Patrick Mahomes He threw two touchdown passes, including one on the star’s return Travis Kelce and that Kansas City Chiefs overcame three early turnovers to win 17-9 on Sunday Jacksonville for their third win against the Jaguars in 10 months.
The Chiefs (1-1) won their eighth straight game in the series and avoided becoming the first champions of the season Super Bowl 0-2 at the start Denver in 1999.
The Jaguars (1-1), who insisted all week that they owed the Chiefs for losing in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs in January, virtually didn’t show up for their home opener.
Lawrence threw an incomplete fourth-and-12 play with 4:16 left in an eight-point game, and Kansas City didn’t allow the Jaguars to get the ball back.
Chiefs All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, making his season debut after coming off a break and signing a one-year deal, dominated their one-on-one matchups. Jones manipulated rookie right tackle Anton Harrison and was equally effective against the rest of the Jacksonville line. Thanks to five QB pressures, he finished the game with two sacks.
With more time to prepare after losing to Detroit ten days earlier in the NFL opener, the Chiefs hoped to become much more of their usually dynamic selves on offense. But Richie James botched a punt, Justin Watson fumbled and Mahomes threw an interception. Kadarius Toney, who dropped three passes in the first game, fumbled late in the third but was able to recover the loose ball and avoid another turnover.
Mahomes completed 29 of 41 passes for 305 yards. He found Kelce alone in the end zone and extended KC’s lead to 14-6. CBS host Ian Eagle inserted a reference to the song into reports linking Kelce to pop superstar Taylor Swift, saying, “Kelce finds a blank spot for the score.” One of Swift’s many hits is “Blank Space”.
Kelce, who missed the first set due to a hyperextended knee, kicked the ball into the end zone in celebration. He finished the game with four receptions on nine targets for 26 yards.
The Chiefs converted twice on fourth down and outgained Jacksonville 399 to 271 yards. The Jaguars had several opportunities, but settled for field goals on two red zone missions, averaging just 4.2 yards per play.
Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who spent the first four years of his NFL career with Jacksonville, had a difficult return home. Taylor was penalized five times and eventually benched for a series. He was penalized twice for false starts, once for illegal formation and twice for holding.
Pederson lost 4-0 to his close friend and mentor, Chiefs coach Andy Reid. This was Pederson’s first home loss; The previous three were played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
The Chiefs defeated Pederson and Philadelphia 27-20 in Week 2 of the 2017 season; The Eagles recovered and eventually won the Super Bowl. The Chiefs defeated the Jaguars last season, winning 27-17 in Week 10 and 27-20 in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.
