The Chiefs host the Green Bay Packers on Thursday Night for the final preseason game. With a lot of different storylines and questions yet to be answered, here’s what to look for in the final exhibition game for Kansas City
Watching the young stars for the Chiefs evolve into the hyper predators of the NFL ecosystem has been must-see TV, and this upcoming matchup against Green Bay will be no different. More importantly, however, is that none of our major stars have been injured (outside of Fenton) in either of the past two matchups and with the regular season right around the corner, we will most likely see our young players proving themselves on Thursday night. With that being stated, let’s look at the most important matchups and questions heading into tomorrow’s game.
Biggest Questions
Will Rojo make the roster? His on-the-field production has translated into zero hype coming out of training camp and these past two games. The RB room is very full as it is, and with Pacheco being the unrivaled “hype god” coming out of training camp, huge performance is about the only thing that can save Rojo from a trade/cut in the near future.
Who is the 6th receiver on this roster? JuJu, MVS, Skyy, Mecole, and Watson have all cemented themselves as locks for the 53-man roster, but with all the talent left, who will remain after the final cuts? Fountain has proven himself as a special teams asset, Josh Gordon is nearly the last remaining WR vet on the roster, Corey Coleman was a former 1st round pick with major upside, and Powell is still on his rookie deal and extremely cheap to keep on the roster. Seemingly, a major performance by one of them would vault them onto this roster with the chance to make an impact later in the season/future.
Best Matchups
Young LBs vs Tyler Goodson & and the dominant OL unit
Elijah Lee, Darrius Harris, Leo Chenal, and Jermaine Carter will have their work cut out for them going against these preseason studs. With the chance to get more carries, Goodson should be set to increase his already impressive 3.59 yards per carry, and with that Packers offensive line group, it will be up to our linebackers to stop him before he gets going.
Young Edge Rushers vs Zach Tom & Sean Rhyan
Again, this offensive line is stacked and should provide the defensive ends with a major challenge on Thursday. Getting more pass-rushing opportunities for the young defensive ends should be a major priority for this organization moving into the last game of the preseason. With a lack of sack/pressure production from our current starters, getting these guys valuable reps before the games start counting might be the difference between a divisional round exit and another Super Bowl run.
Conclusion
If you are a football fan this upcoming battle is one you have to save the date for. The major conflict between young rookies and aging vets alike scrapping to get a spot on the roster mean everyone will be playing their hearts out, and as a fan of genuine competition, you bet your ass I’ll be watching as well.
