Kansas City faces Monday Night Football against Jacksonville with Xavier Worthy's status up in the air after a shoulder/ankle update. If Worthy sits, Bashard Smith and Rashid Rice must rise to the occasion, while Mahomes and Kelce anchor a retooled attack and the line must lean on balance and playmaking from the backs. Devin Lloyd’s coverage challenge against Kelce looms large for the Jaguars, and Spagnuolo’s defense must pressure Trevor Lawrence while avoiding turnovers to pull a win on the road.

Whether Worthy suits up or not, KC leans on Kelce, Rice, and an adjusted motion game to keep Jacksonville off balance. If Worthy plays, the Chiefs still need a sharper run game and a plan to keep the offense from becoming one-dimensional. Jacksonville counters with Lloyd’s speed and a rising pass rush, while KC looks to a deeper receiving corps and a sharper game plan to stay atop the AFC West.

Chiefs offense re-emerges with Xavier Worthy back, Rasheed Rice stepping up, and Mahomes slicing defenses with a deeper target tree led by Kelce. Jacksonville answers with Trevor Lawrence maturing into a true engine, Devin Lloyd's disruptive defense, and a growing run game that can punch back in a tight, playoff-like matchup. Turnovers, edge pressure, and run-game balance will tilt a Monday night duel that should stay close into the late minutes.

Major storylines hinge on whether KC can sustain its new-look weaponry and whether Jacksonville can close the minor gaps that have kept them from running away with games. Expect a grinders’ tempo, big plays in bursts, and a final sequence decided by composure in crunch time.