Packers cornerback Jarrett Bush runs back an interception (one that was called dead where he caught it) in the second quarter Thursday against Kansas City. Credit: Mark Hoffman

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Green Bay — This much we know. The Green Bay Packers will enter the regular season with a capable backup quarterback.

Just as Vince Young got exposed last August in the exhibition finale against the Kansas City Chiefs, Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzien enhanced their chances to be the No. 2 behind Aaron Rodgers or, if the Turk strikes on the weekend, find employment elsewhere.

Twelve months after their subs were overrun in Kansas City, 30-8, the Packers showed how much their depth has improved Thursday night in a 34-14 victory over the Chiefs in the 54th annual Bishop's Charities Game at Lambeau Field.

Coach Mike McCarthy began his press briefing with an opening statement that sizzled with optimism and satisfaction.

"Well, that's exactly how you want to finish your preseason," McCarthy said. "I don't know if I've felt this good coming out of a preseason as I do tonight.

"I feel good about the growth we've made since the first day we went down to Hinkle Field. I feel good about the rhythm and timing.

"A lot of this game of football is about flow. It's about coordination of people in the locker room, on the field. The way you function, the way you operate in and out of meetings.

"Our new training facility is phenomenal. It's made an impact. Our mental errors are way down."

McCarthy, a winner of Super Bowl XLV with the Packers, knows what it takes to win it all.

Is this team capable of winning another NFL championship, which would be the 14th in franchise history?

"This is the Green Bay Packers," McCarthy answered. "We don't come here and say, 'We hope to make the playoffs.' Our goal is the same every year — winning a championship.

"But this is a process. You've got to win your first game. I'm not into bravado or making headlines. That's the way we've always approached it."

The victory was the Packers' third straight and gave them a 3-1 record. It was McCarthy's first winning exhibition season since 2011, and just his third in nine years.

His overall record in the summer game is even at 18-18.

In 2012 and '13, McCarthy wasn't at all pleased with the way the Packers entered the regular season. His suspicions proved correct with a 2-3 start in 2012 and 1-2 last season.

"It's not about winning," he said. "These are games of evaluation. It's the growth."

Green Bay opens on the road next Thursday night against the defending champion Seattle Seahawks.

Last week, guard Josh Sitton, one of the veterans with a Super Bowl ring, said this Packers team might be the best that he has played on in seven seasons.

"I think we're really good, or can be really good," Sitton said. "It (the Super Bowl) is definitely something that's talked about. It's not like a topic of conversation that's avoided.

"We're a good football team and we expect to be in contention every year."

Does this offense meet the standard required for an NFL champion?

"I think we do all around the board," Sitton said. "We've got a lot of talent here. It's a long process, and who knows what we'll be saying in six weeks or 12 weeks or 20 weeks?

"I think this is the best offensive line we've had here. We've always had Aaron and the receivers, but now we have the offensive line, I think, and I think we have the running back.

"We'll be fine (at center) and we'll be all right (at tight end). We don't have Jermichael (Finley) anymore, but we've got a few tight ends that can play.

"I don't pay attention to them (special teams), but we're a good defense. Let's hope they can be better. I think they are."

The Packers scratched 20 of their 75 players, and also didn't play fullback John Kuhn. Just four sat out because of injury.

Of the 22 starters, the only ones that played were nose tackle Josh Boyd and the free-safety tandem of Micah Hyde and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

Last year, the Packers had just three healthy scratches for the Kansas City finale but had 10 days remaining before the opener.

"The game seven days away was a huge factor in how we decided to approach this game," McCarthy said.

Three youthful players on defense and another on offense departed with either knee or hamstring injuries. As he watched the backups being treated, McCarthy probably could imagine starters going down instead.

Meanwhile, Chiefs coach Andy Reid made everyone that was healthy dress for the game. However, 19 of his 22 preferred starters didn't play, and only four because of injury.

Flynn started and basically played the first and third quarters, giving way to Tolzien in quarters two and four.

"Matt and Scott have both made the case to be on our football team," McCarthy said. "They both played very well tonight,"

McCarthy called the next 48 hours "the worst part of our jobs." The Packers, he said, would go down to the Saturday deadline of 5 p.m. before reaching the 53-man limit.

The No. 1 defense played a total of just 10 series in the first three games before taking the night off. Opponents ran 44 plays and gained 200 yards (4.55 average), had 10 first downs and scored 20 points.

"You have seen people rotated," McCarthy said, referring to the defensive development this summer. "You see depth that hasn't been there in the past. I think you'll see some schematic changes once we get going. That's normal."

Playing in the second and third games, Rodgers and the No. 1 offense opened with pulsating touchdown drives each time minus a huddle.

In eight series, the Rodgers-led unit ran 62 plays for 378 yards (6.1), had 24 first downs and scored 32 points.

“You are always up there and have a chance when you have a quarterback like Aaron and players like Clay Matthews and A.J. Hawk,” said Chiefs linebacker Frank Zombo, a Green Bay starter in the Super Bowl. “That’s why they’ll always be a contender.”

A year ago, the Packers scored the fewest points (37) of the 32 teams. They limped into the first week without a second quarter after dumping Young.

They had to sign diminutive Seneca Wallace to be No. 2 a week before they were beat once again by the San Francisco 49ers, 34-28, in the opener.

Twelve months later their three-deep at quarterback might be the equal of any team's. They also scored 102 points.

Now it's on to Seattle and a date with the champs.

"Our preliminary work on Seattle has been extensive," McCarthy said. "As far as the game plan, we're in very good shape."