Chiefs vs. Jaguars: 5 Questions and Week 10 Game Prediction
The Kansas City Chiefs have six wins in 2022, and they'll be looking for their sixth straight victory over the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
While Jacksonville has a 3-6 record, it's abundantly clear that Doug Pederson's team is a fierce competitor. Behind an intriguing offensive attack powered by second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars are still hanging on by a thread in the AFC playoff picture and are facing by far their biggest test of the year when they come rolling into Kansas City for Sunday's game.
What's important to know about Week 10's Chiefs vs. Jaguars matchup? How could the action unfold? John Shipley of Jaguar Report was kind enough to join me and answer five questions that cover all of that and more.
1) How close was Jacksonville to moving Josh Allen — potentially to a team like the Chiefs — at the deadline? What's in store for his future as a Jag?
The Jaguars didn't come very close to trading Allen. It's safe to say his 2022 has been a disappointment after just three sacks in nine games, including zero sacks since Week 4, but that doesn't mean the Jaguars were ever shopping him. Other teams were interested in him, yes, but the Jaguars needed a significant investment in return for Allen, and they didn't get one. No player on the Jaguars' roster would warrant a "non-trade" tag, but Allen would have to command a pretty big price.
2) Trevor Lawrence seems to have majorly progressed in some areas in year two. How should the Chiefs look to stop him?
The key to stopping Lawrence is to force him to hold on to the ball. When he is decisive and getting the ball out of his hand on time, he is almost cyborg-like in how he can efficiently and effortlessly carve up a defense. But the longer he has the ball in his hands, the more prone he is to making mistakes such as testing coverages he shouldn't or by having poor ball security.
3) How big of an upgrade has Doug Pederson been over Urban Meyer?
Doug Pederson has been a massive upgrade over Urban Meyer. Pederson has turned the Jaguars from a laughing stock into an actually respectable on-field product, even if their 3-6 record isn't exactly franchise-changing. The only two games the Jaguars have played this year that didn't come down to the wire were their two blowout victories in Weeks 2 and 3. Pederson is a great offensive coach and play-caller and overall has the Jaguars playing improved football.
4) Which side of the ball are you more worried about heading into Sunday for Jacksonville?
The defense for sure. The Jaguars' pass defense has struggled against Matt Ryan, Derek Carr and Russell Wilson, hardly three quarterbacks who are setting the NFL on fire right now. Nothing about their secondary suggests they can keep pace with the Chiefs.
5) Score prediction?
Chiefs 33, Jaguars 20. I could see the Jaguars throwing a few punches on offense this week, but I don't think they have the playmakers on defense to contain Patrick Mahomes for four quarters.
