The resiliency and weaponry of the 2019 Green Bay Packers just keeps on impressing.
Without it's top receiver, Davante Adams for a fourth straight game, the running backs became the top receivers for Aaron Rodgers as the Packers out dueled the Kansas City Chiefs 31-24 Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
Aaron Jones had a spectacular game, catching a game high seven passes for a career high 159 yards and two scores. He also rushed for 67 more, giving him 226 total yards from scrimmage.
Jamaal Williams produced a pair of scores, a one yard run and perhaps the most eye opening catch of the year, diving for a desperate heave from Rodgers to cradle the three yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone that gave the Packers a 24-17 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Rodgers produced a passer rating of 129.0 completing 23 of 33 throws for 305 yards and three scores.
Green Bay got on the board first, driving 74 yards in 10 plays on the game's opening series. Jake Kumerow was the early catch with a 14 yard grab and a diving 34 yard strike that Kansas City challenged and lost.
Jones took a shovel pass around the right end from four yards out for the game's first points.
Jones set up the second score with a slant and go route that covered 50 yards before he barely grazed the sideline at the 10. Two plays later, Williams crashed in from the 1 and the Packers silenced the NFL's loudest stadium with a 14-0 lead.
2018 MVP Patrick Mahomes was inactive after dislocating his kneecap 10 days ago in Denver but veteran Matt Moore proved more than capable. The Chiefs put together an 89 yard drive using a variety of motion and misdirection in the backfield. From the Green Bay 29, the Chiefs faked an end around and jet sweep that froze linebacker Blake Martinez. Tight end Travis Kelce slipped behind him and was all alone for a 29 yard touchdown catch that got the Chiefs on the board.
Rodgers drew a late hit penalty running out of bounds to get the Pack to midfield but a third down sack forced a rushed punt of just 25 yards from J.K. Scott.
The Chiefs needed only five snaps to tie the game as Mecole Hardman slipped a Kevin King tackle and raced up the sideline for a 30 yard touchdown midway through the second quarter. Moore engineered another motion sickness drive of 74 yards in 11 plays leading to Harrison Butker's 28 yard field goal and a 17-14 lead at the half.
Protection issues on offense and poor tackling on defense had to get solved at intermission and they were.
It was a Za'Darius Smith sack of Moore that ended Kansas City's first series of the second half and Green Bay burned 8:33 off the clock on a 15 play, 72 yard drive that stalled in the red zone with yet another sack. Mason Crosby got the game even with a 35 yard field goal.
On the first snap after the kickoff, Tyler Lancaster made a game changing play. He stripped the ball out of Lesean McCoy's hand and recovered the fumble at the 27 yard line. The Packers cashed in the turnover a minute into the fourth quarter when Rodgers got flushed from the pocket and just as he was grabbed around the legs, he heaved a pass toward tight end Jimmy Graham in the end zone. The ball sailed over Graham's head but Williams was running the back end line and laid out for a spectacular three yard touchdown catch just inside the back corner of the end zone.
The Chiefs had one last drive in them but got help from the Pack. A third and goal pass from the 7 for Kelce was nearly intercepted by Darnell Savage but Tramon Williams got flagged for an illegal hands to the face penalty. On the next snap, Damien Williams burst in untouched off left tackle for a three yard touchdown making it 24 all.
One more splash play came from the two Aarons. Rodgers threw a short screen to Jones who got blocks from Graham, Corey Linsley and David Bakhtiari allowing him to veer inside, find a hole and sprint up the sideline for a 67 yard scoring play with 8:02 remaining.
The Chiefs moved to their 40 but on third down and 3, Chandon Sullivan broke up a pass intended for Kelce and Andy Reid decided to punt. Dustin Colquitt's boot pinned Green Bay at their own 2 yard line.
Jones finished off his big day by rushing 6 out of the next 7 plays for 26 yards, forcing the Chiefs to burn all three timeouts. On third and five just inside the 2 minute warning, Rodgers connected with Jones one last time on an out route that gained 8 and put the game away.
Matt LaFleur saw his team make big plays early, face adversity before making big plays late to improve to 7-1 in his rookie season:
(Audio: Matt LaFleur)
Green Bay outgained Kansas City 374-337. They coverted a stellar 8 of 13 (62%) of third down plays allowing them to have a 33:13 to 26:47 time of possession advantage.
The inactive players were Adams, Ryan Grant, Ka'Dar Hollman, Cole Madison, Adam Pankey, Robert Tonyan and Tim Williams.
Darrius Shepherd held on to his job as the punt returner but was replaced on kickoff returns by Chandon Sullivan.
Rodgers said his helmet headset went dead for almost all of the third quarter. He said that's the third time it's happened this year.
The Packers are now 16-3 against AFC West teams since 2002, best in the league over that span.
They've also exceeded their win total from a year ago in just the first half of the season. Their tour of the AFC West will conclude with another trip next Sunday to Los Angeles to face the Chargers.
