The Jacksonville Jaguars are riding high with a six-game win streak that was compiled with comeback after comeback. But make no mistake, they are David coming to Arrowhead Stadium to take a shot at Goliath on Saturday.
The Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs are a win away from their fifth straight AFC Championship appearance. They led the NFL in total offense for the third time in five weeks, and they rested last week after earning the bye that comes with the No. 1 seed in the conference.
When the Chiefs hosted the Jaguars in early November, they cruised to a 27-17 win. But as Jacksonville has found out multiple times in 2022, beating a team twice in one year is rarely as easy as it sounds.
So what do the Jaguars have to do to keep their miraculous season alive? Here are three keys to springing the upset Saturday:
Start fast
The Jaguars have proven they have the perseverance to stay confident, aggressive, and dangerous after falling in an early hole. And while those traits promise to make the team a dangerous contender for years to come, they probably won’t matter much if Jacksonville lets the Chiefs jump out to another massive lead.
A 27-point comeback isn’t going to happen against Kansas City. The 20-point lead the Jaguars afforded the Chiefs in Week 10 was more than enough to be insurmountable.
The Jaguars punted five times on their first six possessions with a missed field goal sandwiched in the middle of that stuck-in-neutral start.
If Jacksonville hopes to keep things interesting and have a shot at the end, it has to finally get out to the early start that has eluded the team over the last month.
Get a play or two (maybe three) that swing momentum
The Jaguars opened their November game against the Chiefs with an onside kick. They also forced three turnovers and converted two fourth downs.
Attempting another surprise onside kick is a bit too bold, but Doug Pederson better have a few tricks up his sleeve. The Jaguars will need the kind of big moments that level the playing field and keep the Chiefs on their heels.
It doesn’t have to be deception. It could be as simple as Jamal Agnew breaking free for a huge return, Josh Allen wreaking havoc in the Chiefs backfield, or Andre Cisco snagging another interception off of Patrick Mahomes.
Whatever they are, the big game-changing moments have to be in the Jaguars’ favor.
Sack and don't be sacked
Only two teams allowed fewer sacks during the 2022 regular season than the Chiefs (26). Still, the Jaguars were one of only four teams that couldn’t get to Patrick Mahomes for at least one sack.
While the Jacksonville finished without a sack in that 27-17 loss, the Chiefs brought down Trevor Lawrence on five sacks — the most of any Jaguars opponent this season.
The Jaguars need a much better performance from its pass rushing trio of Josh Allen, Travon Walker, and Arden Key. It also need the interior offensive line to keep the Chiefs’ Chris Jones from causing too much trouble.
