thumb against Washington in a season-ending injury, while wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is still out with knee problems. Will the team be able to keep injuries to a minimum as they wrap up the postseason?
The Packers-Chiefs preseason game will kick off on Thursday, Aug. 25 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.