Trevor Lawrence and Jags face uphill battle in Divisional Round vs. KC

Former Clemson football quarterback Trevor Lawrence led an improbable comeback last week after one of the worst first halves in NFL Playoff history as the Jags fell behind 27-0 and Lawrence threw 4 interceptions as the team totaled 5 first-half turnovers.

Somehow, the Jags found a way to win and though most will point to incompetence on the Chargers end, Jacksonville had to be ready to take advantage despite the huge deficit and that’s just what they did.

The challenge is even greater this week, with a road game in Kansas City against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs waiting.

The Chiefs come in as 8.5-point favorites, which to no one’s surprise, is the biggest of the NFL weekend’s four games.

While the majority (54%) of bettors are taking Kansas City and laying the points, the money is heavily on Jacksonville (80%).

But for the players, it’s all about winning and the question is, can Trevor, Travis and the rest of the Jaguars keep up with the Chiefs offense on the road.

In short, that’s going to be tough and they certainly can’t afford to fall behind early, much less 27 points at the half.

But, here’s a reminder that in the 2nd half last week Lawrence was 18 of 23 for 211 yards and 4 touchdowns, so we know playing well isn’t out of the realm of possibility for Lawrence.

The Jaguars also have a weapon out of the backfield in Etienne, that can turn a mundane running play into a huge gain.

Few other teams outside of the Giants and perhaps the 49ers have such a dynamic weapon that can be a factor in both the running and passing game.

The issue for Jacksonville is likely to be on defense stopping Mahomes and all of the Chiefs weapons.

Former Clemson football stars Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne give Jacksonville a shot in Kansas City

Most people believe it’s a year too early for Jacksonville and I tend to agree with that, but they wouldn’t be the first team in NFL history to get to the Conference Championship a year or two early with an upset and the Clemson duo in the backfield gives them a puncher’s chance on Saturday.

The game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. EST and will be televised on NBC.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change