JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Simply 5 video games into the season, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have skilled the end result of what happens if you do not make the game-winning play within the last minutes.
Monday's 31-28 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars was essentially the most crushing this season for Kansas Metropolis coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and go rusher Chris Jones.
Regardless of Mahomes' heroics in main the offense to a late landing that gave the Chiefs a four-point lead, the protection could not cease Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence from engineering a game-winning drive that culminated in his 1-yard rush into the tip zone within the last minute.
“Clearly, it sucks,” Mahomes mentioned. “You let a sport slip away. It nonetheless sucks everytime you get a lead and you are not in a position to maintain it.”
Every of the Chiefs' three defeats have include one-score outcomes. Final season, as they had been making an attempt to change into the primary NFL group within the Tremendous Bowl period to perform a three-peat, the Chiefs received 11 one-score video games, essentially the most in a single marketing campaign within the league's historical past.
“We've got the blokes and we have executed at sure factors in video games and appeared actually good, however we crush ourselves with penalties and errors,” Mahomes mentioned. “We have achieved that to ourselves all season lengthy. It has been one man right here or there. On this league, it is so shut that these [moments] change video games.
“We have to be higher. We have misplaced too many video games already.”
On the Jaguars' last drive, Lawrence dealt with the Chiefs' blitz properly, throwing an ideal go to vast receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a 33-yard achieve with the ball positioned simply above of the outstretched arm of cornerback Jaylen Watson.
When the Chiefs had correct protection, Lawrence countered by utilizing his legs to achieve chunks of yards. Even when Lawrence stumbled below middle, with the Jaguars on the 1-yard line, he was nonetheless in a position to stand up and scamper throughout the objective line for the successful rating.
“I believed a number of instances we had him,” Jones mentioned of Lawrence. “We have simply bought to complete. Us, as a line of defense, we have to be extra disciplined on our rush lanes. We let Trevor get out a number of instances, particularly within the crimson zone. That is on the D-line. We have to be cognizant on our gaps. I take that non-public, the containment of the quarterback.”
Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs' longtime defensive coordinator, usually did not put a spy defender on Lawrence, who did simply sufficient together with his legs to make the Chiefs' pay. Lawrence, who shouldn't be identified for his pace or scrambling skill, scrambled to run a career-high eight instances, based on Subsequent Gen Stats. He entered Monday's sport with simply 4 scramble dashing touchdowns in his five-year profession.
When the Jaguars executed a designed operating play, usually for operating again Travis Etienne Jr., they averaged simply 3.1 yards per try. Lawrence, nonetheless, led the Jaguars with 53 dashing yards and two dashing touchdowns.
“He can construct up pace in a rush, particularly if he goes proper down the center of the protection,” Kansas Metropolis linebacker Nick Bolton mentioned of Lawrence. “We undoubtedly talked about it [in preparation last week]. We knew he may use his legs.”
Reid and nearly each participant within the Chiefs' locker room talked about one issue that led to the loss: penalties. In an uncharacteristic method, Kansas Metropolis dedicated 13 penalties (the franchise's most since November 2018) for 103 yards (essentially the most since December 2019).
Early within the second quarter, the Chiefs held a 14-point lead and had been another profitable play on protection from forcing Jacksonville to punt the ball again to them. However on third-and-15, Watson dedicated a go interference penalty whereas making an attempt to cowl Thomas.
“I've simply bought to play higher and never go away it within the ref's fingers,” Watson mentioned. “Anytime the protection has an opportunity to go win the sport, we wish to win the sport. It is a dangerous feeling.”
On the identical drive, the Chiefs practically had an interception. Lawrence's intermediate go was behind wideout Tim Patrick, ensuing within the ball being touched in succession by cornerback Trent McDuffie, Bolton and linebacker Drue Tranquill. Seven performs later, Lawrence discovered vast receiver Parker Washington in the long run zone for a 3-yard strike.
“The ball bounced the unsuitable manner,” Bolton mentioned. “It got rid of of me and Drue's fingers. We simply must discover a approach to catch that ball. That will've stopped seven factors, saved them at zero and our offense having the ball to go rating. We undoubtedly gave them life slightly bit once I dropped that interception.”
The Chiefs' last penalty was one the protection could not overcome.
With the Jaguars 14 yards away from pay grime with 38 second left, Lawrence focused Thomas in the long run zone. Security Chamarri Conner, who was unable to show his head towards the ball in time, was flagged for go interference, giving the Jaguars the ball on the 1-yard line and organising Lawrence's landing run.
“That is what hurts so much,” Kansas Metropolis linebacker Leo Chenal mentioned of the protection's failures. “We have established that belief the place the offense can lean on us in these [late-game] moments. It actually hurts that we did not maintain up our finish. Each single man feels it.”
