Five things to watch, including an unlikely one, when Kansas City Chiefs meet Packers

The Green Bay Packers visit the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday in both teams’ preseason finale.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on KSHB (Ch. 41) in the KC area. Here are a few items of note heading into the evening exhibition:

About Patrick Mahomes

For the first time in the preseason, Chiefs coach Andy Reid was coy when asked about superstar quarterback playing Mahomes.

“I haven’t made up my mind on that,” Reid said.

Until this week, Reid had announced his playing-time plans for Mahomes and starters. A year ago in the Chiefs’ third preseason game, Mahomes and the starting units on both sides of the ball played two series each. Mahomes tossed touchdown passes to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce before Shane Buechele took over.

It’s been a good run for the starters through two preseason games this summer. The offense has finished three possessions with touchdown passes by Mahomes, and the defense has forced three punts.

How about Aaron Rodgers?

Rodgers hasn’t played in a preseason game since 2018 and several Packers starters haven’t seen action in the first two games this preseason. It appears those trends will continue on Thursday.

“Just the risk vs. reward, knowing it’s a long season, having 17 games,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

This all but guarantees that Rodgers and Mahomes, whose teams will have played twice in the regular season (2019, 2021) and three times in the preseason since Mahomes became a starter in 2018, will continue their stretch of not having faced off in a game. In their regular-season meetings to date, Mahomes was injured in 2018 and Rodgers had COVID-19 last season.

They have matched up on the golf course, though. Rodgers and Tom Brady defeated Mahomes and Josh Allen at The Match in Las Vegas earlier this summer.

Here are the Chiefs’ starting quarterbacks vs. the Packers since 2018: Chad Henne, Kyle Schurmer, Matt Moore, Mahomes.

And while we’re at it, here are the Packers quarterbacks who have played against the Chiefs since 2018: DeShone Kizer, Tim Boyle, Rodgers, Jordan Love.

Chiefs injury list is growing

It had been a healthy preseason for the Chiefs, but the injuries are starting to pile up. Tight end Blake Bell, hurt in the preseason opener against the Bears, had surgery for a hip flexor. The Chiefs are deep at the position, with Kelce, Noah Gray and Jody Fortson, but Bell is the primary blocking tight end.

Defensive end Carlos Dunlap continues to deal with inflammation in his Achilles. Cornerback Rashad Fenton returned from offseason shoulder surgery only to suffer a groin injury against Washington last week. Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster remains out with a knee injury.

Running back Derrick Gore broke a thumb against the Commanders and was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, ending his season.

Perhaps that’s why Reid is spending additional time mulling over playing time for starters this week.

Darn the touchback

If the Packers try to sail kickoffs out of the end zone, special teams coach Dave Toub might blow a gasket. Last week, he instructed return specialists to bring out kickoffs no matter where they set up in the end zone. Isiah Pacheco brought one out nine yards deep, and he started to return another one that kicked out of the back of the end zone.

Meanwhile, Toub instructed Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker to not kick into the end zone, so he could evaluate his coverage team.

“Butker can kick the ball in the stands any time,” Toub said. “If he kicks it short it’s because we want him to kick it short.”

Last-chance game

It’s the final opportunity for players on the roster bubble to make an impression. The Chiefs will have to determine the final players at several positions. Will there be roster spots for players like defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth or wide receiver Josh Gordon?

NFL rosters must be pared to 53 players by next Tuesday. The Chiefs are officially at 80 after placing tackle Lucas Niang (knee) on the physically unable to perform (PUP) reserve list and putting running back Gore (thumb) on injured reserve Tuesday. On Monday, they waived cornerbacks Brandin Dandridge and Nasir Greer and offensive lineman David Steinmetz.