JACKSONVILLE – This one bothered the Jaguars a lot. With reason.

The Jaguars on Sunday afternoon lost to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, 17-9, at Everbank Stadium in the 2023 regular-season home opener. It was the Jaguars' third loss to the Chiefs in 11 months.

The disappointment Sunday perhaps wasn't as much about losing as the nature of the loss. The Jaguars had multiple chances to take control early. They had multiple chances to tie and perhaps take the lead late. They repeatedly failed to take advantage.

The Jaguars in two losses to the Chiefs last season never really felt like the better team. A Jaguars victory in either game would have felt like an upset.

Sunday had a different feel. The Jaguars' defense did a nice job limiting a powerful Chiefs offense and the teams never were separated by more than a score. It was what was expected to be a very good Jaguars offense that struggled Sunday, failing to score a touchdown and resulting in Head Coach Doug Pederson and players unanimously bemoaning a unit-wide lack of execution.

That was surprising. And disappointing. And it's why this one bothered these guys a lot. With reason.

Let's get to it …

JT from Palm Coast

Have the learn to cash in fortunate turnovers against the elite teams.

Lost opportunities defined this one. The Jaguars scored six points on five possessions past midfield Sunday. They scored six points on three red-zone possessions. They scored three points off three turnovers. Those statistics usually don't beat good teams.

Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ

Yep, offensive line still sucks!

This was the much-ballyhooed, sometimes-overreactive, oft-entertaining First Email of the Game. The reaction in this case, while perhaps characteristically a bit extreme, was at least somewhat warranted. The line has struggled at some key times in each of the first two weeks. This was expected to be a strength entering the season. It hasn't been that yet.

Paul from Lake City

I've seen a ton of complaining about the play-calling since last Sunday. I'm confused about how play calling makes linemen not block and receivers not catch?

Pederson talked about execution a lot after Sunday's game. When coaches talk about execution, they usually mean something went wrong after the play call.

Frank from St. Augustine, FL

Johnny. What was I missing? No Tank in the Bank in the first half?

You weren't missing anything. Rookie running back Tank Bigsby did not get a carry Sunday. The Jaguars have many good plays and many personnel packages. Not every good player is going to get a carry or a catch in every game.

Josh from Atlanta

Huge drive to end the half.

The Jaguars drove 44 yards in five plays at the end of the first half, a possession that used 27 seconds and resulted in a 49-yard field goal by kicker Brandon McManus. It indeed was a big drive at a big moment. The Chiefs had taken momentum with a touchdown drive late in the first half. The late field goal negated that momentum a bit.

Sascha from Cologne

Hey, John. Looks like the defense is better than many observers thought. Right now, for me it seems like the offensive line is the big weakness. What are your thoughts?

That the defense is better than observers thought, and the line must play better.

Princefigs from Jax

For the love of all that is good and Holy in this world, take play calling away from Press Taylor

Did you want it taken away in the second halves of games last season?

_Bill from Jacksonville _

John, the Jaguars said before the season they liked their offensive line. Oh, there goes another wide receiver screen. Well, they're calling plays like they're terrified of their offensive line. What gives?

The Jaguars' offensive line has not played as well in the first two games as would be ideal. Throwing quick passes to the wide receivers is not by definition being "terrified of their offensive line." Such a play more often is about trying to get the ball quicky to a receiver to take advantage of numbers or spacing on a side of the field.

Wade from Westside

So much for that high powered Jags offense.

The Jaguars' offense had a rough week. Few expected it to be that rough. Coaches and players sure didn't. Professional football is hard. One rough week does not mean the Jaguars don't have a high-powered offense. It means the offense must play better.

Ryan from Kansas City

Going for it on fourth-and-five from midfield when your offense can't do anything was certainly a choice. That's going to be the reason for this loss.

This was sent immediately after the Chiefs' first touchdown. It came on a 50-yard drive just before halftime that began when Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones sacked quarterback Trevor Lawrence on fourth-and-five from the Chiefs 45. Pederson is aggressive. He's not going to change. Sometimes you kill the bear. Sometimes the bear kills you.