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What Is at Stake for Jaguars Against Chiefs
Sep 21, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars fans cheer during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

The NFL is, in many ways, about respect. And for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Week 5 presents their best chance in years of earning respect around the league and country.

Facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, the 3-1 Jaguars are getting the chance to face a marquee franchise on a national stage. And that is why despite it being an otherwise humdrum Week 5 game against a non-AFC South foe, there is still plenty at stake for the Jaguars and Liam Coen.

What's At Stake

Simply put, the Jaguars should play with a chip on their shoulders every week. Even with a hot start, the Jaguars are still viewed at large as ... just the Jaguars. But defeating the Chiefs on a grand stage? That is the kind of win that could put a jetpack on the Jaguars' momentum after the first month of the season.

“I think that's definitely become a little bit part of who we are. Look, to gain and earn respect, you have to go take it, and we can do—there's just not much you can say besides your tape being your resume and earning respect obviously in the way that we play and the style in which we want to play the game with," Coen said on Saturday.

Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

"But also winning, going and taking wins, is also really important. So, I think that these guys are confident but also understand that we have a great opponent coming in, but this is truly about us. Let's go take the next step as a team and see what happens.”

With that said, the Jaguars' locker room knows they can't make this game any bigger than it actually is -- because it is already big enough.

"It's just another game. I feel like we got to stop looking at things in that short if we want to get to where those organizations are. Chiefs are not looking at this like it's the Super Bowl. So it's the biggest game because it is the next one," Travis Etienne said this week. "I feel like that's what we got to do a better job of as a team and as an organization. Just expect to win these games, and that's the only way we are going to continue to get better."


This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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