The NFL’s Week 5 matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs at EverBank Stadium on October 6, 2025, delivered the kind of drama that fans dream about—and players won’t soon forget. In a game that swung on wild momentum shifts and one unforgettable final play, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars stunned the reigning AFC champions, 31-28, with a last-gasp touchdown that has already become the stuff of highlight reels.
The Chiefs looked poised for a routine victory early, jumping out to a 14-0 lead behind touchdowns from Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes. Kansas City’s offense was humming, and the defense seemed to have Jacksonville under wraps. But in the NFL, no lead is ever safe, and the Jaguars proved it by clawing their way back—thanks in no small part to the resilience and improvisational flair of their quarterback, Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence, who has faced his share of criticism this season while adjusting to his third head coach in as many years, showed the kind of grit that can change a franchise’s trajectory. After a rough start, he led Jacksonville on a comeback for the ages. With the Jaguars trailing 14-0, Lawrence found Parker Washington for a crucial touchdown just before halftime. Then, on the first drive of the second half, Lawrence tied things up with a determined rushing score, setting the stage for a back-and-forth battle that would keep fans on the edge of their seats.
But perhaps the most jaw-dropping moment came late in the third quarter. With Kansas City threatening deep in Jacksonville territory, Mahomes fired a slant toward JuJu Smith-Schuster. The pass was picked off at the 1-yard line by linebacker Devin Lloyd, who sprinted 99 yards the other way for a go-ahead touchdown. Suddenly, the Jaguars had seized the lead, and the stadium was rocking.
Of course, Mahomes and the Chiefs weren’t about to go quietly. After a Jacksonville field goal and a brief exchange of turnovers, Kansas City mounted a 12-play, 87-yard drive capped by Kareem Hunt’s second rushing touchdown of the night. That gave the Chiefs a 28-24 lead with just 1:45 remaining—plenty of time for one more twist in this thriller.
Lawrence, celebrating his 26th birthday, took the field with two timeouts and a mission. He drove the Jaguars inside the red zone with under a minute to play. A pass into the end zone was intercepted, but a defensive pass interference call against the Chiefs set Jacksonville up at the 1-yard line with 23 seconds left. What happened next will be replayed for years to come.
On first-and-goal, disaster nearly struck for Jacksonville. Right guard Patrick Mekari stepped on Lawrence’s foot as the ball was snapped, sending the quarterback tumbling to the turf. Lawrence stumbled a second time as he tried to regain his footing. With no timeouts left and the clock ticking, Lawrence later admitted, "I just panicked, honestly. I was trying to get up to get the ball out of my hands. We didn’t have any timeouts left so I was really going to just stand up and launch it out the back of the end zone." But as he stood, he saw a lane open to his left. Without hesitation, Lawrence darted toward the sideline, broke a tackle, and dove into the end zone for the game-winning score.
The stadium erupted. Jaguars head coach Liam Coen, in his first season at the helm, called it a "goofy finish," but one that showcased his quarterback’s will to win. "He wasn’t going to lose and he made an unbelievable individual effort that hopefully can continue to springboard us," Coen said after the game.
Lawrence’s stat line was impressive: he completed 18 of 25 passes for 221 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and led the Jaguars in rushing with 54 yards on 10 carries, including two rushing touchdowns. It was the first time in his career he scored two scramble TDs in a single game, matching his total from his previous four seasons combined. Lawrence’s ability to extend plays with his legs was a difference-maker, especially on third downs. "That’s our greatest asset on third down besides guys getting open in coverage," Lawrence explained. "Sometimes they cover all the guys, and our O-line has been blocking really well, so being able to escape, use my legs, make the defense defend the whole field ... made a big impact for us tonight."
For the Chiefs, the ending was nothing short of a nightmare. Defensive tackle Chris Jones, a perennial All-Pro, found himself at the center of a firestorm after the final play. As Lawrence fell and scrambled, Jones appeared to hesitate, expecting a pass and failing to pursue the quarterback immediately. The missed opportunity drew sharp criticism from pundits and fans alike. After the game, Jones didn’t shy away from responsibility. "We gave this game away," he admitted. "So many mistakes by us. So many things we could have done differently … I put it on us as a defense. We have to finish. We have to bring him down on that." He added, "I thought multiple times we had him. We’ve just got to finish. Us, as a defensive line, we’ve got to be more disciplined on our rush lanes. We let Trevor get out multiple times, especially in the red zone. That’s on the D-line. We’ve got to be cognizant on our gaps. I take that personal, the containment of the quarterback."
The loss drops Kansas City to 2-3, a surprising stumble for a team that finished 15-2 last season and went undefeated in one-score games. This year, the Chiefs are 0-3 in such contests, a trend that has fans and analysts alike searching for answers. Mahomes did his part, completing 29 of 41 passes for 318 yards, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the defensive lapses and critical turnovers, including Lloyd’s game-changing pick-six.
For Jacksonville, the win is a statement. It’s the first time the Jaguars have beaten the Chiefs since 2009, and it vaults them to a 4-1 record under Coen, tying them atop the AFC with Buffalo and Indianapolis. Lawrence’s performance, especially in the clutch, signals that Jacksonville is ready to be taken seriously as a contender. Wide receiver Travis Hunter, who had a season-high 64 yards on three catches, praised his quarterback’s resilience: "He just continued to go next play, next play mindset and continued to bring the offense along with him."
Looking ahead, the Jaguars will host the Seattle Seahawks next week, eager to keep their momentum rolling. The Chiefs, meanwhile, must regroup quickly as they prepare to host the high-powered Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football—a matchup that suddenly takes on added urgency for Kansas City’s playoff hopes.
What a wild ride this Monday night delivered! If the Jaguars’ improbable finish is any indication, the AFC playoff race is just heating up—and no one is safe from a little chaos under the lights.
