Key Jaguars to watch during their Week 1 matchup vs. the Chiefs

The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Kansas City Chiefs in a highly anticipated game during Week 1 of the NFL season from TIAA Bank Field.

Things are about to get a bit bust down here in Jacksonville. Awaiting the Jaguars are the mighty Kansas City Chiefs and an offense that can score at any time on the field. The Jaguars defense hopes to have something to say about that.

The first game of the season means many things. There will be a lot of eyes on everyone on the team but certain players are just going to attract more of the spotlight than others.

Obviously, the wide receivers will be watched closely on each possession. They will be dissected – picking apart what they did well and what they need to improve upon. There will be other players who will draw attention to themselves, just by being on the field.

More from Jacksonville Jaguars News

• Jacksonville Jaguars should welcome Derrick Henry into the kingdom
• Jaguars Rumors: Trent Baalke seems to be getting respect now
• Jaguars News: This division rival might be making a big move
• Former Jacksonville Jaguars S Johnathan Cyprien: “New Profession, Same Standards”
• Jacksonville Jaguars TE Evan Engram officially gets the franchise tag: 3 takeaways

As we move closer to game time, here are four players to watch when the Jaguars step onto the field for the first time in the 2019 regular season.

1. Jalen Ramsey – The star of this team and the player most commonly referred as the face of the franchise, Jalen Ramsey is going to have all eyes on him as he lines up against one of the leagues best burners wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

Hill, who had could have possibly been suspended for this game, is cleared to play and will without a doubt be a key piece in the Chiefs offense. According to defensive coordinator Todd Wash, Ramsey will be covering Hill for the entire game.

Ramsey, who isn’t shy about expressing his feelings, called Tyreeke Hill a “return specialist” last season. It will be one of the most talked-about matchups throughout the game.

2. Nick Foles – The newly signed leader of the offense, Nick Foles will be a key player to watch and probably the one player most Jaguars fans are interested, if not excited, to see.

Each play will draw comparisons to quarterback play of the past. Fans are going to analyze what does on the field until they get tired of talking about. Big money contracts tend to do that.

It’s is only one week in a very long season, however, a strong showing in this game could answer a lot of questions and silence a lot of doubters. If Foles plays well it will most definitely give the Jaguars momentum moving forward.

The Chiefs have made some additions in the offseason to boost their defense, so this matchup will really show if both teams have gotten their money’s worth.

3. Josh Allen – The rookie edge rusher looked phenomenal during the preseason and he is someone that Jags fans should be excited to see. He will be lining up mainly as a pass rusher, but it will be interesting to see what defensive coordinator Todd Wash does with his rookie in sub-packages.

Josh Allen adds versatility, depth, and brings fear to opposing offenses. It might take a few weeks to adjust because rookies often don’t come out and dominate in their first week, however, a big game from Allen is going to inspire a lot of confidence from Jaguars fans moving forward as they once again try to become one of the best defenses in the NFL.

4. Yannick Ngakoue – Yannick Ngakoue is going to be a key Jaguars defender to watch this week. Not just because he is a phenomenal player, but also because he is in a contract year.

Ngakoue turned down a contract that made him one of the highest-paid ends in the league, he did this because he wanted long term deal instead of something that was only a short term solution.

Besides the contract talks, however, it will be interesting to see the front four of Ngakoue and Allen on the edge, and Calais Campbell and Marcell Dareus playing the tackle positions. This unit has the potential to be the best, most feared defensive line in the NFL.