'A good test': Jaguars get set for yet another rematch vs. Chiefs in home-opener

Just another game?

The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) are getting set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs (0-1) at EverBank Stadium in the team's home opener Sunday.

As the week has progressed, the weight of this contest has been felt around the City of Jacksonville with fans expected to fill the stadium.

As of Friday evening, there were only standing-room tickets available for the contest.

For the first time in team history, the defending Super Bowl champions are taking a trip to Duval for the team's home opener.

Still, for the team, while there is certainly some extra motivation and the team understands the importance of the matchup, they don't want the contest to be bigger than it needs to be in Week 2.

“It’s Week 2. It’s the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s the next one on our schedule. We know everything about the game and the importance of the game, but we’re looking to improve from Week 1," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said Friday.

"We love the fact that the game is here at home in front of our fans and all that. Everybody treats it differently, but for me personally, it’s the next one on the schedule against a really good team.”

Still, Jaguars receiver Chrisitan Kirk noted Wednesday this week will be a good test for the team.

"Yeah, it'll be a good test for us early in the season to see where we're at. This is gonna be a tight football game, and we know that adversity is gonna strike," said Kirk. "I think it's big for us, Week 2, to really get a taste of the caliber of football and the level of football that we wanna play.

We're gonna have to beat teams like this to get to where we wanna go. I think it's really for us to approach it that way and I'm looking forward to seeing how we respond when things get tough and hopefully come out on the positive side of things."

'Born leader': Jaguars safety Andre Cisco looks to take his game to new heights

The Jaguars lost to the Chiefs the last two times the team faced off, once during the regular season and again during the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs last season. While exacting revenge isn't the buzzword this week, motivation certainly has been.

"I think when you play an opponent like this, especially that you lost to two times last year, ultimately ending our season, there's definitely a little extra motivation for us, but like I said, we just want to take it one week at a time," Kirk noted.

Familiar face: Jaguars looking forward to facing off against former Jag Jawaan Taylor

Jawaan Taylor left the Jaguars for the Kansas City Chiefs on a big-money free-agency deal this past offseason. Taylor had been one of the team's ironmen, starting every game of his career in Jacksonville and very rarely missing a snap.

Now, he's set to be on the opposing sideline, something that outside linebacker Josh Allen, who was drafted in 2019 along with Taylor, is a bit more used to than others. He's faced him since college while at Kentucky and Taylor at Florida.

“Obviously, we get drafted together, so having those battles up there. Also, training with him in Orange Park and being able to do that with him is just awesome and I’m excited to play against him," Allen said earlier this week.

"Travon [OLB Travon Walker] is as well, Travon has been going against him since last year as well. He knows what we can do, we know what he can do, if we continue to do what we’re supposed to do, I think we’ll have a good opportunity to go win some rushes.”

Walker is looking forward to the matchup, too.

"Good battle, definitely exciting. You just go treat it like a regular game, any other opponent," Walker said in the locker room Friday.

Walker noted that Taylor's reach, and arm length (35.5 inches) is something that makes him a strong player.

Still, Walker said that while it's a challenge, he's confident in his abilities to overcome it.

"Just switch up my angles as he switches up his," he said.

Taylor came under scrutiny after Week 1 due to pre-snap motions and formation issues that were seen for the first time nationally last Thursday.

While Taylor's anticipation is sound and he gets off the ball quickly, he will be under close watch by the refs on Sunday as Jacksonville is certain to talk to the refs about his play.

“I’m sure they’ve been notified after that first game on Thursday night," Pederson said with a smile this week.

"Again, a good player, we know who he is and he did the same thing here. He has great anticipation with the snap count. I’m optimistic our crowd will be loud and if they use a silent count, he does a great job of getting off the ball there as well. If they call it, they don’t call it. It’s only so much you can say.”

Patrick Mahomes presents unique challenge for Jaguars' pass rush

Setting aside the fact that Mahomes is a two-time Super Bowl champion, two-time Super Bowl MVP, two-time league MVP, one-time NFL offensive player of the year, two-time first-team All-Pro and more, Mahomes has a unique escapability, able to avoid sacks with ease.

According to ESPN and NFL Next Gen Stats, Mahomes has the third-lowest sack percentage in the league since 2018 at 3.8 percent, tied with Ben Roethlisberger. Those ahead of him are Drew Brees (3.2 percent) and Tom Brady (3.4 percent).

That puts added pressure not just on the team's pass rushers led by Allen and Walker, but also on the defensive backs.

"You gotta go into every snap knowing that you might be covering longer than three seconds, four seconds. Plays can get lengthened and drawn out longer so pass rush and coverage gotta work together," Jaguars safety Andre Cisco said in the locker room Wednesday.

It's a double-edged sword attempting to rush against Mahomes, and Jacksonville will need a plan for it.

"It's tough, you want to disrupt quarterbacks, but when you disrupt him just like you said, that's playing into his hands because when he's off time, he's really more dangerous than when he's on time.," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said Thursday.

Jacksonville has yet to beat a Mahomes-led Chiefs team. They'll have a shot on Sunday.

Travis Kelce, Chris Jones set to play after missing Week 1

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid didn't bury the lede Friday when he mentioned that both tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones will suit up and play against Jacksonville on Sunday.

Kelce missed Week 1 against the Detroit Lions due to a hyperextended knee that led to a bone bruise. He practiced on a limited basis this week.

Jones, who recently signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs, missed all of training camp and the first game of the season due to a contract dispute. He practiced limited all week as well due to conditioning but will play Sunday as well.

Kelce has performed well against Jacksonville in the last two matchups. Though he hasn't had a world-beater type of game, he's certainly made an impact catching 20 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns between both of the team's contest last year.

"He’s a guy that is a great athlete, really good quickness, he’s in and out of breaks. He has a feel to be able to find the open spot," Caldwell said of Kelce. "You’ll have him covered one second, and next thing you look up and they’re on the same page. He takes one step to the right and there’s a ball."

As for Jones, he made an impact during the team's regular-season matchup with 1.5 sacks but accounted for just three total tackles against the Jaguars last year. He was credited with 10 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Still, Jones remains one of the best defensive tackles in football, accounting for 15.5 sacks last season.

"Just the combination of speed and power that he has. An insane athletic ability and the size he has. Kind of like [Colts defensive tackle] DeFrest Buckner, he can do certain things standing up that other guys can't do," Jaguars center Luke Fortner said when asked about Jones. Fortner noted that he's a player that the team will have to key in on.

Brandon Scherff, Luke Fortner will play despite ankle injuries

Both Jaguars interior linemen, Brandon Scherff and Luke Fortner will play Sunday against the Chiefs after dealing with ankle injuries throughout the week. Fortner's injury occurred before halftime of the team's game against the Colts in Week 1, while Scherff's ankle injury knocked him out most of the second half, injured just one drive coming out of halftime.

Scherff and Fortner practiced on a limited basis on Thursday and Friday this week.

Monday, Pederson noted that Scherff's loss would have been substantial.

"Yeah, it's obviously a loss for the offensive line, it's pretty substantial. But yeah, his leadership with Anton [Harrison] there and the communication they've had and the rapport they've had since the offseason," Pederson noted.

Rookie defensive tackle Tyler Lacy (hip) practiced on a limited basis this week and is officially listed as questionable to go along with Scherff and Fortner, but will suit up, according to Pederson.

Both rookie safety Antonio Johnson (hamstring) and cornerback Gregory Junior (hamstring) will not play, officially listed as out after missing practice this week.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X,  formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars get another shot at Kansas City Chiefs Sunday at home