Jaguars vs. Chiefs: 5 Pressing Questions on Matchup vs. Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes
The Jacksonville Jaguars have their toughest test of the 2022 season this Sunday, traveling to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs and Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
"It’s a great place, the Midwest, great place to live, raise a family, all that. Arrowhead, what you miss is probably the fans there," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Wednesday. "It’s a passionate fan base and great atmosphere on game day, and it’s going to be exciting.”
To preview this week's big game, we spoke with Jordan Foote of Arrowhead Report to get their insight on the team the Jaguars are faced to do battle with.
1) Who has been the Chiefs' impact player on defense through 9 games?
Jordan Foote: The duo of defensive tackle Chris Jones and cornerback L'Jarius Sneed has been fantastic in 2022. Jones may have the edge, though, as he's posting the highest pass-rush win rate among all defensive tackles through nine games. Jones has 3.5 sacks in his last three outings and seems to be hitting his stride at the right time for the Chiefs. For those reasons, he's got to be the pick here. He's the straw that stirs the drink for Steve Spagnuolo's defense.
2) How has the Chiefs' offense changed without Tyreek Hill?
Jordan Foote: Heading into the year, I (and many others) expected the 2022-23 version of the Chiefs' offense to be a lot more balanced. While that's true in some ways in this post-Hill era, Kansas City still can't run the ball very well and remains such a pass-heavy team. On the other hand, Patrick Mahomes routinely targets double-digit players every week and is playing some of the best football of his career right now. Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy's unit may not be quite as loaded in the star talent department, but it has somehow remained super efficient by getting multiple players involved.
3) If the Chiefs win or lose on Sunday, what do you think is the main reason why?
Jordan Foote: If the Chiefs win, it's got to be because their offense bounced back after an... interesting game against the Titans. It's hard to call it an "off" day when Mahomes has over 500 combined yards, but he also threw a staggering 68 passes in the process. If Kansas City can be more balanced and get back to the basics on offense, it should win. With that said, the Chiefs have struggled against the AFC South this year. I wouldn't be too worried about Spagnuolo's defense giving up 30-plus points to Jacksonville but if the offense can't match and continues to play uninspired football against this division, the Jaguars could steal a win on the road
4) Which Jaguar is seen as a player the Chiefs must stop to win the game?
Jordan Foote: Travis Etienne has been coming on very strong as of late, and the Chiefs' poor run defense could struggle against him if he keeps that momentum going. He's a well-built back with an intriguing athletic profile and the ability to do just about everything on offense. Kansas City has struggled to keep its linebackers clean at the second level in recent weeks, and running backs getting out into the flat for easy receptions could also doom them if they allow it to in this game. Focusing on neutralizing the threat of Etienne is extremely important.
5) Score prediction?
Jordan Foote: It's difficult to predict what the Chiefs will do when they play AFC South teams but while I do respect what the Jaguars have going for them, Kansas City can't afford to lose this game. Especially considering the injury situation with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, a Chiefs win could have a ripple effect on seeding in the AFC. At any rate, keeping pace is a necessity and a home-field advantage mixed with a sound game on offense should be enough to secure the Chiefs their seventh win of the 2022 campaign. Jacksonville is young and hungry with a path to victory if things break right, but the odds aren't in their favor in this one. 31-20, Chiefs.
