The Kansas City Chiefs are set to take on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday Night Football in a game that could have serious implications for their standings in the AFC playoffs.
Both teams are coming off impressive wins, especially Green Bay, who defeated the Detroit Lions on the road in a divisional Thanksgiving showdown.
The Chiefs proved that their offense still has some firepower in their last game, overcoming a 14-0 deficit against the Las Vegas Raiders to secure victory with a final score of 31-17.
While Kansas City is certainly the more established contender in this primetime matchup, the Packers are expected to put on a show in front of their home crowd with Jordan Love under center. This will be a hotly contested meeting between one team with everything to lose, and another that is essentially playing in its Super Bowl.
Here are three keys to a Chiefs victory over Green Bay in Week 13:
Dominate the game on the ground
Green Bay has been one of the worst teams against the run this season, allowing 1,487 yards on 341 rushing attempts, good for an average of 4.4 yards per attempt.
The Packers also rank in the bottom 10 in rushing touchdowns allowed to running backs.
With Jerick McKinnon out for a second consecutive week, Isiah Pacheco should be featured plenty in this contest. Pacheco has tallied over 80 total yards over the last two games and should continue this week with an increased role without McKinnon available.
The 24-year-old running back has proven that he can be a three-down back for the Chiefs, and his involvement in that passing game should also play a factor in Kansas City’s success.
Continue to feature Rashee Rice in the offense
If last week proved anything, it was that Rashee Rice is the Chiefs’ best wide receiver. With Kadarius Toney and Mecole Hardman out, Rice was finally given a real opportunity to make an impact on the game.
He responded by leading the receiving corps with 40 snaps played, a 67-percent snap share. The rookie produced when called upon too, catching eight passes for 107 yards, and one touchdown, and led the team with 10 targets, three more than All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce.
Create no-win situations for Jordan Love
Over the last month, Jordan Love has improved his play dramatically, averaging 276.8 passing yards per game and throwing eight touchdowns compared to just two interceptions for a 103.1 passer rating.
Those numbers are indicative of some serious development, but they don’t tell the full story of his trajectory. His outsized production has come in games against the Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, and both Los Angeles franchises, none of which have a defense of Kansas City’s caliber.
The Chiefs should have an opportunity to rattle Love early, and if they can get him to turn the ball over, victory should be well within their grasp by the game’s final frame.
