Despite Jaguars’ record at time, Chiefs knew they were facing capable team in Week 10
The Chiefs weren’t thinking possible playoff opponent when they defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10 of the regular season.
But despite the outcome that day, a 27-17 Chiefs victory that dropped the Jaguars to 3-7, Kansas City’s coaches knew they had tangled with an opponent that had the pieces to make a run.
That’s what happened. The Jaguars had their bye week after losing to the Chiefs, then split their next two games. A five-game winning streak pushed them to a 9-8 record, AFC South championship and playoff spot.
“I don’t think they look any different,” Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy said Wednesday. “We knew going into that game they were a very talented team.”
But it had yet to come together at the time under first-year head coach Doug Pederson, a former Chiefs assistant. When it did, the results were amazing. During that five-game winning streak to end the regular season, the Jaguars trailed by at least nine points in all of those games.
That pales compared to what happened in Jacksonville’s playoff opener against the Chargers. L.A. opened a 27-0 lead, only to have the Jaguars storm back for a 31-30 victory — the third-biggest comeback victory in NFL playoff history.
The Chiefs’ coaching staff was impressed, but not stunned.
“They have belief in what they’re doing,” Bieniemy said. “You don’t just come back and win the game down 27-0.”
After a disastrous start to the game, quarterback Trevor Lawrence finished with four touchdown passes. Leading receivers Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and eight end Evan Engram combined for eight of their 23 receptions in the second half, and running back Travis Etienne had a big second half, too.
“To me, it’s kind of like the whole playbook is there,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagunolo said. “They’re wide open. We’re expecting anything.”
In the regular season, the Chiefs opened a 17-0 lead and won the game despite a minus-three turnover ratio and failing to recover an onside kick to begin the game.
The Jaguars walked off the field that day looking like a struggling team. But they came back in the regular season, and against the Chargers, prompting Jags safety Rayshawn Jenkins to liken his team to a “bunch of cockroaches” who can’t be eliminated.
“One thing you know our team is going to is they’re going to battle,” Pederson said. “They’re going to keep fighting and scratching and clawing, and we’re going to give ourselves a chance in the fourth quarter.”
That didn’t happen at Kansas City during the regular season, and the Chiefs will look to prevent it from occurring on Saturday in the playoffs.
This story was originally published January 18, 2023 at 1:45 PM.