Four Keys to a Chiefs Victory Over the Jaguars
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The Kansas City Chiefs finished the regular season with an incredible 14-3 record. This is only the second time in head coach Andy Reid’s hall-of-fame career in which his team has won that many games.
This past offseason when the Chiefs were overturning the roster and doing what many would call a soft-rebuild, Reid let Patrick Mahomes lead a portion of the team off-site. Mahomes hosted new receivers near his home in Texas and built a camaraderie that seems to have bonded the group throughout the entirety of the season. It led to good results as well. The Chiefs finished atop the league in points per game, yardage, first downs and third-down conversion rate. Mahomes was a big part of that success, leading the league in passing yards, passing touchdowns and having the most total yards by a quarterback in NFL history.
On the other side of the ball, defensive rookies including George Karlaftis, Trent McDuffie, Bryan Cook, Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson have all talked about how defensive leaders have brought them along this season. This has played a huge role in the defense coming together and getting better as the season has progressed. Karlaftis has especially been outspoken about Frank Clark, Chris Jones and Carlos Dunlap giving him pass-rushing tips, helping him become a better pro.
The Chiefs completed two of their season goals: win the AFC West and get a bye in the playoffs. Now comes the third part of the process: winning the Super Bowl. How can the Chiefs get there? It starts this weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here are four things that could help the Chiefs advance to the AFC Championship Game with a Divisional Round win.
1. Get after Trevor Lawrence
The defense needs to attack from the first snap and get after Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Whether defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is drawing up blitzes for cornerback L’Jarius Sneed or just letting the guys up front get after it, pressuring Lawrence will be critical. Lawrence has only been in the league for two years but early in his career, he has been known to turn the ball over and increasing pressure will only lead to more chances to turn the ball over. This leads to point No. 2.
2. Win the turnover battle
When the Chiefs win the turnover battle, they win the game. Even when they lose the turnover battle, they still typically win the game. However, if the defense can force Lawrence into a couple of interceptions, setting up Mahomes and the offense with an extra possession will only be a good thing. The offense has been better about not turning over the ball the past few games. If Mahomes can play within himself and not throw untimely interceptions in the red zone and if the running backs can hold onto the ball, the offense will get the job done and should lead the way to a win.
3. Keep mixing and matching running backs
The duo of rookie Isiah Pacheco and veteran Jerick McKinnon has done an incredible job playing off each other in the second half of the season. Pacheco is the bruiser and McKinnon has been the pass-catching back. Even Ronald Jones got into the end zone in the Chiefs' last regular-season game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been on IR during the second half of the season, but he could potentially get in the mix as well down the road. If it isn’t broken, don’t try to fix it. Keep riding with Pacheco and McKinnon as the offense continues to thrive.
4. Let Mahomes cook
Patrick Mahomes is the leader of the franchise. He's the face of the NFL. He's about to be a two-time NFL MVP. Let the man do his job, as he can flip a game with his ability to create something out of nothing. Trust him enough to go for it on fourth-and-2 instead of kicking a field goal. If Kansas City gets the ball back late in the half, try and go for more points before halftime instead of forfeiting the opportunity. If it’s third-and-long, dial up a play past the sticks. This is when Mahomes can shine even more than usual. Let him lead and let him make plays, and good things will follow.
A Saturday showdown with the Jaguars is on the horizon. A win will get the Chiefs into their fifth straight AFC Championship Game. The Chiefs have bigger goals than Divisional Round wins and even AFC Championship Game appearances. With the Super Bowl in mind, though, they must still take things one game at a time.
