Live Updates: Packers at Chiefs in NFL Preseason

The Green Bay Packers are closing the preseason on Thursday night at the Kansas City Chiefs. Follow along all night for updates.

It will be Jordan Love vs. Chad Henne as the Green Bay Packers face the Kansas City Chiefs in the final game of the preseason on Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium. Follow along all night for updates.

Final Score

Chiefs 17, Packers 10

Here is our quick game story.

Fourth Quarter

Chiefs 17, Packers 10 (6:46 remaining)

Starting the drive at the 4, Danny Etling picked up one first down with a 22-yard completion to Samori Toure but the drive died when running back Dexter Williams didn’t see blitzing defensive back Dicaprio Bootle.

Chiefs 17, Packers 10 (10:05 remaining)

Chris Slayton delivered a quarterback hit on second down and Shemar Jean-Charles had excellent coverage on a deep ball to force a punt. Rookie tight end Sal Cannella was flagged for holding on the return, so Green Bay will start at its 4.

Chiefs 17, Packers 10 (11:44 remaining)

Danny Etling replaced Jordan Love at quarterback. On his third play, he threw one up to Ishmael Hyman, who made a superb leaping catch for a gain of 30. However, rookie left guard Zach Tom was flagged for illegal hands to the face when his blocked dislodged the helmet from the Chiefs’ defender. One play later, rookie right tackle Rasheed Walker gave up a sack.

Third Quarter

Chiefs 17, Packers 10 (4:37 remaining)

Jack Heflin wasn’t blocked on fourth-and-1 and clobbered rookie running back Isiah Pacheco.

Chiefs 17, Packers 10 (9:26 remaining)

Rookie Tyler Goodson is a heck of a runner. Can he make the roster with his other flaws? He dropped the kickoff and got the Packers buried at the 5. They got one first down but Goodson was blown up by blitzing linebacker Leo Chenal and Jordan Love just missed Juwann Winfree.

Chiefs 17, Packers 10 (12:25 remaining)

Breakdowns everywhere. The kickoff coverage was terrible – receiver Juwann Winfree and running back Tyler Goodson had breakdowns – so the Chiefs started at the 46. Three consecutive strong runs set up a 29-yard pass to Daurice Fountain, who was wide open off play action and ran to the 2. On the next play, Shane Buechele fired a tight end screen to Matthew Bushman. Safety Micah Abernathy might have had a 98-yard pick-six if not for Fountain grabbing him but no flag was thrown.

Halftime

Packers 10, Chiefs 10

Jordan Love was having a strong first half until he was intercepted late in the first half. Love took a deep shot to tight end Alize Mack, but three Chiefs were in the area and rookie safety Bryan Cook made the play. Love completed 13-of-21 passes for 125 yards. Rookie running back Tyler Goodson had 10 touches for 47 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown run. Green Bay had a 183-147 edge in total yards.

Second Quarter

Packers 10, Chiefs 10 (1:48 remaining)

Ramiz Ahmed made a 23-yard field goal despite being hit by Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams, who somehow was flagged for running into the kicker rather than roughing the kicker. On third-and-goal at the 1, Patrick Taylor plowed through former Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal but the Packers were flagged for not having enough players on the line of scrimmage.

Until stalling, Green Bay put together its best drive of the preseason. So did quarterback Jordan Love. Love connected with Samori Toure for 19 to start the drive and Amari Rodgers for 15 on third-and-10. After Patrick Taylor ran for 11 on third-and-1 – rookie right tackle Rasheed Walker and center Jake Hanson made that possible – Love fired a bullet to Toure, who broke a tackle and gained 23 to the 1.

Chiefs 10, Packers 7 (8:45 remaining)

A coverage breakdown put the Chiefs back in front on Shane Buechele’s 54-yard touchdown pass to tight end Matt Bushman. Cornerback Rico Gafford was lined up over Bushman and let him go, apparently expecting help from rookie safety Tariq Carpenter. Bushman caught the ball at the 30 and was so open that he could have crawled into the end zone.

Packers 7, Chiefs 3 (12:58 remaining)

Tyler Goodson’s sensational 23-yard touchdown run put the Packers on the board and will be hard to ignore when GM Brian Gutekunst picks his 53-man roster. On third-and-10, Goodson burst through a big hole – center Josh Myers had a great block, and guards Jake Hanson and Jon Runyan their men aside – then stepped through a tackle attempt by rookie safety Bryan Cook at the 13 and spun away from rookie safety Nazeeh Johnson at the 6.

.@tgood1110 finished with the spin! 🌪️

TOUCHDOWN! 🙌#GBvsKC | #GoPackGo

📺 Packers TV Network + @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/Gv5Do2X1wm

— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 26, 2022

“I do feel like I’m better than the other running backs that had been drafted,” Goodson said recently. “But, hey, every team has their opinion and every coach has the guy they like. That’s out of my control. I’ve just got to control what I can control and be where my feet are each and every day. That’s what I’m doing.”

