Prime-time matchup: Green Bay Packers to face Kansas City Chiefs at Lambeau Field
GREEN BAY -- We're in Week Three of the NFL regular season, and the Green Bay Packers are set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in a prime-time matchup on Monday night, September 28th.
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Lambeau Field.
It's that time again -- to make your pre-game prognostication:
Monday night's game marks the 23rd consecutive season the Packers will appear on Monday Night Football -- the second-longest streak in the NFL. This will be the Packers lone MNF appearance this season -- and the first time since 2008 that the Packers play their first two home games in prime-time.
Last week's matchup was also at Lambeau Field on Sunday night, September 20th. The Packers beat the Seattle Seahawks, 27-17.
The Packers are 14-8-1 at home on MNF -- and QB Aaron Rodgers has a 4-1 record as the starter at home on MNF, completing 92 of 130 passes for 1,045 yards, 11 touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 116.3.
The Packers have faced the Chiefs just once on MNF. The Chiefs won the game, played on November 8th, 1993 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, 23-16.
The Kansas City Chiefs will be making their first trip to Lambeau Field during the regular season since 2003.
The Packers and Chiefs last met in the regular season on December 18th, 2011 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won, 19-14. QB Aaron Rodgers connected on 17 of 35 pass attempts for 235 yards and one TD (80.1 passer rating), including three rushes for 32 yards and one TD. QB Kyle Orton passed for 299 yards on 23-of-31 passing (104.1 passer rating). RB Jackie Battle scored the only offensive TD of the game for the Chiefs as he rushed for 37 yards on 10 attempts (3.7 avg.) K Ryan Succop provided the rest of the scoring for Kansas City as he hit four field goals from 19, 32, 46 and 20 yards out.
The first meeting between the teams came in January 1967 when the NFL champion Packers met the AFL champion Chiefs in the first-ever Super Bowl, won by the Packers, 35-10.
Kansas City has had the upper hand in the series ever since.
Later this season the Packers will play the Oakland Raiders, who they faced in Super Bowl II.
There will be a familiar face on the field when the Packers take on the Chiefs on Monday night. Green Bay has faced former Packers assistant coach Andy Reid nine times (including playoffs) since he has become a head coach in the NFL (Philadelphia Eagles, 1999-2012) but this will be the first time since he became the head coach for Kansas City (2013-present).
Reid was 5-4 against the Packers as the head coach of the Eagles, but Green Bay has won the last three matchups.
With a win this week at Lambeau Field, the Packers would be 3-0 for the first time since 2011 and for the third time under Head Coach Mike McCarthy.
Something to watch for this week: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers hasn't thrown an interception in 15 of the last 18 regular-season games, including the last four. Rogers last threw an interception back on December 12th, 2012 vs. the Minnesota Vikings. The last time he threw multiple interceptions at home was back in 2010.
On April 23rd, 2005, the NFL held its annual draft. It was on that night that Monday's matchup at quarterback between the Chiefs and the Packers really began.
Packers vs. Chiefs at Lambeau Field means Alex Smith at QB for Kansas City, and Aaron Rodgers at QB for the Pack.
Back in 2005, Smith was the first pick in the whole draft.
Mike McCarthy, the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, made the pick at the time -- passing on Rodgers who tumbled to the Pack.
"I think Aaron is very self-motivated from a number of different things. I'm sure he'll enjoy answering that question this week. But he's off to a great start. It's amazing. It's been 10 years, 11 years now that he's playing. It's his 11th season," Coach McCarthy said.
"He's one of the guys I pull for. He's a great guy. He's been through a lot in his career with different coaches and teams now, but he's done a great job. It's good to spend a little time with him and no animosity whatsoever," Rodgers said of Smith.
Green Bay will go on the road to play the San Francisco 49ers next week before returning home for two games before the bye.
CLICK HERE for more on this week's matchup via Packers.com.