PLAYER NOTES
–LB Dee Ford practiced on a limited basis Wednesday after leaving Monday night’s game against Denver. The groin muscle he injured during Week 3 tightened up during the game. The Chiefs hope to have him available Sunday against Jacksonville.
–S Eric Berry did not practice Wednesday and still hasn’t practiced with the team since Aug. 11. Reports emerged last week that Berry has a Haglund’s deformity in his heel, a bony enlargement that causes pain near the Achilles tendon. Head coach Andy Reid said he continues getting better during his rehab but offered no estimate on his potential return.
–WR Sammy Watkins practiced in a limited role Wednesday after exiting Monday night’s game with a tight hamstring. He appears on course to play Sunday against Jacksonville if no setbacks occur.
–WR Chris Conley aggravated an ankle injury Monday night that he suffered during Week 3. He still played 73 of the team’s 78 offensive snaps and practiced in full on Wednesday.
–DE Chris Jones practiced in full Wednesday but appears on the injury report with a shoulder injury.
–C Mitch Morse practiced in full Wednesday despite a back injury but appears likely to play Sunday against Jacksonville.
–TE Alex Ellis returned to the club on injured reserve after the team waived him with an injury designation on Tuesday.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: S Eric Murray. The third-year safety picked up the first interception of his career in Week 4 against the Denver Broncos as he continues filling in for injured strong safety Eric Berry. Murray has 26 total tackles on the season along with two passes defended. Head coach Andy Reid praised Murray for his performance thus far this season, and called his game against Denver the best of his young career.
GAME PLAN: The Jaguars bring the No. 1 scoring defense in the league into Kansas City this week, giving quarterback Patrick Mahomes the toughest challenge to date. But the Chiefs with running back Kareem Hunt should find yards on the ground against the Jaguars. Don’t be surprised if the Chiefs lean on a lot of misdirection with their speedy wide receivers out of the backfield as well. Mahomes can take over if needed, but look for the Chiefs to look for quick passes on the edges to their playmakers and less downfield shots than usual.
The Chiefs catch a break with Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette out this week, but quarterback Blake Bortles eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark twice in his first four games. That’s concerning against a suspect Kansas City secondary. Expect the Chiefs to use sub-packages with an additional safety to prevent the deep ball and force Bortles to beat them with a short passing game.
MATCHUPS TO WATCH
–Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill vs. Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey. This matchup has potential for serious fireworks. Hill and Ramsey both love to talk and playfully take shots at each other off the field. But Hill wants to prove himself against the best and wants to challenge Ramsey.
