5 takeaways from Packers’ loss to Chiefs

2. The Packers’ defense kept them in the game all the way to the end.

The Chiefs have not looked like the two-time defending AFC champions very often this season, and the Packers kept it that way, limiting them to just 14 first downs and 237 yards of total offense.

As much as Love struggled, former league MVP Patrick Mahomes threw for fewer yards (166) and had more incompletions (17 vs. 15, going 20-of-37) than the first-time starter.

“That was a championship-level effort, championship-level execution,” LaFleur said of the defense. “I was really proud of those guys.”

Green Bay got a huge fourth-down stop early in the second quarter, forced four three-and-outs, and held the Chiefs to a field goal after the special-teams turnover gave them first-and-goal on the 10.

If there’s one play the defense would love to have back, it was the last one, as Mahomes scrambled away from pressure and fired a 13-yard completion to Tyreek Hill on third-and-10 just after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter.

With a stop there, Green Bay’s offense would have gotten one more possession. Instead, Kansas City ran out the clock. The Chiefs were just 4-of-13 on third down until the late conversion.

3. The Packers’ special teams severely damaged the team’s chances for victory.

In the first half, kicker Mason Crosby missed a 40-yard field goal wide left and then had a 37-yarder blocked when the interior protection leaked. Holder Corey Bojorquez was having trouble getting the laces in the right place on new snapper Steven Wirtel’s snaps, though it’s hard to know whether that was a factor on the blocked kick.

“Obviously we could have used the six points,” LaFleur said. “And we basically gave them points when we fumbled the ball. We can’t have that happen.”

On the problem punt, rookie returner Amari Rodgers didn’t charge up to catch it, and then the bouncing ball nicked Malik Taylor on the foot as he got bowled over by a Chiefs gunner. Kansas City recovered and kicked a field goal for a 10-0 lead with two minutes left in the first half.

Rodgers muffed another punt but luckily recovered it himself. Kansas City’s punt game also forced Green Bay to start four possessions inside its own 15-yard line, including one at the 2.