Jaguars vs. Chiefs Week Two Slay vs Bomb

The Jacksonville Jaguars suffered their first defeat of the 2023 NFL season, and it was a brutal one. Before the season started, the Jaguars vs. Chiefs matchup was circled on schedules for a rematch of the AFC Divisional round of the playoffs last season. But, the Chiefs came into Jacksonville and shut down the Jaguars in the Jaguars’ quest for revenge against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Between a disappointing start from the offense paired with a quality start from the defense, the loss is more challenging due to how close the Jaguars were to beating the defending champions. The Jaguars vs. Chiefs game was close, yet the Jaguars’ odds of winning felt a lot lower with how the offense performed.

However, the individual performances are worth taking a look at to determine who slayed or bombed in the Jaguars vs. Chiefs week two rematch.

Jaguars vs. Chiefs: Slay

Andre Cisco

Before delving into the negatives of a disappointing game, let’s look at some of the positives.

Andre Cisco is a great place to start. Cisco has been an underrated asset for the Jaguars, and in a Jaguars vs. Chiefs matchup, Cisco helped lead a defense that more than held its own against Mahomes and Co.

According to PFF, Andre Cisco had an 80 coverage grade in the Jaguars vs. Chiefs game and an overall defensive grade of 85.6, both led the Jaguars. Cisco made an interception on a deep ball from Patrick Mahomes, and while it didn’t give the Jaguars great field position, it swung the momentum in the Jaguars’ favor.

Andre Cisco was one of the few bright spots in the Jaguars vs. Chiefs matchup. From an interception against the best quarterback in the NFL to holding Mahomes to a 13.9 passer rating when targeting him, Cisco did more than enough to warrant the top spot as slay of the week.

Josh Allen

Once again, Josh Allen performs well in the 2023 season. After an incredible week one that earned him a slay last week, he earns another one in the Jaguars vs. Chiefs matchup, despite less flashy stats.

Allen didn’t have any sacks, but he still pressured Mahomes similarly to his week one performance. Three pressures, one QB hit, and two hurries are enough to disrupt any quarterback. It’s especially important when facing one of the best, as any pressure generated can lead to mistakes.

Unfortunately, Allen suffered a shoulder sprain in the Jaguars vs. Chiefs game Sunday and is day to day heading into week three against the Texans. One of the big concerns heading into the season was the pass rush, and if Allen misses any time, it could make things rough for the Jaguars defense.

Walker Little

It was an overall terrible day for the offense, but there was one standout that’s worth mentioning, and that’s Walker Little. Filling in for the suspended Cam Robinson at left tackle, Little had a lot on his plate at the beginning of the season. But he’s more than surpassed expectations and has been the Jaguars’ best offensive lineman through two games.

In the Jaguars vs. Chiefs week two matchup, Little earned high praise from PFF for his blocking. He got a 78.8 overall grade on an 81.5 run blocking grade (up over 20 points from week one) and a 74.8 pass blocking grade. Little didn’t allow any pressures on Trevor Lawrence, giving the Jaguars QB some comfortability on his blindside.

Of course, the overall offense was disappointing, but Little stood out as being not only the best offensive lineman on Sunday but the best offensive player on the field for the Jaguars as well. If Little can continue to play at this level, the Jaguars will be in a great position with two capable left tackles, with both Cam Robinson returning from suspension and Walker Little playing like one of the better-left tackles in the NFL.

Jaguars vs. Chiefs: Bomb

The Entire Right Side of the Offensive Line: Brandon Scherff, Luke Fortner, Anton Harrison

Now, let’s talk about the bad. And boy, was it atrocious. This Jaguars team is incredibly fun and should make some noise throughout the NFL season and into the playoffs. But this group along the offensive line, sans Walker Little, desperately needs some improvement.

If I could only choose three players that bombed in week two, Brandon Scherff, Luke Fortner, and Anton Harrison would be the three I’d choose without a doubt. All three were, to put it lightly, not good. Brandon Scherff, in the Jaguars vs. Chiefs week two AFC Divisional round rematch, allowed three pressures and three quarterback hurries. That’s a tough day at the office, and yet it was still the best performance of these three offensive linemen.

Luke Fortner put up a 35.6 pass-blocking grade from PFF, and it was warranted. Fortner gave up three pressures and two hurries, along with one sack. Fortner and Scherff came into week two banged up and were questionable to play, but their performance was extremely disappointing, considering how little time Trevor Lawrence had to throw.

But yet, those two still weren’t the worst performers along the offensive line. That goes to rookie offensive tackle Anton Harrison. It wasn’t a fun home debut for the Jaguars first-rounder, as he had to go on one with Chris Jones. Harrison put up a 29.6 pass-blocking grade from PFF thanks to giving up two sacks and three pressures. Of course, a rookie offensive tackle going against one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL isn’t a good matchup, but Harrison didn’t have a great day outside of the Jones pass rush reps.

Overall, it’s hard to look at any other aspect of the Jaguars team from week two against the Chiefs and say it was their fault when the offensive line played so poorly. The Chiefs are a tough opponent, but if the Jaguars want to compete with the top teams, they need to give Lawrence time to throw. This group desperately needs a bounce-back performance, and they instead get to face the Houston Texans, who have been notorious for giving the Jaguars issues over the years.

Press Taylor and the Offense

The offense was terrible in the Jaguars vs. Chiefs game. Of course, poor offensive line play has a lot to do with the performance of Lawrence and the rest of the offense. But when the Jaguars make it into the red zone three times and score zero touchdowns, it’s not a good look, regardless of the other issues.

A 0% red zone percentage is not a recipe for success. In a tough matchup of Jaguars vs. Chiefs, there isn’t any room to miss those opportunities. If the Jaguars score a touchdown just once on those red zone drives, the Jaguars would be within striking distance of the Chiefs. But the offense sputtered out and couldn’t finish the job.

Multiple potential touchdown throws from Lawrence were put into good spots, but the receivers couldn’t get their feet down in bounds. Zay Jones had a couple of such plays, where he just couldn’t get his feet down in bounds. Between his receivers not being able to reel in the catches when it mattered and the right side of the offensive line blocking nothing, Trevor Lawrence had a lot stacked against him in the Jaguars vs. Chiefs game.

Also, who could forget the play-calling? Press Taylor had multiple poor play calls in critical spots, leading to a terrible offense through the first two weeks for the Jaguars. Overall, the Jaguars offense has been one of the worst in the NFL. Through the first two weeks of the 2023 NFL season, the Jaguars’ offense has put together a league-low -35.9 EPA. To put that into perspective, the New York Jets, who are trotting out Zach Wilson after Aaron Rodgers got hurt on Monday Night Football, are sitting at a -22.0.

While Doug Pederson can say it’s not the play calling that is holding the Jaguars back, it’s hard to ignore the impact that it’s had on the offense. The Jaguars vs. Chiefs game highlighted these offensive concerns. There are a ton of examples of how bad the Jaguars offense has been through two weeks so far, and this thread on Twitter showcases just how poorly the Jaguars are playing compared to the rest of the NFL.

It’s a long season, and fans shouldn’t quite write the season off yet. But if the pass protection doesn’t improve, and the play calling remains the same, it’s going to be a long season for Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense.