The Chiefs now face another surprise AFC contender to deal with

You have to beat the best to be the best, which is a mantra every team facing the Kansas City Chiefs has had to tell itself before going up against Patrick Mahomes. However, the Chiefs are no longer the team to beat in the conference.

Of course, that doesn't mean Andy Reid's team isn't a legitimate contender. It just means that they can't afford to look past other contenders anymore, especially after what some of them did at the trade deadline.

That's especially the case for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Liam Coen's team was already looking strong in the AFC, but adding Jordan Davis and Jessie Bates III to the mix has officially elevated them to Super Bowl contender status.

The Chiefs might have to go through Trevor Lawrence and the Jags in the AFC

According to NFL Savant, the Jaguars already ranked first in net EPA per play this season (+0.28). Their offensive line and defense were still a work in progress, though, so watching them address the secondary and bolster the defensive line all in the same day may have sounded the alarm for AFC contenders.

The Jaguars rank second in the league with a 55.6 percent goal-line stop rate, and they now have Davis stuffing the middle of the defensive line. Their pass defense ranks 18th with 238.5 passing yards allowed per game, and they now have one of the best safeties in the game as their defensive center fielder.

Fortunately, the Chiefs won't have to deal with them in the regular season, but they're not out of the woods yet. Both teams have two losses, and while the race for the top seed in the AFC is still far from over, there's a legitimate chance that the Jaguars will secure a top-two spot, given their weak division.

Mahomes has enjoyed plenty of success against the Jaguars in the past, going 4-1 as a starter. Then again, as we've already established, the Chiefs are no longer the juggernaut they once were during their Super Bowl runs.

Fortunately, they didn't stand pat at the deadline. Adding Josh Downs to the mix gives them a third-down specialist and — finally — someone to turn to in high-stakes situations. The Chiefs also inquired about Brian Thomas Jr., though the Jaguars probably made the right call by not helping a fellow contender.

There's still plenty of football to be played, and stacked teams don't always get the job done in real life. That said, the Jaguars are clearly a force to be reckoned with now.

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