JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser examines five key plays from the Jaguars' 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in a 2025 Week 5 game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville Monday
1. Grit and guts. The play that will forever stand out in one of the most memorable victories in Jaguars history also was one of the most unlikely, wild and weird plays in franchise history: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence's 1-yard, slip-twice, fall-once, break-a-tackle run with :23 remaining that gave the Jaguars their final lead and their third consecutive victory. Lawrence on first-and-goal from the 1 had his foot stepped on by guard Patrick Mekari. He got up, broke a tackle by Chiefs defensive lineman Jerry Tillery and dove into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
"Panic, honestly," Lawrence said when asked what went through his mind when he fell. "I was trying to get up to get the ball out of my hands. We didn't have any timeouts. I was really going to stand up and launch it out of the back of the end zone. But I had a little bit of a lane, so I took it and scored from there. I couldn't stay down because we didn't have any timeouts."
Lawrence earlier on the drive completed clutch passes of 33 yards to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and 13 yards to wide receiver Dyami Brown. "What an individual effort," Head Coach Liam Coen said of Lawrence's touchdown.
"A tough moment. I can only imagine where he was at in that moment on the ground. To get up and shed some dude off … that's an unbelievable individual effort. At the end of the day, it's about winning and I'm proud of the toughness he showed at the end of that game."
2. All.The.Way. Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd was the AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September. He began October with his biggest play of the season to date, intercepting Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes at the 1-yard line and returning the interception 99 yards for a touchdown that gave the Jaguars a 21-14 lead with 2:19 remaining in the third quarter. "I picked up a couple of blocks, which was really big," Lloyd said.
"I don't know if I would have made it if I didn't get those. I'm grateful for everybody helping me get to the end zone."
The play not only gave the Jaguars a 7-point lead, it prevented the Chiefs from taking a seven-or-three-point lead.
"That was one of our zero blitzes," Coen said. "He was one of the guys that shows to get the offensive line to squeeze, then he pops out to the passing strength and just had another unbelievable play at a critical moment."
Lloyd broke two tackles on the play, avoided a would-be tackle by tight end Travis Kelce and got a clinching block on the sideline from defensive end Josh Hines-Allen. "He didn't have nothing to say," rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter said of what Lloyd said when he made it to the sidelines. "He was too tired."
3. What. A. Catch. The Jaguars spent much of the second and third quarter scrapping back into the game – and a key play to tying the game came on a remarkable play by the No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. With the Chiefs leading 14-7, Lawrence bought time in the pocket and threw deep to rookie wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. He leaped over two defenders, catching the ball for a 44-yard gain that gave the Jaguars first down at the Chiefs 28. "He (Hunter) is a special player," said Lawrence, whose 10-yard scramble four plays later tied the game 14-14 with 8:40 remaining in the third quarter.
4. Good response, good result. The Chiefs had momentum and a double-digit lead in the second quarter – and then the Jaguars turned in a gutty, impressive drive to keep the game close entering halftime. With the Chiefs leading 14-0 and just having driven 97 yards on five plays for a touchdown, the Jaguars responded with a 13-play, 70-yard drive that cut the Chiefs' lead in half. Wide receiver Parker Washington capped the drive with a 3-yard reception on a pass from Lawrence, but it was Lawrence's runs that keyed the drive. He scrambled 16 yards for a first down on second-and-9 from the Jaguars 39 and 14 yards on third-and-5 from the Chiefs 29 to move the Jaguars into the red zone as the half approached.
5. Good response, bad result. The Jaguars missed a chance – by inches – to tie the game early in the second quarter, a play that came after an impressive Jaguars drive. The Jaguars, after driving from their 39-yard-line following the Chiefs' first touchdown, faced fourth-and-goal at the Chiefs 1 with 13:41 remaining in the second quarter. Lawrence on the play attempted to jump and reach the ball over the goal line, with linebacker Nick Bolton knocking the ball from his hands and defensive end George Karlaftis recovering for a Chiefs first down at their 3. The Chiefs got away from their end zone with a 33-yard run by running back Kareem Hunt on the ensuing play, taking a 14-0 lead on a nine-yard run by Mahomes.
