Jaguars insist MNF matchup with the Chiefs is 'about us' and not the 3-time defending AFC champs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — For Kansas City, it’s just another prime-time game. For Jacksonville, it’s a chance for a statement game.

Although the Jaguars (3-1) have lost eight in a row in the series — their most recent victory came in 2009 — they are approaching their "Monday Night Football" matchup against the three-time defending AFC champion Chiefs (2-2) with a “who cares about the past” mentality.

New team. New year. New outlook.

“It’s not about the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s not about Patrick Mahomes. It’s about us,” Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said. “If we come out there and we execute what we do, we can play with anybody in the National Football League. …

“Obviously, when they’re really good, they’re really good. But when you can affect them, you can affect them, and it shows.”

Jacksonville has a growing belief that the franchise’s latest rebuild is sustainable. The Jaguars already have proof of concept under general manager James Gladstone, head coach Liam Coen and executive vice president Tony Boselli.

The Jags have been more physical than their opponents though four weeks, evidenced by having the league’s fourth-best rushing attack and a league-leading 13 takeaways.

“How are we going to come into this game? We’re going to come in fast, violent and efficient,” Hines-Allen said.

The Chiefs come in with some momentum, having won their past two games in lopsided fashion to get to .500. They’re coming off a 37-20 victory against Baltimore in which Mahomes threw four touchdown passes.

“The guys made plays, and we were able to score a lot of points," Mahomes said. "But I’m always big on execution, executing the plays that were called and everybody on the same page. That’s something we did at a high level this past game.”

Kansas City’s eight-game winning streak against Jacksonville is tied for the franchise’s longest current run — one the Jaguars would love to end and potentially change the narrative about a franchise that’s endured 11 losing seasons in its past 14 years.

“Just looking at what it is, (Kansas City has) been the team to beat in the AFC,” Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence said. “They’ve been the top dog and they’ve kind of ran the conference. This is an opportunity for us to show what kind of team we are.

“You don’t have to be Superman or anything like that, but you have to play well.”

After a disastrous 2023 season in which the Chiefs were minus-11 in turnover differential, they were a bit better last season (plus-6) and are continuing to trend in the right direction. They have forced four through the first four games but, perhaps more importantly, given the ball away just once. That is tied for the fewest giveaways in the league this season.

Jaguars receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter was pulled from the game defensively last week after dinging his shoulder and then giving up a first down. Hunter continued to play on offense, partly because Dyami Brown was sidelined for the game, and finished with a season-low 49 snaps.

Coen raved about the leaping 28-yard reception Hunter made on a third down play and said he’s making strides.

“We missed him on a few other opportunities,” Coen said, pointing to two deep routes in which he was wide open. “I thought that was a step in the right direction actually, offensively for sure. Been very pleased with Travis.”

The return of Xavier Worthy from a shoulder injury was a big reason why the Kansas City offense found its stride last week against Baltimore.

It wasn’t just that Worthy had five catches for 83 yards, or two carries for 38. It was that his world-class speed made the Ravens guard against the deep pass, allowing others to get open. Mahomes threw four TD passes, each of them to a different player.

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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid watches from the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) is stopped while running against Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41), DaVon Hamilton and defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Kelley L. Cox)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes calls out on the line of scrimmage during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2) reacts after intercepting a pass by Houston Texans quarterback CJ. Stroud, not visible, during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

LONDON (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was meeting the French, German and British leaders in London on Monday as Kyiv’s European allies try to strengthen Ukraine’s hand in thorny talks on a U.S.-backed plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was due to gather with Zelenskyy, President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the British leader’s 10 Downing St. residence.

Zelenskyy said late Sunday that his talks with European leaders this week in London and Brussels will focus on security, air defense and long-term funding for Ukraine’s war effort. The leaders are working to ensure that any ceasefire is backed by solid security guarantees both from Europe and the U.S. to deter Russia from attacking again.

U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators completed three days of talks on Saturday aimed at trying to narrow differences on the U.S. administration’s peace proposal.

Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram that talks had been “substantive” and that National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov were traveling back to Europe to brief him.

A major sticking point in the proposal is the suggestion Ukraine must cede control of its eastern Donbas region to Russia, which illegally occupies most but not all of its territory. Ukraine and its European allies have balked at the idea of handing over land.

In an exchange with reporters on Sunday night, President Donald Trump appeared frustrated with Zelenskyy, claiming the Ukrainian leader “hasn’t yet read the proposal.”

“Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I’m not sure that Zelenskyy’s fine with it," Trump said before taking part in the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington. "His people love it, but he hasn't read it."

Trump has had a hot-and-cold relationship with Zelenskyy since riding into a second White House term insisting that the war was a waste of U.S. taxpayers’ money. Trump has also repeatedly urged the Ukrainians to cede land to Russia to bring an end to the nearly four-year conflict.

The European talks follow the publication of a new U.S. national security strategy that alarmed European leaders and was welcomed by Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the document, which spells out the administration’s core foreign policy interests, was largely in line with Moscow’s vision.

The document released Friday by the White House said the U.S. wants to improve its relationship with Russia after years of Moscow being treated as a global pariah and that ending the war is a core U.S. interest to “reestablish strategic stability with Russia.”

The document also says NATO must not be “a perpetually expanding alliance,” echoing another complaint of Russia’s. It was scathing about the migration and free speech policies of longstanding U.S. allies in Europe, suggesting they face the “prospect of civilizational erasure” due to migration.

Starmer’s government has declined to comment on the American document, saying it is a matter for the U.S. government.

As diplomatic efforts continued, Russian forces continued to assault Ukraine over the weekend. At least four people were killed in drone and missile strikes on Sunday, while Moscow continues to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure as winter sets in.

Meanwhile, Russian air defenses destroyed 67 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Monday. The drones were shot down over 11 Russian regions, it said.

Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.

FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron, right, welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Dec. 1, 2025 before a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Services on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, a rescue worker puts out a fire of a residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Sumy region, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Services on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, a rescue worker puts out a fire of a car in front of a residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Sumy region, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)