Gardner Minshew and the Jacksonville Jaguars couldn't muster a comeback with Nick Foles sidelined with injury, handing the Kansas City Chiefs a 40-26 win in Week 1.
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Final Score
Kansas City Chiefs 40, Jacksonville Jaguars 26
Kansas City Chiefs
A second-team All-Pro in 2018, Chiefs defensive interior Chris Jones continues to showcase his special ability as both a pass-rusher and run defender. Often matched up with Jaguars’ right guard A.J. Cann, Jones was able to win both inside and out, proving to be too much at times one-on-one.
Leonard Fournette has been pretty good about not putting the ball on the ground in his NFL career, but that all changed on a hit from Chiefs’ Damien Wilson in the third quarter. Wilson closed quickly on the Jaguars RB after a catch in the flat and forced Fournette to fumble for the first time in his NFL career.
Sammy Watkins showed what he's capable of when he's healthy. His first touchdown was a prime example, as he caught the ball over the middle, made a cut and dashed his way to a 68-yard touchdown untouched. His second score was the result of busted coverage, but his third touchdown came on a contested-catch against Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey. With Tyreek Hill injured, the Chiefs may need to lean on Watkins even more in the weeks to come.
Damien Williams and LeSean McCoy appear to be a solid one-two punch in the making at running back. McCoy showed great burst on the ground, while Williams was solid catching passes out of the backfield. Regardless of where they got their hands on the ball, both players showed a knack for making defenders miss.
Rookie Takeaways
Rookie defensive back Juan Thornhill had a solid outing. The former Virginia product earned a handful of positive marks in run defense and held his own in coverage.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Nick Foles’ debut for the Jaguars lasted just two drives before a shoulder injury forced him to exit the game, but the veteran QB helped get his team on the scoreboard with a beautiful deep ball 30-plus yards down the field that hit DJ Chark Jr. in stride for a touchdown.
Rookie QB Gardner Minshew was forced into action early after the injury to Foles, and despite the interception thrown to Chiefs’ Frank Clark, Minshew’s debut had some bright spots. His first career touchdown pass came on a nice throw in the fourth quarter to Dede Westbrook while rolling to his left to avoid pressure.
The Jaguars' defense constantly seemed lost defending the pass, as the Chiefs benefited from multiple busted coverages. Even when the Jaguars recognized the plays, they struggled to take the receivers down immediately after a reception.
The Jaguars struggled to put much pressure on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He mainly operated from a clean pocket throughout the game. Rookie edge defender Josh Allen had the most success among the Jaguars' pass rushers, as he generated a few pressures. However, none of them happened in a quick manner.
Rookie Takeaways
Rookie linebacker Quincy Williams really struggled in this one, picking up negative marks in run defense and in coverage on the day.
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