KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A lot of the questions about the Chiefs were temporarily answered during a 30-6 victory last Thursday in Denver.
Of course, an even bigger doubt was placed in the minds of Kansas City fans when reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes suffered a dislocated kneecap — and injury that alters the offense's identity.
Before the injury, the Chiefs could overwhelm defensive schemes, overcome self-inflicted errors and work around assignment issues thanks to the right arm and legs of Mahomes.
Now, the Chiefs — assuming Matt Moore does, in fact, start ahead of Mahomes — will have to shore up their collective assignments and raise the intensity of their play for as long as Mahomes is sidelined.
Kansas City rose to the occasion against the Broncos by playing complementary football in all three phases to secure a decisive win.
The team will have to play at that same level during the next two to four games before Mahomes’ expected return.
It’s a tough assignment Sunday night as the Green Bay Packers arrive at Arrowhead Stadium with a 6-1 record, fresh off hanging 42 points on the Oakland Raiders last weekend.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers, running back Aaron Jones and wide receiver Davante Adams are the key pieces that make it tough to the Packers’ offense under 21 points.
Under first-year coach Matt LaFleur, Green Bay has started hitting its stride as an offense despite a turf toe injury, which has kept Adams out for multiple weeks.
LaFleur’s offense runs through Jones’ ability similar to how he made Dion Lewis the centerpiece of the Tennessee Titans’ offense last year.
LaFleur has created balance in the Packers’ offense despite the lack of consistent production from the wide receiver group.
Defensively, Green Bay plays an attacking style, which blends man and zone coverage with pressure off the edges from reliable rushers, defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.
He is routinely able to bring four or five defenders to pressure the quarterback using creative looks without consistently getting beat over top.
Free agent additions Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith have been key to the Packers’ rejuvenated pass rush.
While Green Bay’s run defense overall is sound, it can be manipulated because of its aggressive style.
The action starts with a special hour-long pregame show at 5 p.m. on 41 Action News followed at 7 p.m. by the top-rated TV show in the country, Sunday Night Football.
Here are a few things Kansas City can attack on Sunday night to try and pull the upset against the favored Packers:
1. Contain, collapse with five rushers
Rodgers remains a very athletic quarterback who can make impressive throws on the run or buy time for a fire drill.
The best way to limit some of his effectiveness is to have defensive ends play wide nine techniques with the tackles lined up as three techniques. The ends contain up field while the defensive tackles collapse the pocket for a controlled rush.
Ideally, the fifth rusher would spy Rodgers and force the running back to stay in for protection.
The weakest link along Green Bay’s offensive line is right guard Billy Turner.
Most of the pressure comes from opponents manipulating his sets and blitzing off of them.
Kansas City may get some shots to force pressure from Turner's spot but it will have to be in comfortable down and distance.
Left tackle David Bakhtiari has some trouble with bull rushers and wide nine rushers getting around the edge.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will have to be cautious with his blitzes, though, because Rodgers still has the fastball to make defenses pay when leaving voids in coverage.
2. Split double teams, hold back side
Jones is a dynamic weapon for the Packers. The offense is balanced because of his ability to run physically between the tackles.
Jones’ vision to find cutback lanes and create explosive plays catching passes in the flats also impresses. He is very elusive for his size and tough to tackle.
The Packers like to double-team block on the front side, depending on the front, but really like to double team on the back side to provide Jones with those cutback lanes.
The Chiefs will have to split the double teams in the run game and contain on the back side.
Jones can turn an off-tackle strong side run and into a 20-yard pick up in the blink of an eye with a cutback.
Discipline will be key against Jones and backup running back Jamaal Williams brings a solid change-of-pace, between-the-tackles runner, though he doesn't provide the same home run-hitting speed until the defense gets worn down.
3. Limit passes to backs in flats
The Packers probably will try to isolate the Chiefs’ linebackers in the flats with Jones and Williams.
Kansas City will need to have an answer by having a defensive back cover the flats when possible or force the running backs to stay home and handle a blitzer in pass protection.
4. Double teams for everyone
The Chiefs’ offensive line and tight ends will need to work in unison with double-team blocks.
Kansas City will need to use the run to its advantage to keep their defense off the field and limit Rodgers’ possessions.
That probably means multiple tight end sets to help seal the edges and or to execute kick-out blocks.
The Packers can give up chunks in the run game when teams double to the back side or use quick-hitting runs between the tackles.
Green Bay has to speed to shut down the edge unless misdirection is used, like reverses and screens.
5. Flood coverage with trips to different levels, crossing and pick routes
Moore will need time to get into rhythm early and will need to make quick reads until he settles in as the game progresses.
The Packers have struggled with the levels concept out of the trips formation, allowing opposing offenses to create and exploit voids at each level.
The crossing also have been successful against Green Bay, when it plays off in man coverage.
“Pick routes” have worked best out of three-receiver formation or with a slant/out route combination involved.
The Packers’ secondary is willing to give up cushion to speedy receivers, which leaves them exposed to quick slants and comeback routes for easy conversions.
6. Feed tight ends, backs against zones
The Packers seem to lose the tight ends over the middle on intermediate routes when dropping into zone coverage. This leave some voids that can be exploited.
Green Bay also allows teams to utilize passes to the flats, because the defense believes in its ability to rally and tackle before the sticks. The tradeoff is a willingness to give up such paper cuts.
7. Play-action passes with double moves
The cornerbacks for Green Bay want to force the outside receivers to the boundary and keep them toward the sidelines. They like to give the receivers outside releases and split the difference between the boundary and the hash while slowly squeezing toward the sidelines.
When playing off coverage, those corners are willing to gamble on a route’s initial move.
Where the Chiefs can attack that tendency is by using double moves.
If the run game is established, the combination of a play-action pass with a double move would be lethal against the Packers’ secondary for explosive plays.
Of course, such a strategy would require significant pass protection to only allow three routes on the play, but it could work with the speed of Chiefs wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman Jr.
The Packers struggle with double moves in general, but the play-action pass would give Moore room for error with his ball placement and passing accuracy.
The Chiefs’ road to a victory has a lot of things to hit on the checklist, but the key will be playing a style of offense that prioritizes patience, similar to Alex Smith-led teams in 2015-17 era.
Kansas City likely will need to lean more on the run game and shorter route combinations to stay on target with respect to down and distance.
Green Bay will try to jump out to an early lead and force Moore to throw rather than allow KC to play ball control.
This is an opportunity for the Chiefs’ collective roster to make a statement on national TV about where it stands in the hierarchy of the NFL.
Nick Jacobs can be found on Twitter: @Jacobs71. You can also download the weekly 4th and 1 podcast on Apple, Google Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher.
