Packers Wire staff predictions: Week 9 at Kansas City Chiefs

Predictions from the Packers Wire staff on Sunday’s Week 9 showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Green Bay Packers (7-1) and Kansas City Chiefs (4-4) will meet on Sunday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium for a showdown between two of the most successful franchises in the NFL over the last few seasons.

Here’s how the staff at Packers Wire believes the Week 9 showdown with the Chiefs will go down:

Zach Kruse (5-3): Packers 27, Chiefs 24

I went back and forth on this prediction. Jordan Love is a great unknown, but the Packers are talented around him, and there’s a lot to like about the matchup between the Packers offense and Chiefs defense. Plus, Joe Barry’s defense scheme is designed around doing what Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have struggled to figure out during the 2021 season. There are a lot of factors pointing Green Bay’s direction. My gut told me to take the Packers last week but I wasn’t sure Matt LaFleur’s team could overcome that much adversity. They did. They can overcome this and win. Think of it this way: Are the Packers with Love not considerably better than Daniel Jones and the Giants, who had a chance to beat the Chiefs last week in Kansas City?

Jack Wepfer (6-2): Packers 27, Chiefs 24

I predict…chaos. Jordan Love shows the look of a flawed-but-competent starting quarterback against Kansas City. The Packers ride a run game that can safely be a more inflexible part of their gameplan and identity. It works, for Kansas City doesn’t have the defense to keep the Packers from threading long drives together and keeping Patrick Mahomes off the field. I do think it’ll be close; I see at least one of the Packers corners being exposed against the combination of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Still, the Packers have, again, enough on defense.

Brandon Carwile (5-3): Chiefs 23, Packers 20

In Week 9, we will experience the typical ups and downs of a talented young quarterback with questionable decision-making. Jordan Love will make some good throws, but he will also make some head-scratching ones. Aaron Jones gives the Packers their best chance to win and needs to have a big day, both on the ground and through the air. Defensively, Green Bay will have a difficult time covering all of Kansas City’s weapons. I expect Patrick Mahomes will test Eric Stokes whenever he is covering Tyreek Hill. This game will be close but the Chiefs come out on top via a late field goal.

Joe Kipp (6-2): Packers 27, Chiefs 23

This isn’t the Chiefs team you’ve been accustomed to watching over the last few seasons. The defense has been a dumpster fire and Patrick Mahomes leads the NFL in interceptions. Kansas City allows 6.4 yards per play (32nd) and 27.5 points per game (25th). I’d expect coach Matt LaFleur to scheme up some easy throws right away to get Jordan Love in a rhythm. Even with a backup QB, Green Bay does enough with Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon on offense, while the defense is able to hold Mahomes and Co. in check for a narrow victory on the road.

Brennen Rupp (3-1): Packers 30, Chiefs 27

No Aaron Rodgers. No problem. Okay maybe not, but I expect the Packers to lean heavily on their run game during Jordan Love’s first career start. Expect the duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon to combine for over 200-plus yards against the weak Kansas City defense.

Writer Prediction Score Record
Zach Kruse Win 27-24 5-3
Jack Wepfer Win 27-24 6-2
Brandon Carwile Loss 23-20 5-3
Joe Kipp Win 27-23 6-2
Brennen Rupp Win 30-27 3-1

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