Who saw this coming?
The Jacksonville Jaguars are not supposed to be here. However, they stand at 3-1, and deservedly by their own credit.
After what has been a standout start to the season, the Jags are on the prowl to cause an upset at home to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
A statement win would place them firmly as AFC title contenders.
Let us look at the key elements required to cause an upset on primetime television.
Offense
It has taken a few weeks for the offense to get used to the Liam Coen playbook and this is to be expected.
We lead the league currently in pre-snap penalties, not a record we particularly want. However, even with these self-inflicted penalties, we have managed to put statement drives together and score points.
Brian Thomas Jr. has had a shaky start with injury worries and crucial drops. He showed up in a big way against the San Francisco 49ers last week, and I hope that he will rediscover his form quickly.
We need him at peak performance to have a fighting chance against the Chiefs.
The standout on offense for me so far has been the running back room. Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten have led the way in defining what FAST football means.
Plus, there is a sense of determination that has been missing for a long time. With the run being a crucial part of Coen’s game plan, this needs to continue to sustain long drives which we can expect against a decent Chiefs defense.
Defense
In 2024, we were last in the league with just nine takeaways. This year, we lead the league with 13 takeaways after just four games.
If there is a statistic out there that shows just how far this team has come, I think this one might be it.
Rather than cowering behind the sofa, waiting to see how many chunk-yardage plays we give up on defense, I find myself having confidence in their ability to break up plays.
This week, we need to continue this form. Pressuring Patrick Mahomes into making mistakes is our key to winning this match-up.
Special teams
Parker Washington is the key. He completed a punt return touchdown against the 49ers, the second in his career.
His vision, athleticism and decision-making have been key to us making back yardage after punts and we will need all of his skill when our defense makes a stand against Mahomes.
According to my predictions, I thought this would be a close loss. But do we dare dream of a commanding win?
