(09-14-2023, 01:51 PM)jaglou53 Wrote: I've gone back and forth on the eventual outcome of this game. Had Jones and Kelce been out, I'd have definitely gone with the Jaguars. Now that both are likely to play, the big question is how they'll perform coming back from injury (Kelce) and holdout (Jones). Hopefully it will be very sunny and hot since I do believe fatigue can be a factor for these two. What is most concerning, however, is the matchup advantage the Chiefs will have going up against our offensive line. This line is not great under the best of circumstances, but with Scherff and Fortner both banged up it will be extremely tough to protect Lawrence and open up holes for Etienne. Whoever ends up playing guard and center will need to step up big time. Can a potential line of Little, Bartch, Shatley, Hance and Harrison contain Jones and the Chiefs pass rush? If Fortner and Scherff aren't ready to go, the line could actually look like this. Scherff's absence would hurt most since Harrison has been helped by having this veteran by his side. While not impossible, my head says this matchup would be very difficult for the Jaguars to overcome on Sunday. In addition to this, I'm not confident that Trey Herndon can keep up with the Chiefs speedy slot players. As horribly as they played against the Lions, Toney, Moore and Rice are very quick and I see them being prime targets for Mahomes on Sunday.

Yeah. We have the same thoughts on this game. Precisely really. We know Mahomes is going to make his plays. There's just no getting around it. It's rare he's ever out of a game. His ability to create and strike quickly are in a class of it's own.

We're supposed to have the offense this year to keep pace with him and his offense. A lot of that was hitched to whether or not an already suspect offensive line could hold up and keep Lawrence upright or in the pocket comfortably. Once these little nicks and cracks start to appear our chances go down.

It's going to have to fall squarely on really three players for me in this game.

Josh Allen
Trevor Lawrence
Travon Walker

That's all I can wrap my head around. Those three guys all have to be on their A game to win this one. Josh and Travon have to not only put Mahomes in the dirt, they also have to contain him inside the pocket. Lawrence, who will undoubtedly not have the same luxury of competent, consistent offensive line play this Sunday will have to more than likely run his [BLEEP] off to keep the chains moving but he'll have to essentially play like Mahomes. Rollout, dip, duck and dodge. Move the pressure one way, etc. 

Tough order ahead of this team. I will be shocked if they win it. I think we'll either win by 3 to the tune of 31 to 28, or, it'll be very much like the last two outings where the game looks close on the scoreboard but it felt like in both outings that the Chiefs were always comfortably just a step or two ahead of us and in control the majority of the time. 

Either way. It'll be a fun game.

---