3-0: QB Aaron Rodgers throws five TD passes to lift Packers over Chiefs 38-28 at Lambeau
GREEN BAY -- It was a rainy evening at Lambeau Field on Monday, September 28th as the Green Bay Packers got set for Week Three of regular season play. The Packers say 78,214 people were on hand for Monday night's matchup.
The Packers and Kansas City Chiefs kicked off around 7:30 p.m.
The Chiefs won the coin toss and deferred -- and the Packers elected to take the ball as the game got underway.
Packers wide receiver Ty Montgomery returned the kickoff out past the 30 yard line, and the Packers got to work on their first drive of the game.
The Packers went three-and-out on their first possession of the game, and the Chiefs then took control of the ball at their own 24 yard line.
The Packers defense then returned the favor with a three-and-out, and Packers cornerback Micah Hyde's seven-yard punt return put the Packers offense on their own 31 yard line early in the first quarter.
Packers wide receiver Davante Adams was taken out of the game early in the first quarter with an ankle injury. The Packers say his return is questionable -- and Jeff Janis has stepped in for him.
Adams was one of three players listed as probable for Monday night's game by the Packers after an ankle injury in the Packers vs. Seattle matchup last week.
The first Packers touchdown came with less than 10 minutes to go in the first quarter. A shovel pass to Packers running back Eddie Lacy got the Packers into the red zone with a gain of 26.
The Packers were first and goal.
Then, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers threw an eight-yard pass to Ty Montgomery -- and the rookie wide receiver made his first NFL touchdown.
The score was Packers 7, Chiefs 0 with kicker Mason Crosby's extra point.
Following that scoring drive, a tackle for loss by Packers DE Mike Daniels and a pass breakup by safety Chris Banjo led to another three-and-out.
The Packers were soon in the red zone again with about three minutes left in the first quarter. This, after running back Alonzo Harris had the first carry of his NFL career -- gaining 16 for first and goal.
The second Packers touchdown of the game occurred after an Aaron Rodgers three-yard pass to wide receiver Randall Cobb.
Mason Crosby's extra point made the score 14-0 with 2:18 left in the first quarter.
It was three straight three-and-outs for the Packers, as linebacker Joe Thomas made the first sack of his professional career.
The Packers went for it on fourth down and five from the Kansas City 39 -- but that effort was incomplete, and the Chiefs took over with about 13 to go in the second quarter.
The Chiefs got on the scoreboard after reaching first and goal on the nine yard line after a 38-yard pass from Chiefs QB Alex Smith to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce -- and a resulting unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Packers.
It was touchdown Chiefs after a nine-yard run by running back Jamaal Charles -- and with the extra point, the score was then 14-7, with the Packers leading.
The Packers were soon back in the red zone, after an illegal contact penalty called on the Chiefs wiped out a fumble recovery. It was first down for the Packers on the Chiefs' 17 yard line.
And then came another Green Bay Packers touchdown -- with wide receiver Randall Cobb running the ball in, but pass interference was called on the Packers, and that touchdown was reversed.
After a sack on third down, the Packers opted to bring in Crosby for a 44-yard field goal try. That field goal was good -- bringing the score to 17-7 with 6:15 left in the second quarter.
The Packers said tight end Andrew Quarless went out of the game late in the second quarter with a knee injury. Packers officials have listed his return as questionable. Quarless is the second Packers player to leave this game -- with wide receiver Davante Adams going out earlier with an ankle injury.
The fourth three-and-out for the Packers defense came following a tackle for loss by cornerback Sam Shields. It was then time for the Packers offense to get back to work.
At the two-minute warning in the first half, the Packers led the Chiefs 17-7.
A Packers touchdown came just as the second quarter was coming to a close -- with an Aaron Rodgers pass to James Jones for 26 yards.
Mason Crosby's extra point was good, and the score was then 24-7 with just under a minute to play in the first half.
At halftime, Packers officials said wide receiver Davante Adams and tight end Andrew Quarless would remain out for the rest of this game -- Adams with that ankle injury, and Quarless with a knee injury.
It was Chiefs' ball as play resumed in the third quarter -- and it was another three-and-out for the Packers defense as the second half began.
The Packers offense then went back to work on Green Bay's own 30 yard line.
The Packers went three-and-out during their first possession of the second half.
A face mask penalty on the punt put the Chiefs on their own 45 yard line to start their next offensive drive.
A sack by Packers linebacker Jayrone Elliott meant a loss of 10 for the Chiefs -- and soon came another sack. Packers linebacker Mike Neal and defensive end Mike Daniels combined for a loss of seven.
After the sixth three-and-out by the Packers defense on this night, the Chiefs' punt bounced out of bounds on the Green Bay two yard line.
The Packers put six points on the board with a Randall Cobb touchdown (his second of the night), following a pass from QB Aaron Rodgers (his fourth TD pass of the night).
It came after an interception by Sam Shields.
Mason Crosby's extra point was good -- bringing the score to 31-7 with 7:18 left in the third quarter.
The Packers say this is Rodgers 15th game involving four TD passes since 2010. Rodgers is second in the league to New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees.
The second touchdown of this game for the Kansas City Chiefs came late in the third quarter, with a TD pass from Chiefs QB Alex Smith to Jeremy Maclin. This TD broke the Chiefs' streak of games without a TD pass to a wide receiver -- and brought the score to 31-14 with the extra point.
Early in the fourth quarter came another free play -- and a big play from QB Aaron Rodgers to James Jones for 52 yards -- and it was first and goal Packers.
Rodgers threw a TD pass to wide receiver Randall Cobb for the third time on this Monday night -- and Mason Crosby's extra point made the score 38-14 with 12:10 left to play.
The Packers say Rodgers hasn't thrown five TD passes in one game since November 2014 vs. Chicago. They say this is his fourth game where he's thrown five TD passes or more, which sets a new franchise record (beating QB Brett Favre, who had three games).
Additionally, the Packers say Cobb's three TD catches Monday night is a first for the Packers since 2012, when James Jones accomplished that feat.
The Chiefs brought the score to 38-22 with a touchdown and two-point conversion. The touchdown came after a four-yard run by Jamaal Charles -- his second TD run during this matchup.
With about 10 minutes left to go in the fourth quarter, the Packers said defensive end Datone Jones was being evaluated for a concussion. Jones was down on the field, being attended to early in the fourth quarter after he took a hit from teammate linebacker Joe Thomas on a tackle of Chiefs QB Alex Smith.
Jones did walk off the field under his own power.
With under six minutes to go in this game, Packers wide receiver Jeff Janis smothered Chiefs QB Alex Smith on the punt return -- and the Chiefs would start the drive at their own 17 yard line.
With three minutes remaining, it was fourth and two for the Chiefs at the Green Bay 24 yard line.
At the two-minute warning, the Chiefs had first and goal on the 10 yard line. This, after a sack by Green Bay Packers linebacker Nick Perry.
Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles had his third TD of the game with a seven-yard run and under two minutes left in the game. The Chiefs then elected to go for a two-point conversion -- which was unsuccessful.
The score was then Packers 38, Chiefs 28 with 1:25 remaining in the game.
Packers cornerback Micah Hyde recovered the onside kick for the Packers to kick off this drive.
The Chiefs opted to take their final timeout with 1:15 left in the game -- and the Packers at third and eight.
The Packers then punted, after a delay of game, and with 29 seconds left on the clock.
The Kansas City Chiefs fall to 1-2 after the loss to the Packers Monday night at Lambeau Field.
The 3-0 Packers take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, October 4th at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.