Last Thursday night may have been one of the most hyped home games in years for the Kansas City Chiefs, unfortunately, after so much when right, the final score was wrong.

Alex Smith and the offense ran the ball effectively, threw the ball just well enough, but some questionable play calling and time management late in the game and the Chiefs defense–which had played really well against Peyton Manning–was burned in the fourth quarter, leading to a 31-24 win for Denver.

Jamaal Charles, the usually trustworthy star for KC, fumbled twice, the second of which extremely costly and resulted in the go-ahead touchdown less than 30 seconds after Manning threw the game-tying TD.

Andy Reid has caught most of the flack with fans blaming the play-calling in end-of-game situation as the reason why Kansas City didn’t take the game into overtime and give themselves a chance to win.

While kneeling the ball may have been the right tactic, it’s hard to blame a coach for giving one of the most reliable and talented backs in the NFL, the ball in an effort to just gain minimal yards and run the clock.

Despite Alex Smith being a solid QB who doesn’t turn the ball over a ton, you wouldn’t ask the offense to pass late in regulation, particularly against a vaunted Denver defense which features two of the league’s best corners (both hailing from the University of Kansas) in Aqib Talib and Chris Harris, Jr.

As any team does during a long season, and one which has really just begun, the Chiefs are moving on and shifting their focus to a Monday Night Football, prime-time showdown with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

Although Green Bay is suffering from multiple injuries to players on both sides of the ball, they still have the best passer in the league in Rodgers.

If the Chiefs are going to get back on the winning side of things and capture and big-time win over one of the NFC’s top teams, the defense will need to repeat its performance against Denver in which they routinely got to Manning and put pressure on him in the pocket, forcing him to rush throws and overcompensate for the pressure of Justin Houston, Tamba Hali, and Derrick Johnson.

Rookie Marcus Peters has already made a major impact for KC, nabbing two interceptions in two games, the second being a pick-six against Manning–something of a rarity against one of the all-time best.

The good news coming out of Thursday’s loss was safety Eric Berry playing all but two snaps, showing that he truly is fully healthy and able to contribute to his team in a big way.

The Chiefs also showed they are very capable of beating Denver and should still be considered a team which can take home the AFC West title in 2015. Even though the next matchup against Denver takes place at Mile High, the Chiefs should feel confident in their ability to get to Manning and make the Denver offense scratch and claw in order to put points on the scoreboard.

For now, Reid’s team will focus on Green Bay and try to disrupt another stellar offense. Rodgers is a much more fluid QB in the pocket and can avoid pressure with impeccable footwork in the pocket, which means Houston, Hali, and Co., will need to get to him quickly against a relatively shaky line for the Packers.

Green Bay will also celebrate the career of legend Brett Favre, Monday night, as they hoist his name into the ring of honor. Lambeau Field will be rocking and create a tough road environment for KC.

Kansas City’s next home game will take place on Sunday, October 11 for a 12:00 kick. Tickets For Less has tickets on sale at the best valued prices for seats located throughout Arrowhead Stadium. With zero hidden service fees, what you see is what you get and allows you to know exactly how much your ticket purchase is before you checkout. Head to Tickets For Less to purchase your seats today to see the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium. Go Chiefs!