Jaguars can’t overcome Chiefs in 27-17 loss

Despite winning the turnover battle, Jacksonville could not defeat Kansas City.

The Jacksonville Jaguars traveled to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs for a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, and walked away with a loss by a final score of 27-17.

The Jaguars fall to 3-7 on the year, while the Chiefs improve to 7-2 on the 2022 campaign.

Sunday’s game was a reunion of sorts for Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson and Kansas City head coach Andy Reid. Pederson has played and coached under Reid’s tutelage, and Reid has served as a mentor to him.

This game had a wild start. The Chiefs won the opening coin and elected to receive. However, Pederson and special teams coordinator Heath Farwell had a different idea. Jacksonville went with an onside kick to begin the game, and kicker Riley Patterson executed the kick perfectly and recovered the ball himself.

The Jaguars took over possession at the team’s own 46-yard line. Jacksonville moved downed to Kanas City’s 39-yard line, but the drive stalled and punter Logan Cooke booted it away for a touchback.

The Chiefs took the ball and quarterback Patrick Mahomes moved his team down the field with relative ease. Kansas City got deep in Jacksonville’s territory at the 13-yard line. However, the Jaguars stepped up defensively.

Safety Rayshawn Jenkins jarred the ball free from running back Isiah Pacheco, and rookie linebacker Devin Lloyd recovered to give the ball back to the Jaguars.

Jacksonville took over at its own 24-yard line. The drive started out nicely as quarterback Trevor Lawrence connected with wide receiver Christian Kirk for a 24-yard gain. However, three plays later, the Jaguars were forced to punt.

On the ensuing possession, Kansas City would get the scoring going for the day. The Chiefs drove 80 yards in just five plays — thanks largely to a 46-yard completion from Mahomes to tight end Travis Kelce — before finding the end zone. The drive ended on a six-yard pass from Mahomes to wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who tight-roped his way down the sideline for the score.

The Chiefs led 7-0 with 3:32 remaining in the first quarter.

The Jaguars proceeded to go three-and-out, as Lawrence was sacked twice. Jacksonville gave possession immediately back to the Chiefs after a punt.

Jacksonville’s defense then forced a Kansas City punt that wide receiver/returner Jamal Agnew returned 19 yards. Jacksonville took over in good field position at its own 46-yard line.

Taking advantage of the short field, Jacksonville marched into Kansas City’s territory before the drive stalled out. Patterson came out to attempt a 51-yard field goal, but missed it.

Mahomes and company would capitalize on the missed field goal, moving 59 yards on just three plays. Mahomes connected with wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling for an 18-yard touchdown that put the Chiefs up 14-0 in the second quarter.

The teams then traded a few punts before Kansas City found the end zone again. The Chiefs drove 86 yards in eight plays, with Mahomes finding tight end Noah Gray for a 13-yard touchdown strike.

Kicker Harrison Butker missed the extra point, however, and the Chiefs led 20-0 with just 46 seconds remaining before halftime.

On the ensuing kickoff, Agnew returned it all the way up to the Jacksonville 39-yard line. All Lawrence and the Jacksonville offense needed was 35 seconds to get on the scoreboard for the first time on the day.

Lawrence hit wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. for a 33-yard gain, and had an 18-yard scramble on the drive. It was eventually capped off by a throw from Lawrence to Kirk for a three-yard touchdown. Kansas City led Jacksonville 20-7 with just 11 seconds before halftime.

On the ensuing kickoff, Kansas City tight end Jody Fortson fumbled, and the ball was recovered by Jacksonville defensive lineman Adam Gotsis.

Jacksonville took over at Kansas City’s 32-yard line. Lawrence found wide receiver Zay Jones for a nine-yard gain to make it an easier field goal attempt for Patterson at 41 yards out. However, Patterson missed once again.

The Chiefs went into halftime with a 20-7 lead.

Jacksonville received the ball to begin the second half and put together a long, 17-play drive that went 58 yards and took 9:14 off of the clock.

The Jaguars drove deep into Kansas City’s territory, eventually reaching the 4-yard line. Lawrence hit tight end Evan Engram in the end zone, but an ineligible man downfield penalty was called on left tackle Cam Robinson, negating the play and moving the Jaguars backward.

Then, Lawrence was sacked by Kansas City defense end Chris Jones. Patterson trotted out for another field goal attempt, and this time, he knocked it through from 35 yards out. The Jaguars cut the Chiefs’ lead down to 20-10 with 5:46 left to play in the third quarter.

Kansas City responded with a touchdown drive. The Chiefs went 75 yards in 10 plays, which eventually ended on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Kelce. The Chiefs went up by 17 points, 27-10, with 38 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The Jaguars were forced to punt on the ensuing possession. Kansas City took back over and was moving the ball, but Jacksonville’s defense stepped up when safety Andre Cisco intercepted Mahomes’ pass to give the ball back to the Jaguars.

Jacksonville took over at its own 46-yard line and put together an eight-play, 54-yard drive that ended on an over-the-shoulder throw by Lawrence to Kirk for a 19-yard touchdown.

Kansas City took over possession and was able to run out the remaining five-plus minutes on the clock, thanks to a magnificent 36-yard catch by Valdes-Scantling and a conversion on fourth-down-and-2. The Chiefs held on for a 27-17 win.

This was a bit of an odd game. Jacksonville actually won the turnover battle, taking the ball away three times, giving it away zero times, but kicking game woes, an an ability to stop the Chiefs’ offense, particularly in the running game, ultimately cost the Jaguars.

The Chiefs out-gained the Jaguars in total yardage 486-315. Kansas City ran for 155 yards and passed for 331 yards compared to 75 rushing yards and 240 passing yards for the Jaguars,

The Jaguars have a bye week next week.