Jaguars player sees potential playoff implications in Sunday’s game against Chiefs
In his 2023 NFL preview, NBC Sports columnist Peter King picked the Jacksonville Jaguars to be the top seed in the AFC.
King noted that the Week 2 meeting between the Chiefs and Jaguars ultimately could have playoff seeding implications.
“The Jags host KC in northeast Florida at 1 p.m. on Sept. 17, when there’s a chance it’ll be 98 degrees real-feel and the visitors set a team record for IVs,” King wrote. “There couldn’t be a better week and time for Jacksonville to host the Super Bowl champs. That game could end up being significant for home-field in the AFC.”
It’ll be hot Sunday but maybe not quite what King envisioned. The forecast high is 86 degrees with a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, per the National Weather Service, so there may not be a line of Chiefs getting an IV.
But at least one Jaguars player is already thinking about the potential playoff seeding implications that King mentioned.
“This is a game that we must win, a playoff game for us. We may see this team later down the road, so we want to get them early and we also can’t lose at home,” linebacker Josh Allen told reporters Monday. “We know our fans are going to show out and be out there even though it’s going to be really hot, we know they’re going to cheer and support us. We’re really excited for that and ready to go.”
Allen was asked about the loss to the Chiefs in an AFC Divisional playoff game in January. He had three tackles that day, but no sacks or quarterback pressures.
“It’s a little personal for me, man, because the last two times we played them last year, I wasn’t at my best,” said Allen, who had three sacks Sunday against the Colts. “For me, it’s personal. But at the end of the day, I got a job to do, and for me to be where I need to be, I also need to know what I’m doing out there.”
‘Wiggly’ Mahomes
In three career games against the Jaguars, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has completed 69% of his passes for 1,022 yards with seven touchdown throws and three interceptions.
“It’s Patrick Mahomes, and if (tight end Travis) Kelce plays or not they’re a heck of a team,” Allen said. “So we’re gonna have to be real disciplined on our eyes this week. And we’re gonna have to keep him in the pocket as well. He’s another guy that can scramble. He’s a little wiggly. He can run left, run right, back it up, go forward. So just to be able to stay relentless and continue to grow on that.”
Facing Jawaan
When the Jaguars selected Allen with the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor in the second round, it made teammates of former SEC foes.
Taylor played at Florida and Allen was a star at Kentucky. After four seasons as Jaguars teammates, Taylor signed with the Chiefs as a free agent.
“Dealing with Jawaan, I’ve known Jawaan since college. We’ve been having battles way back from Florida and Kentucky,” Allen said. “And then obviously we get drafted together. So having those battles with him up there. I’ve been also training with him in Orange Park (Florida) and being able to do that with him is awesome. And I’m excited to play against him. Trayvon (Walker of the Jaguars) is as well. Trayvon was going up against him as well. So he (Taylor) knows what we can do. We know what he can do.”
This story was originally published September 13, 2023 at 9:56 AM.
