'SNF' takeaways: Packers' Jordan Love wins QB duel over Chiefs with controversial ending
The Green Bay Packers won their third game in a row to improve to 6-6, stunning the Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) at Lambeau Field, 27-19, on "Sunday Night Football." Here are three takeaways from the Packers' massive win:
Jordan Love shined against Kansas City's vaunted defense: Love's emergence continued in Week 13. On Sunday night, Love recorded one of his best performances of the season, something that's slowly becoming a weekly trend.
Against the Chiefs' third-ranked defense (16.5 PPG), Love finished 25-of-36 for 267 yards (7.4 YPA) with three touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Love was especially effective in play-action. He topped 100 yards off play action for the third straight week and leads the NFL with 378 yards in the set since Week 11, per Next Gen Stats. Meanwhile, the Packers' 27 points are the most the Chiefs defense has allowed this season.
Over the Packers' three-game winning streak, Love has passed for 857 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions.
Packers' defense did just enough: The Chiefs' offense isn't what it used to be. However, the last time we checked, Mahomes was still leading the charge, so holding him and the Chiefs to only 19 points was a victory in and of itself. Green Bay's defensive unit was the definition of bend, don't break on Sunday night, and it worked nearly to perfection.
After holding the Chiefs to two field goals in the first half, the unit forced a crucial three-and-out while recording an interception in the second half to stave off any Mahomes magic.
Kansas City rushed for 138 yards against the league's 27th-ranked defense against the run, but Mahomes was held largely under wraps, finishing 21-of-33 for 210 yards (6.4 YPC) with a touchdown and an interception.
The Packers' defense has been up and down all year, but credit where it's due. Much-maligned defensive coordinator Joe Barry has taken heat throughout the season, but he drew up a great game plan on Sunday night.
Controversial end stains measuring stick win for Packers: There's no debating that the Packers played well enough to win on Sunday night. However, two controversial late no-calls worked against the Chiefs, and if they'd gone the other way, the outcome may have been different.
With under a minute to go and the Chiefs trailing by eight, Packers cornerback Corey Ballentine clearly interfered with wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a deep pass, which would've netted the Chiefs a first down inside the Green Bay five-yard line.
Then, tight end Travis Kelce was pushed from behind while attempting to corral quarterback Patrick Mahomes' last-second fourth-down prayer in the endzone six plays later, ending the game.
Kansas City benefited from a bogus unnecessary roughness penalty earlier in the drive. Still, if one of the two questionable plays is called a penalty, they may have left Lambeau winners.
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