Everything you need to know about Jaguars vs Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs and Jacksonville Jaguars will open the NFL’s Divisional round this Saturday.

While most fans are looking forward to a possible AFC Championship matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals or Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs have to take care of the Jacksonville Jaguars first.

Saturday’s game will be the first postseason meeting between Jacksonville and Kansas City, with two of the NFL’s most popular quarterbacks at the forefront. This game could be an explosive offensive opener for Kansas City, as quarterback Patrick Mahomes averages more than 340 passing yards and two touchdowns across three previous games against Jacksonville. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has only played the Chiefs once, but he performed well under the tutelage of Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson.

Pederson, Kansas City’s offensive coordinator from 2013–2015, has turned the Jaguars franchise around in historic fashion. After Jacksonville erased the Los Angeles Chargers’ 27-point lead and won 31-30 in the Wild Card Round, they became the first NFL team to have the league’s worst record only to then win a playoff game the following season. Pederson, who won the Super Bowl as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, is a former assistant and player for Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. Their linked NFL paths have spanned almost 30 years, from Green Bay to Philadelphia to Kansas City. Reid is currently 18-9 against his former assistants, with the most recent win coming against Pederson.

Didn’t the Jaguars and Chiefs already play this season?

These two teams already met once this season, with the Chiefs winning 27-17. That Week 10 game was marred by a string of dirty hits by Jaguars safety Andre Johnson, which hampered Chiefs wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster for the remainder of the season. While a ten-point win is nothing to scoff at in the NFL, the Chiefs won despite their own errors.

The Chiefs had three turnovers of their own and did not force one from the Jaguars. The negative turnover margin is nothing new for this year’s Chiefs team. They ranked below the league average in fumble recoveries and interceptions, contributing to a -3 turnover differential for the 2022 NFL season. The postseason offers Kansas City a new chance to have a clean game against a problematic Jacksonville defense.

What is the weather for Jaguars vs Chiefs?

Any playoff matchup is no easy task, as shown by the exciting Wild Card Round this past weekend. The Chiefs faithful will certainly have Arrowhead rocking, despite a frigid weather forecast. The Jaguars have not played in a game with below-freezing temperatures this season, coming from Florida’s tropical climate. Their coldest kickoff temperature was 34°, also against the Chiefs. The weather will affect both teams, but Kansas City’s players are more conditioned to the Midwest’s blustery winters.

What are the current odds for the Jaguars and Chiefs?

Kansas City is rightfully the heavy favorite against the Jaguars. The Chiefs are currently nine-point favorites over the AFC South champions after Jacksonville covered against the favored Chargers. The Jaguars are 7-2-1 against the spread in their last 10 games, proving that Vegas often underestimates them.

On the other hand, Kansas City is 2-7-1 against the spread in its past 10 games. The Chiefs have notably struggled to cover large spreads at home, such as against the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams. While the Chiefs’ winning chances are great, fans should have wavering confidence in a blowout win. However, in the playoffs, win and the season continues, regardless of how ugly the win is.

Chiefs (-9) vs Jaguars, O/U 51.5

Time: 3:30 PM CST

Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium

Watch on: NBC or Peacock

Weather: High of 37°, 55% chance of rain, NNW 14 MPH gusts

All Time: Chiefs lead series 8-6

The team at Arrowhead Addict will keep you primed for the upcoming game, but we want to hear from you! What concerns you the most about Jacksonville? Let us know in the comment section!