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KC Chiefs: Four keys to beating the Jacksonville Jaguars

By Lyle Graversen

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 13: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs rolls out to throw a pass in the second quarter of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Arrowhead Stadium on November 13, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - NOVEMBER 13: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs rolls out to throw a pass in the second quarter of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Arrowhead Stadium on November 13, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images) /
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Harrison Butker #7 of the Kansas City Chiefs  (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
Harrison Butker #7 of the Kansas City Chiefs  (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images) /

No Special Teams Meltdowns

If you were polling Chiefs fans this season for the team’s biggest issue to overcome, it would probably be a neck-and-neck race for the top answer between the previously mentioned turnover differential and their issues on special teams.

Speaking just for myself, I have found the special teams issues to be a lot more frustrating. That’s not to say that the turnover differential hasn’t upset me, especially when the offense has made what seemed like careless turnovers, but the combination of missed kicks and bungled punts has been infuriating.

Kicker Harrison Butker was injured in the very first game of the season and simply hasn’t been himself since. Butker has hit on a career-low 75% of his field goals (18 of 24) when his previous worst was 89%. He’s been especially bad from long range where he is just 3-7 from 50+ yards. For some kickers that wouldn’t be unusual, but over the two previous seasons (2020 & 2021) he was 11 of 13 from 50+ yards. He’s also missed three extra points this season. Now unlike the field goal issue, that is unfortunately normal for Butker as he has averaged three missed extra points per season over his six-year career. Either way, it is still incredibly frustrating and if their kicking woes continue in the playoffs it could easily end up costing them a game and subsequently their season.

I wish that was the end of the Chiefs’ special teams issues this year, but punt returns have been equally problematic. The trio of Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman, and Kadarius Toney have combined for five fumbles on punt returns this season, and four of those resulted in a loss of possession. Those turnovers are absolute game-changers. To go from stopping the opposing team and getting the ball back to gifting them the ball about 50 yards downfield is brutal for any team. While three of those lost fumbles come from Skyy Moore, he isn’t the only culprit and the entire punt return unit has been a mess this season. Even when the punt returner does what is probably the wise thing and allows the punt to bounce, it seems like there are other Chiefs players WAY too close to a live ball.

Dave Toub has a reputation for being one of the best special teams coaches in the NFL, but the Chiefs’ kicking game and punt returns have been a mess this year. The team has legit Super Bowl dreams this year, but it just needs to make sure that the special teams aren’t the reason those dreams turn into a nightmare.

Now let’s talk about some keys to the game that are based on this specific matchup instead of KC just avoiding their regular issues.

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