Green Bay’s third drive was going nowhere fast until rookie cornerback Joshua Williams was called for a 15-yard facemask on a failed third-down screen to  Goodson. That’s just what the Packers needed. A swing pass to Goodson gained 13, thanks to receiver Juwann Winfree’s block on cornerback Dicaprio Bootle. Catches by Winfree for 7 and 13 to Romeo Doubs moved the ball to the Chiefs’ 36 as the first quarter ended.

First Quarter

Chiefs 3, Packers 0 (3:51 remaining)

With the Chiefs on the move, linebacker Isaiah McDuffie drew a holding penalty on all-rookie center Creed Humphrey. Green Bay’s secondary finished the job, with cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles, slot Keisean Nixon and safety Micah Abernathy helped force a 44-yard field goal.

Packers 0, Chiefs 0 (8:25 remaining)

Green Bay’s offensive line has been overwhelmed throughout training camp and nothing has changed against Kansas City’s defense. Tyler Goodson managed a yard on first down, Jordan Love escaped before going down for a 0-yard sack on second down, and Love avoided pressure (against right guard Jake Hanson) on third down. Pat O’Donnell’s 70-yard punt, with Isaiah McDuffie eventually making the tackle, helped swing the field position.

Packers 0, Chiefs 0 (10:34 remaining)

Both teams went three-and-out. Green Bay started with the ball. On second down, rookie running back Tyler Goodson broke a tackle on a swing pass to gain 6. On third-and-2, Goodson caught the ball again but couldn’t quite reach to the first-down marker.

Meanwhile, on third-and-9, Chiefs quarterback threw the ball into the flat to veteran running back Jerick McKinnon but rookie linebacker Quay Walker – Green Bay’s only defensive starter on the field – showed that burst to stop McKinnon well short.

Packers 0, Chiefs 0 (12:38 remaining)

In a cool moment, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes stepped in the opening huddle to honor the late Len Dawson. After a delay of game, which the Packers declined, Chad Henne entered at quarterback. He’ll be playing with most of the Chiefs’ starters.

Somehow, only two #Packers made the NFL's annual "Top 100 Players" list. Even the Vikings and Bears (Bears!) had more.https://t.co/TRTMLnTyIg

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 25, 2022

Final Cuts Due Tuesday

Teams must be down to the 53-man limit by 3 p.m. Tuesday. John Wojciechowski, the Packers’ director of player personnel, liked the team’s “competitiveness,” not just offense vs. defense “but within the position groups. It’s been phenomenal,” he said during the Packers TV Network pregame show.

The Packers entered the day with 79 players, so 26 players must be released. That’s the sad ending to training camp, but cuts across the league offer opportunities to improve areas that might be a bit weak.

“What goes through my mind is we’ve got to look at the whole league,” he said. “Once we get past this game and we go into it, it’s not as hectic but it’s more excitement and fun to watch to go through all these names to try to find someone to help the Packers.”

Twenty-Five Packers Out

The Packers will keep 25 players on the bench, including rookie receiver Christian Watson, who went through team drills this week after missing the start of camp following knee surgery.

“He asks a lot of questions,” quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. “He cares about it he comes over and tries to be on the same page and, if anything happened, whether it was good or bad, indifferent, so I enjoy his approach. But he’s got a different skill-set. He’s a big body who can run. Just got to get him a little more consistent tracking the ball down the field. He made a nice play in the two-minute [from Jordan Love on Monday]. The thing that I’ve seen with him is just mentally the improvement from day to day.”

The inactives list includes many of the same players as the first two games. Offensively, what stands as the No. 1 offensive line will play. Defensively, only rookie linebacker Quay Walker is active.

QB: Aaron Rodgers.

RB: Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon.

WR: Christian Watson, Sammy Watkins, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb.

TE: Robert Tonyan (knee), Marcedes Lewis.

OL: LT David Bakhtiari (knee), RT Elgton Jenkins (knee).

DL: Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, Jarran Reed.

OLB: Preston Smith, Rashan Gary, Tipa Galeai (elbow).

ILB: De’Vondre Campbell.

CB: Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas.

S: Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage (hamstring), Dallin Leavitt (shoulder).

K: Mason Crosby (knee).

Seven Packers Bubble Battles

Here is a look at the key battles that could be settled when the Packers face the Chiefs on Thursday night.

Running Back

Tyler Goodson (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (2): Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon. Bubble (2): Patrick Taylor, Tyler Goodson.

Analysis: Based on Kylin Hill’s on-the-field rehab workouts, the second-year back should be back after his four-week PUP stint. So, the Packers could simply roll into the season with Jones and Dillon and take advantage of practice squad rules to elevate Taylor or Goodson until Hill is back on the 53. General manager Brian Gutekunst covets the ability to pass protect as that third back, but Goodson’s open-field burst is impossible to ignore. He showed it in three seasons at Iowa and he’s shown it throughout the summer. Taylor offers the more well-rounded game and produced at Detroit in last year’s finale.

