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KANSAS CITY – The Chiefs registered a 17-13 victory vs. Green Bay at Arrowhead in the club’s preseason finale. Kansas City’s defense produced three straight three-and-outs to open the game, while the Chiefs offense continued its preseason rushing opulence with a 145-yard performance, averaging 4.5 yards per carry on the evening. Kansas City’s defense allowed only 67 rushing yards, while the Chiefs offense racked up 322 total yards.

 

The Chiefs finished the preseason with 595 rushing yards, good for an average of 148.8 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry. The club also racked up 38 rushing first downs, averaging 24.0 ypg on the ground more than it did after the 2009 preseason. Thanks to a 50-yard in Thursday’s game, RB Jackie Battle led the club in rushing during the preseason with 180 yards. LB Demorrio Williams added another sack in Thursday’s game, upping his total to a team-high 3.0 in the preseason.

Kansas City extended its lead to 17-10 on a 26-yard K Ryan Succop FG with 1:32 left to play in the third quarter. The FG gave the Chiefs a seven-point lead again which would prove to be enough as they answered a one-yard Green Bay TD dive from RB Kregg Lumpkin. A 41-yard FG from K Mason Crosby narrowed the Kansas City lead to 17-13 with just over six minutes remaining in the game.

The Kansas City defense opened the contest on a strong note forcing the potent Green Bay offense to a three-and-out after LB Derrick Johnson stopped Packers WR Greg Jennings one-yard short of the first down sticks, forcing a punt. After a 44-yard punt return by CB Javier Arenas, the Chiefs failed to capitalize on the prime field position as the offense went three-and-out and K Ryan Succop’s 51-yard FG attempt ricocheted off the left upright.

The Kansas City defense forced another three and out while RB Thomas Jones and WR Dexter McCluster sparked the Chiefs running game with McCluster rattling off a 14-yard run. QB Matt Cassel’s first pass of the night was intercepted by Green Bay CB Jarrett Bush and was returned to the Green Bay 32-yard line.

Williams handed Green Bay its third consecutive three and out to open the game as he rushed off the right edge and sacked Packers QB Matt Flynn for a six-yard loss. Cassel found RB Jamaal Charles out of the backfield for a 19-yard completion working out of the hurry-up offense. Cassel hit Charles for a seven-yard pick up with Battle picking up four yards for a first down. Cassel fired a bullet to WR Dwayne Bowe for 30 yards to the Green Bay three-yard line. Two plays later Cassel connected with Pope for a two-yard TD pass to put the Chiefs up 7-0 with 2:46 left to play in the first quarter.

On the ensuing Packers drive S Eric Berry stepped up to stop TE Donald Lee on third and three to force Green Bay’s fourth straight three and out. The Chiefs gave the ball back on P Dustin Colquitt’s first kick of the night.

Flynn completed six of nine passes for 62 yards, making it all the way to the Kansas City five-yard line on the Packers next drive before S Kendrick Lewis broke up a third-and-goal pass. Battle burst up the middle for 12 yards to open Kansas City’s ensuring drive before rattling off the team’s longest run of the preseason, a 50-yard scamper, up the right side to the Green Bay 33-yard line. QB Brodie Croyle found TE Tony Moeaki for a 16-yard pick-up down to the Green Bay 17-yard line. Three consecutive runs by RB Javarris Williams picked up 16 yards and put the Chiefs on the one-yard. Behind a strong surge from the offensive line, Battle pushed his way into the end zone on fourth and one to put the Chiefs up 14-0 with 3:46 remaining in the first half.

Flynn orchestrated a 10-play, 60-yard penalty-laden drive that saw him pass for 75 yards, moving the Green Bay offense to the Kansas City 23-yard line. K Mason Crosby connected on a 40-yard FG with 0:21 left on the clock, cutting the Kansas City lead to 14-3 at the halftime break.

Coming out of halftime McCluster took snaps out of the Wildcat including a 27-yard run nullified by a holding penalty which he followed with a nine-yard rush. WR Jeremy Horne lost 12 yards on an end-around. QB Brodie Croyle hit TE Jake O’Connell for 16 yards before having to punt.

On the second play of the Packers drive Flynn found WR Brett Swain for 77 yards, moving the ball to the Chiefs five-yard line. RB Kregg Lumpkin rushed for four yards to the one-yard line and followed that with a one-yard dive over the pile for a TD to slice the Chiefs lead to 14-10 with 10:52 left in the third quarter.

After giving the ball back on a Colquitt punt, the Green Bay offense marched into the end zone. Faced with fourth and two, Flynn’s pass attempt fell incomplete with CB Jackie Bates providing the defensive coverage.

Croyle hit FB Tim Castille on a short pass out of the backfield, gaining 43 yards to the Green Bay 12-yard line. The pass set up a 26-yard Succop FG with 1:36 left in the third quarter, extending Kansas City’s lead to 17-10.

After both teams traded punts on their ensuing drives Green Bay QB Graham Harrell led a methodical drive with an 11-yard pass to WR Jason Chery with Lumpkin turning in an 11-yard run to follow, putting the Packers on the Kansas City 11-yard line. Chiefs LB Justin Cole dropped Lumpkin for a seven-yard loss on a third-and-10 screen pass. Crosby put the 41-yard FG attempt through the uprights, narrowing the Chiefs lead to 17-13 with 6:12 left to play in the game.

The Packers recovered an unexpected onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, recovering the ball at the Green Bay 44-yard line. Harrell hit WR Charles Dillon for 14 yards. FB John Kuhn followed that up with runs of six, eight and two yards. After two incomplete passes, Green Bay faced a fourth-and-eight. Harrell’s pass fell incomplete off Kuhn’s hands, giving the Chiefs the ball at their own 21-yard line.

After taking over on downs Kansas City went three and out heading into the two-minute warning. After receiving the punt, Harrell and the Packers offense moved the ball to the Kansas City 29-yard line. Faced with fourth-and-two with 0:30 left to play in the contest, Harrell’s pass for Dillon was broken up by CB Travis Daniels, giving Kansas City the ball and sealing the Chiefs 17-13 victory.