Jaguars vs. Chiefs: 5 bold predictions, including 2 INTs off Patrick Mahomes
• Here are five predictions for the game
Getting to beat the defending Super Bowl champion is something every team most likely aims for. The Jacksonville Jaguars will get a chance in Week 2 when they host the Kansas City Chiefs at EverBank Stadium. As of this writing, the Jags are a 3-5 underdog, meaning that sportsbooks favored the Chiefs to win this bout.
That said, the Jags have enough firepower to keep up with the Super Bowl champs. It won't be easy but Jacksonville has a realistic chance to pull off the upset. With that in mind, here are five predictions for Week 2.
5. The Jaguars will get 2 interceptions off Patrick Mahomes in Week 2
As great as Patrick Mahomes is, he's not exempt from having a rough outing every once in a while. Last season, he threw multiple interceptions in a game twice. The year before, it was three times. On Sunday, the Jaguars could hand him his first multi-pick game of the season.
Without a viable receiving threat, Mahomes will most likely lean on tight end Travis Kelce heavily. But even then, it's not a given that Kelce will play Sunday. One of the game's biggest plotlines is whether the future Hall-of-Famer will be ready. He's currently dealing with a hyperextended knee and missed the opener.
Updates from #Chiefs coach Andy Reid:
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 13, 2023
-- TE Travis Kelce (knee) will practice in a limited capacity, as he makes progress from his bone bruise.
-- DL Chris Jones, back from his holdout, will practice today and play on Sunday.
Kelce wanted to play against the Detroit Lions in spite of the staff's objections. The Chiefs did the right thing and forced him to sit out. If he isn't a full-go against the Jaguars, he'll miss his second consecutive game, which will add more pressure to Mahomes to work his magic.
Without a trusted target in the passing game, expect the Jaguars' defensive backfield to step in and intercept Mahomes twice.