Jags defense eager for challenge against Chiefs
So what will happen when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object? Whichever side wins that battle on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City will likely determine the outcome of the Jacksonville Jaguars-Chiefs game.
It’s an important AFC matchup that could carry ramifications with regards to home-field advantage in the postseason. The teams play in different divisions, but the two teams are currently the favorites to win their respective divisions, the Jaguars in the South, the Chiefs in the West.
But back to the two forces collision course. In this case, it’s the Chiefs high-flying offense led by the phenomenal play thus far of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, against one of the league’s stingiest defenses in the Jaguars. The Chiefs currently lead the NFL in scoring (36.2 ppg) and are eighth in total offense with a 410.3 mark. They are one of just nine teams in the NFL that average more than 400 yards of offense a game.
Much of that total has been generated by Mahomes who has passed for an even 1,200 yards in four contests, including three consecutive games of over 300 yards. Even more impressive is that he’s connected for 14 touchdown passes and has yet to throw an interception. Mahomes has been especially effective in the red zone where he’s led the Chiefs to 14 touchdowns in 17 trips (82.4 percent). By comparison, the Jaguars have just four touchdowns in eight trips inside the 20-yard line.
“Right now, he is playing better than any quarterback has ever played. He is an MVP quarterback,” Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone said of the Chiefs’ second-year player. “The question is what he can’t do. I don’t know. I don’t think words can really put in perspective how great he is playing. That is really all there is to it. He gives you challenges every which way whether you put him in the pocket (or not). He can make every throw.
“He makes quick decisions. You get him out of the pocket and he can extend plays. He is athletic enough to run and run for a long way and take it to the house. He has great command, and he has great weapons around him and an outstanding offensive line. Right now, offensively, what you’re seeing is that it’s kind of unbelievable, which is going to be a great challenge. We have our hands full. You are talking about someone that is a combination of a lot of the greatest players that ever played that position with the way he is playing.”
Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles said he’s watched some clips on Mahomes and came away impressed as to what the second-year player has been able to do so far this season.
“He’s fun to watch. He’s exciting, he can make plays, he throws it all over the field, he can throw it with both hands,” Bortles said. “I think any time you see stuff like that, it’s cool. He is playing extremely well. I know our defense is fired up to play against him. I’m fired up and our offense is fired up to keep them off the field. It will be a challenge, it will be a tough day, we will have to be locked in and on top of everything in order to win.”
As for the immovable object, the Jaguars defense will certainly get its toughest test thus far, quite possibly of the entire season. While the Chiefs lead the league in total touchdowns (19), Jacksonville has allowed an NFL-low four this season, and the fewest through four games in franchise history. The Jaguars are the only team that has not allowed a first-half touchdown thus far. Since the beginning of the 2017 season, Jacksonville has held its opponents to fewer than 150 passing yards and 50 rushing yards in the same game three times, the most such games in the NFL. Their latest such effort came last week when they limited the Jets to 144 passing yards and just 34 yards on the ground.
The Jaguars boast the NFL’s No. 1 scoring defense, holding opponents to 14.0 points per game, and the league’s No. 1 total defense, holding opponents to 259.3 total net yards per game.
From the fourth quarter of Week 2 until the fourth quarter of Sunday’s victory, the Jaguars defense went a span of 112 minutes and 22 seconds without allowing a touchdown. The Jaguars recorded a shutout in the first half against the New York Jets, marking the sixth first-half shutout since Doug Marrone took over as the head coach on Dec. 24, 2016. Jacksonville’s five first-half shutouts in 2017 (Baltimore, Houston – twice, Seattle, Indianapolis) were a franchise record, and they are now 24-9 when posting a shutout in the first half, including 6-0 under Marrone. The Jaguars have allowed a total of 12 points in the first half of games this season, the fewest in the NFL.
But all the aforementioned stats won’t sack a quarterback or knock a pass down. The Jaguars will need to do that on their own. And they’ll need to play their best game of the season in order to beat the talented Chiefs team.
“We will have to be sharp. We will have to make sure we do not hurt ourselves,” Bortles said. “We will have to make sure we are poised and handling a hostile environment. We all know how loud it is going to be. That place will be rocking, so it will be fun and a challenge.”
SERIES HISTORY: 12th regular-season meeting. Jacksonville leads series, 6-5. Teams have only met twice in last seven seasons. Last meeting was in 2016 with Chiefs posting 19-14 win at home. Kansas City has won last three meetings, winning by 28-2 (2013) and 42-20 (2010) scores. Jacksonville won four of the first games in the series but have won just twice in the last six contests. Chiefs have won three of the five games played at Arrowhead Stadium.
