The Kansas City Chiefs (0-1) look to collect their first victory of the 2023 NFL season on Sunday when they travel to Jacksonville, Flordia, to play Trevor Lawrence and the Jags (1-0). Oddsmakers currently predict the Chiefs leaving the Sunshine State with a 1-1 record, with an implied win probability of 62%, leaving Jacksonville’s implied chances at just 37%.
The line currently sits with the Chiefs at -3.5, and the Over/Under Game Total is 51, courtesy of our partners at BETus.
In Week 1, Kansas City had a strong showing in the first half against the Detroit Lions. Unfortunately, drops and other offensive miscues kept Dan Campbell’s team in it, and the Lions were able to find the end zone on a nine-play drive late in the fourth quarter, which was followed up with a brilliant defensive effort to force Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to turn the ball over on downs to collect the win.
Still, the Chiefs offense stacks up as one of the top offenses in the league statically after one week of football, ranking 12th overall, ninth in passing, and 21st on the ground, per Pro Football Reference. Mahomes finished Week 1, going 21 of 39 for 226 yards, throwing two touchdowns and one interception. Mahomes also currently leads the Chiefs in rushing with six carries for 45 yards.
Although their defense appeared to hold their own – only allowing 21 points – against Detroit last Thursday, Kansas City’s defense sits near the bottom tier of the NFL, ranking 26th overall, 27th against the pass, and 24th against the ground game.
After allowing rushers David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs to combine for 116 yards and a score on 28 carries, and Jared Goff complete 22 of 35 for 253 yards and a score, the Chiefs will have their hands full with a more explosive up-and-coming Jaguars offensive unit.
The Jaguars rank tenth overall after defeating the Indianapolis Colts last week and have plenty of playmakers to move the chains – ranking seventh in passing and 12th in rushing. A player to watch for is running back Travis Etienne, who finished last week with 18 touches for 77 yards and a score. He also had five catches for 27 yards.
Defensively, Jacksonville isn’t the team Kansas City will find much success against when running with the ball – at least on paper. The Jags’ run defense ranks fourth in the league after one week when they held the Colts to just 65 total yards on the ground. However, Mahomes and his receivers could have a field day against Jacksonville’s 22nd-ranked pass defense.
Rookie Anthony Richardson found plenty of air space to throw the football against the Jacksonville secondary, completing 24 of 37 passes for 223 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. As long as the Kansas City receiving core is on the same page, the Chiefs should come away with a similar outcome.
