Upstart Jaguars face true Monday night test against Chiefs

In terms of “Monday Night Football” appearances, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs have been at opposite ends of the spectrum of late.

Jacksonville has played a Monday night game in each of the last two seasons. Before that, there was a 12-year gap between appearances, dating back to 2011.

Kansas City, on the other hand, has played 17 Monday night games since 2011, including multiple times during three different seasons since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018.

And yet, it’s the Jaguars (3-1) who enter Monday’s game against the visiting Chiefs (2-2) with a better record than a team that has won three Super Bowls in the last six years and has beaten them the last eight times they’ve played.

“Huge. Just a great opportunity,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said. “This is going to be a blast.”

The Chiefs appear to be getting back on track following their first 0-2 start since 2014. After securing a win over the Giants, Kansas City’s offense was in full gear during a dominating 37-20 victory against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

In his first game back after dislocating his right shoulder on the fourth play of the season opener, receiver Xavier Worthy led the Chiefs in both receiving yards (83 on five catches) and rushing yards (38 on two carries).

While Worthy didn’t reach the end zone, four other players caught touchdown passes from Mahomes, who threw more TDs against Baltimore than in the first three games combined (three).

“The execution, I think, was the biggest thing,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, guys made plays and we were able to score a lot of points, but I’m always big on the execution. … I think that was something that we did at a very high level this last game.”

In Coen’s first season, Jacksonville is off to a 3-1 start for just the second time in the last 15 seasons after going on the road to hand San Francisco its first loss of the campaign last week.

After Tampa Bay ranked fourth in rushing yards last year during Coen’s only season as offensive coordinator, that ground success has carried over to the Jaguars.

Jacksonville ranks fourth in rushing offense (144.0 yards per game). Travis Etienne Jr., who ran for 124 yards vs. the 49ers, is third in the league in rushing yards (394) and is averaging a league-best 6.1 yards per carry among players with 25 or more rushes.

“Coen has a great knack for how the game is going, getting playmakers the ball,” Etienne said. “I feel like that’s why we do so good (on the ground).”

Perhaps the Jaguars’ even greater transformation, though, comes on the other side of the ball. A year after finishing last with just nine takeaways, Jacksonville’s defense now leads the league with 13 (nine interceptions, four fumble recoveries) and a plus-nine differential.

Something will have to give when a Jacksonville defense that has forced three-plus turnovers in each game goes up against a Chiefs offense that has turned the ball over just once so far this season.

“They go after it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “You’ve got to make sure that you’re aware of that as you play them.”

Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker underwent wrist surgery Monday and did not practice Thursday. Despite that, Coen didn’t rule out the former No. 1 overall pick from playing this week.

“He’s going to try to do everything in his power,” Coen said. “He cares so much.”

Linebacker Yasir Abdullah (hamstring) was also out Thursday, while running back Bhayshul Tuten (shoulder), receiver Dyami Brown (shoulder), safety Eric Murray (neck) and five offensive linemen (three starters) were limited.

For the Chiefs, cornerback Kristian Fulton (ankle) was the only limited participant in Thursday’s practice, and nobody was sidelined.

–Field Level Media