Why Monday Night Football vs. the Chiefs is Must-Win For Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a major showdown looming, with Monday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs presenting the perfect chance for the Jaguars to prove their mettle.

But there is even more at stake for the Jaguars than pride and national respect. In Week 5, the Jaguars must win to ensure they keep pace with the rest of the AFC South. The AFC South went 3-0 on Sunday, with the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts blowing out the Baltimore Ravens and the Las Vegas Raiders, and the Tennessee Titans squeaking past the Arizona Cardinals.

AFC South Outlook

The Jaguars have only had one AFC South game thus far with their Week 3 win over the Houston Texans and won't have another one until ... Week 10, when they play the Texans in Houston. The Jaguars' final four AFC South games will come in Weeks 13, 14, 17, and 18.

That means the Jaguars will have plenty of time to stick in the AFC South race as the season drags on. But each week is important in the NFL, and the Jaguars' mistake-filled Week 2 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals has already removed some margin of error. The Jaguars entered Week 5 with the same record as the Colts, a two-game lead on the Texans, and a three-game lead on the Titans.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) passes the ball during the first quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Texans 17-10. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

So while the Jaguars can still drop a game in Week 5 and still be a factor in the AFC South race as the year goes on, there is no questioning that a win this week would be paramound. With every other AFC South team getting in the win column, the Jaguars would take a hit if they fell even just for a week. By the end of the year, all wins and losses catch up and even out in the wash, meaning a loss in Week 5 could be insignificant now but mighty significant come December and January.

The Jaguars have been one of the NFL's top surprises in 2025, but the Colts have perhaps been an even bigger surprise to this point in the season. As long as they are winning games and the Texans are turning things around, the Jaguars need to keep up their positive momentum.

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