Perhaps the most exciting and energizing stretch of football in Duval County has come to an end, at least for now. After injecting a new life into the franchise, first-year Jaguars coach Doug Pederson and second-year QB Trevor Lawrence saw their 6-game winning streak ended at the hands of Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl favorite Kansas City Chiefs. The loss comes in the Jags’ first divisional round appearance since 2017, and on the heels on an emotional comeback win against the Chargers last week.
The team had opportunities to turn the momentum of this game that they failed to capitalize on. However, nobody should be blaming this young squad for falling short against a team few game them a chance against throughout the week, even consider the hampering of Patrick Mahomes. This will be an unfamiliar offseason for the team and the fanbase as the team plans to draft at the back end of the first round and can feel its head bumping up against the salary cap ceiling.
As we fans continue to process the loss and slowly re-orient back into off-season mode, there are a few key takeaways from this game that will be important to keep in mind moving forward.
1. Missed opportunities were too much for this team to overcome.
It had to happen eventually. Since their comeback win against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Jaguars (defensively in particular) have been incredibly opportunistic. They finished tied for 4th in turnover created alongside the respected defenses of the Eagles and Bills. Many games for this team were decided by the Jaguars generating points and opportunities on the defensive end. Look now further than Rayshawn Jenkins’ Pick-6 to bury the Cowboys in Week 15, or Josh Allen’s fumble return TD against the Titans to seal the division championship in Week 18. The Jaguars missed on opportunities on both sides of the ball against Kansas City. A missed TD pass to Kirk and a dropped interception both felt like chances for the Jags to seize momentum in a game they struggled to capture it.
2. Interior Offensive Line will once again be a need this off-season.
Kentucky rookie Luke Fortner had a respectable rookie campaign starting next to the expensive free-agent acquisition Brendan Scherff, but those two, along with guard Tyler Shatley, were not able to perform against the Chiefs in a costly way. Steve Spagnola and his defensive line, led by Chris Jones, made life hell for Trevor and clearly affected the Jaguars’ confidence in dialing shot plays. Trevor was frequently pressure as a result of mismanaged blocking assignments by the interior line. Finding better, cheaper talent to solidify this portion of the offensive line will be an incredibly important sub-plot as the Jaguars also decide on the future of impending free-agent Jawaan Taylor.
3. The young Linebackers need to improve.
Devin Lloyd looked like a home-run selection at pick 27 of the 2022 NFL draft after an impressive first month in the league. He registered back-to-back games with an interception during the Jaguars hot start against the Colts and Chargers (Weeks 2 and 3), but was benched in favor of Muma. Muma has played like a much more polished tackler and communicator in Mike Caldwell’s defense, but I am still left with questions about his coverage capabilities.
Opposing tight ends posed a matchup issue for the two rookies, leaving assignments on players like Gerald Everett and Travis Kelce to fall primarily on Rayshawn Jenkins in the playoffs. Rayshawn is at his best playing as a ranging ball-hawk, so the growth of Lloyd and Muma into linebackers capable of neutralizing threats at the TE position may be critical for the Jaguars’ defense to take a step forward next year.
4. Resigning Evan Engram is free-agency priority number 1.
Engram produced at a career level in his first season with Trevor and Doug Pederson. His 5 catches and 31 yards in this final game aren’t gaudy stats by any means, but he proved to be reliable. Hist first down catch-and-run in the fourth quarter was the quintessential example of what he’s been for the team this season. In addition, he clearly has become a cultural fit for this locker room. He neared tears during an interview alongside Zay Jones and Christian Kirk while discussing his time in Jacksonville. This is a player who belongs with this team. GM Trent Baalke should not be afraid to be aggressive in his pursuit of keeping Evan in teal long-term.
5. The Jaguars have established the foundation to build something special.
This begins with signal caller Trevor Lawrence. His final stat line was uninspiring (24/39, 217yds, 1TD/1INT), but he repeatedly made clutch plays in critical down-and-distance situations. The most impressive of these came on the Jaguar’s third-to-final drive, where Trevor scrambled to his left out of the pocket and leveled Chiefs CB LaJarious Sneed in order to convert on a massive 3rd-and-10. Beyond the play of the franchise QB, the leadership provided by Doug Pederson and his staff has been critical in rallying a team that had no idea how to win for the first half of the year.
With those two pieces set, the Jags can anticipate the reinstatement of WR Calvin Ridley, who was acquired by the team at the trade deadline earlier this season. His presence will bolster the talent of a receiving room that, for the time being, includes Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Evan Engram. There were multiple points throughout the night where it felt the Jaguars needed one more body to stretch out the Chiefs’ defense, and Calvin Ridley will be a huge piece for that. This team will move into next season as the likely division favorite and a candidate to take another massive step forward towards contention.
The Jaguars have given us a season to remember. From incredible comebacks to electrifying plays, it’ll be easy to get caught in the moment of disappointment at the end, but this game is as important as any to hold on to and learn from. The Chiefs did an excellent job of attacking the Jaguars weaknesses, and that may ultimately have been the difference-maker in the competition for an AFC Championship Game bid. Targeting these weaknesses while appreciating the game the Jags put together this week will be the first step of moving into an off-season where the team will be looking to cement itself atop the AFC South once again.
I would just add my two cents that Doug Pederson has done an incredible job inspiring and mentoring this group of guys who had such failed leadership in the previous head coach. It’s amazing to see the turnaround in the players’ mindset over the course of the season.