Receiver

Juwann Winfree (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (6): Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, Amari Rodgers, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs. Bubble (2): Juwann Winfree, Samori Toure.

Analysis: Everyone loves the new guy, and that means everyone ignores the old guy. Not Aaron Rodgers. After the first day of camp, he said of Winfree: “I wouldn’t be surprised if 88’s over there going, ‘Hey, I’m a pretty damn good football player. Don’t forget about me.’ I think he definitely is going to put himself in a position to have an impact.” Winfree, a sixth-round pick by the Broncos in 2019, was given some early first-team snaps but those opportunities have largely vanished. Still, he’s had a productive preseason and has been a No. 1 on some of the units on special teams. Toure had a deep drop in the rain vs. the Saints but has had a quietly steady camp. And in the constant quest for upside, draft picks tend to get the benefit of the doubt over players in their fourth training camp.

Offensive Line

Caleb Jones (USA Today Sports Images)

Locks (9): David Bakhtiari, Yosh Nijman, Jon Runyan, Josh Myers, Jake Hanson, Royce Newman, Elgton Jenkins, Sean Rhyan, Zach Tom. Bubble (2): Caleb Jones, Rasheed Walker.

Analysis: The Packers have to account for the great unknown that is Bakhtiari’s knee. While he will be on the Week 1 roster, will he be in the starting lineup or just taking up space on the 53 as he continues his comeback? Jones, an undrafted free agent, has taken second-team reps for most of the summer. Walker, a seventh-round pick, has struggled in practice and has not played in a game due to a foot injury. Jones appears to be miles ahead in this battle but perhaps Walker can change the conversation in his preseason debut.

Defensive Line

Jack Heflin (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (5): Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed, Dean Lowry, T.J. Slaton, Devonte Wyatt. Bubble (2): Jack Heflin, Jonathan Ford.

Analysis: The Packers could go into the season with a five-man rotation and hope to fortify the group by stashing Heflin, Ford or even Chris Slayton on the practice squad. Heflin, who made it as an undrafted free agent last year, has had a good camp. If it’s about keeping the best 53 players, Heflin would be in that group. And, at least for now, if you needed to win a game by making a stop on fourth down, you might want Heflin over Wyatt. Ford’s status as a seventh-round pick could factor in the decision, too.

Outside Linebacker

Tipa Galeai (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (4): Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Jonathan Garvin, Kingsley Enagbare. Bubble (3): Tipa Galeai, La’Darius Hamilton, Kobe Jones.

Analysis: This is the biggest battle in camp. It’s been a revolving door on the second unit for the last couple weeks. One day, it’s Garvin and Galeai. The next day, it’s Garvin and Hamilton. On Tuesday, it was Garvin and Enagbare, the rookie fifth-round pick. They’ve all had their moments, especially during the joint practices vs. the Saints. “I think it’s a very tight battle and, hopefully over the next two days, it helps clarify itself a little bit easier for us to help make those tough decisions,” LaFleur said. One thing LaFleur noted was special teams. Galeai is a No. 1 on all four phases. Presumably, that means he’ll make it, which would make it Jones vs. Hamilton for a potential sixth spot.

Cornerback

Rico Gafford (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (5): Jaire Alexander, Eric Stokes, Rasul Douglas, Keisean Nixon, Shemar-Jean Charles. Bubble (2): Rico Gafford, Kiondre Thomas.

Analysis: All summer, it’s been Jean-Charles and Gafford as the cornerbacks and Nixon as the slot with the No. 2 defense. According to Pro Football Focus, Gafford has given up 4-of-6 passing for 78 yards in the two preseason games while Thomas has allowed 1-of-6 for 8 yards. Gafford didn’t practice on Tuesday due to an ankle injury. He is unbelievably fast but is undersized. Thomas is almost 6-foot and no slouch from a speed perspective.

Safety

Innis Gaines (USA Today Sports Images)

Apparent locks (3): Adrian Amos, Darnell Savage, Shawn Davis, Dallin Leavitt*. Bubble (3): Tariq Carpenter, Micah Abernathy, Innis Gaines.

Analysis: Vernon Scott’s shoulder injury and subsequent release has really shaken up this group. Davis became the next next-man-up but was replaced by Douglas on Tuesday. Davis, a No. 1 on special teams, probably is safe. Leavitt suffered a shoulder injury vs. the 49ers but has been going hard during on-the-field rehab. He’ll make the 53; will he stay there or go to injured reserve on Wednesday? With Carpenter and Gaines also injured, Abernathy was signed for depth and has repeatedly taken advantage of his opportunities. Carpenter, a potential-packed seventh-rounder, and Gaines, who has been given some looks in the slot, returned to practice this week. Davis and Abernathy probably will start vs. the Chiefs and Carpenter and Gaines will enter in relief.