JACKSONVILLE – The game is the thing, and make no mistake:

When the Jaguars play host to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, it will be a very important game.

This is the fun stuff, and the reason it's fun is the resurgent and very, very improved Jaguars will be playing one of the NFL's glamour teams – and its most consistent franchise in the last decade – in a game that matters very much for both teams.

More than hype, more than pre-game buildup, what matters for the Jaguars is the game itself and what it means for this season.

"It's just the next opportunity," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. "It's the next game."

For the Jaguars, it's a chance at a third consecutive victory – and to either remain tied with the Indianapolis Colts or take sole possession of first place in the AFC South.

"Just a great opportunity," Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen called it. "We have done so many good things. It is truly about us getting better, improving, taking the next step in all three phases and just go trust it and play."

For the Chiefs, it's also a chance at a third consecutive victory – and a chance to continue solidifying themselves for a run to what would be an 11^th consecutive postseason appearance.

It's a game between two AFC contenders, with the Chiefs very accustomed to that status and the Jaguars rejoining that status after a lost season in 2024.

This is really cool early October football, a prime-time – and nationally-televised – game. That means it's a chance for the Jaguars to show the NFL world what those who have been paying attention already know: That this is a new era for this franchise.

A victory would mean a lot for the Jaguars on multiple levels. Here are 10 things they must do to get it:

1. Run. Keep circling this and keep remembering its importance to Coen's offense. This team is going to run. When it does so successfully, it will be very hard to beat – and it will be in most games at the end.
2. Be physical. The Jaguars have been the most physical team in each of the first four games of the season. Toughness and physicality are now the trademarks of this franchise. The Jaguars must show them again Monday.
3. Turn the ball over. The Jaguars have forced a league-high 13 turnovers in four games. That pace isn't sustainable, but they need to sustain some level of takeaways against the Chiefs. Momentum and big plays will matter Monday, and there are no bigger plays – and no bigger momentum-builders – than takeaways.
4. Red-zone touchdowns. The Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback are going to score points, and few leads are safe. What the Jaguars don't want is to be in the fourth quarter and looking back at two or three drives that should have been touchdowns that ended in field goals or turnovers. The Jaguars must take advantage of opportunities Monday.
5. Disrupt, disrupt, disrupt. This is about the Jaguars' defensive front – and specifically about defensive end Josh Hines-Allen. Hines-Allen is disrupting games and playing at perhaps the highest level of his NFL career. His goal is to be All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year. Performing on stages such as Monday's make those goals happen.
6. Keep blocking. This is a very rudimentary way of saying the Jaguars' offensive line has performed at a high level for four games. Lawrence wasn't touched in a victory over the San Francisco 49errs this past Sunday and the line didn't allow a sack. The line also has run-blocked strikingly consistently. The unit is a bit beat up, but it must stay at their Weeks 1-4 level Monday.
7. Hit a big one. Lawrence's longest touchdown pass of the season is 11 yards and he has missed some deep opportunities this season. Hitting one in an environment such as Monday's would be huge.
8. Forget the helmet – and forget Mahomes. The Chiefs have been good for a long, long time. They expect to win big games. That's fine. What the Jaguars can't do Monday is worry about the Chiefs' history and reputation. The Jaguars are good enough to win Monday. If they believe that, they can and should win.
9. Feed off the crowd. The 'Bank is expected to be full Monday and at a frenzy for the first Monday Night Football game in Jacksonville since late 2023. This is the fun stuff, the crazy stuff. The Jaguars must seize that moment.
10. Just win. The Jaguars have scraped and clawed their way to victories the past two weeks. They may have to do so again Monday. That's fine. They're getting good at that.