The Sports Xchange
Sep 1, 2016
With all the familiar names on the bench, the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs closed out their preseason Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium. The "who-they?" Chiefs grabbed a 17-7 victory over the "what's-his-name?" Packers.
There were no offensive starters on the field for either team and only a handful of defensive starters got into the action. Starting quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith never left the sidelines and neither did their backups, Brett Hundley and Nick Foles. For the Packers, undrafted rookie Joe Callahan opened at quarterback, with Tyler Bray starting for the Chiefs.
Green Bay had the first score of the game, set up on a big special teams play by wide receiver Ty Montgomery. A third-round selection by the Packers in the 2015 NFL Draft, Montgomery broke free on the left side of the K.C. punt pass protection and blocked Dustin Colquitt's kick. Green Bay took over at the Chiefs 14-yard line and two plays later Callahan connected with tight end Jared Cook on a 5-yard touchdown pass.
Kansas City came right back and tied the score, with Bray leading the offense on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by a 5-yard touchdown scamper from running back Knile Davis. Ten minutes later, Chiefs running back Darrin Reaves scored on a 3-yard run to finish a 10-play, 58-yard scoring drive. Just before halftime, K.C. added a 42-yard field goal from Cairo Santos for a 17-7 lead.
The second half was the personification of poor football played by dozens of players who will not find continued employment with either team. Multiple penalties and turnovers had the offenses ping-ponging between the 20-yard lines, unable to get any closer to the end zone.
Thanks to a Chiefs fumble and penalty, the Packers had a scoring chance in the final minutes, but were stopped by the K.C. defense at the 3-yard line on a fourth-and-goal play.
Green Bay finished the preseason with a 3-1 record. Kansas City went 2-2.
The Packers will begin the regular-season schedule on Sunday, September 11 in Jacksonville. The Chiefs start the same day, hosting San Diego.