The NFL season is coming down to a wire, and the Divisional Round is just around the corner. With the Kansas City Chiefs set to host the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday, it is time for some Chiefs bold predictions.
Kansas City comes off a first-round bye thanks for finishing at the top of the AFC. The team finished the regular season winning 10 out of its last 11 games. At 14-3, the Chiefs tied with the Philadelphia Eagles with the best record in the league.
For our Chiefs-Jaguars preview and full Divisional playoff predictions, listen below:
On the other side of the contest, the Jaguars are coming off a thrilling 31-30 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card Round. Jacksonville overcame a 27-0 deficit, the largest comeback in franchise history and the third largest in NFL playoff history.
Although Kansas City is rested and had a better regular season, Jacksonville should be extra motivated after its win versus the Chargers. With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Chiefs as they play the Jaguars in the Divisional Round.
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3. Kansas City holds Jacksonville to less than 100 rushing yards
There is no secret that Trevor Lawrence's growth in his sophomore year played a big role in Jacksonville's success. After completing just 59.6% of his passes and throwing a league-worst 17 picks as a rookie, he has significantly improved this season. In the regular season, he completed 66.3% of his passes and only eight interceptions. Notably, he has increased his passing touchdowns from 12 to 25.
Still, there are some areas of the offense that the Jaguars need to improve. Particularly, the running game had its ups and downs in 2022. The team has had under 100 rushing yards in seven games this season, including four consecutive times. The season-lowest came in the crucial Week 18 contest against the Tennessee Titans when the Jaguars had only 19 yards on the ground.
In the Wild Card Round, Travis Etienne Jr. was responsible for 109 out of the team's 117 rushing yards.
On Saturday, Kansas City should give Jacksonville some hard time on the ground. The Chiefs allowed 1,823 total rushing yards in the regular season, the eighth-best mark in the league. In their previous matchup, Jacksonville had only 75 yards.
With First-Team All-Pro Chris Jones leading the defensive line, the bold prediction is that the Chiefs will hold the Jaguars to less than 100 rushing yards. Jones and the defense should make a strong barrier for Etienne, limiting his presence during the matchup. Then, Jacksonville will need to solely focus on the passing game.
2. Patrick Mahomes goes off, finishes with 350+ total yards and multiple touchdowns
If Jacksonville can trust its quarterback, the same applies to Kansas City. Not only that but the Chiefs have an MVP-caliber player in Patrick Mahomes. Following the departure of Tyreek Hill in the offseason, there were many questions surrounding Kansas City's offense. However, Mahomes quickly silenced doubters with his elite performances.
The quarterback completed a career-high 67.1% of his passes for 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns, both league-bests, against 12 picks. He also added 358 yards on the ground for four scores. He ended up setting an NFL record for most total yards in a season by a quarterback (combined passing and rushing) with 5,608.
Mahomes had 10 games with 300-plus passing yards, which includes two 400-yard performances. He also had five contests with at least 30 rushing yards.
The Jaguars have allowed opponents to throw for 300-plus yards in 14 games this season, including the playoffs. Because of that, it would not be a surprise if Mahomes goes off through the air. Also, since Jacksonville is aware of his passing abilities, the team might pressure the quarterback more than usual, forcing him to use his legs.
The bold prediction is that Mahomes will end the day with at least 350 all-purpose yards and multiple touchdowns, whether they are through the air or ground.
1. Chiefs win by double digits
At the end of the day, it is difficult to ignore how Kansas City and Mahomes have played this year. The team has been one of the main frontrunners for the Super Bowl title since the preseason and has a good chance of reaching the big game for the third time in the last six years.
According to FanDuel, the Chiefs are the favorites to win against the Jaguars. Currently, the spread is -8.5, the largest among all Divisional Round games.
Based on what the Jaguars showed last week, the team is prepared to face adversity. However, if Kansas City opens a comfortable lead early on, it will be way more difficult for Jacksonville to bounce back as it did against Los Angeles.
All things considered, the bold prediction is that the Chiefs will end up winning. Additionally, they should cover the spread by having a double-digit victory. If that happens, Kansas City should be extra motivated to face either the Buffalo Bills or the Cincinnati Bengals, two strong contenders for the title, in the AFC Championship Game.
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