The Jacksonville Jaguars improve to 4-1 after a gritty 31-28 Monday Night Football victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. Here’s everything you need to know from Jacksonville’s Week 5 primetime stunner.
Live blog:
Catch up on all the big plays and best moments from tonight’s game in our live blog!
Pregame Notes:
The following Jaguars were held out due to noted injuries during the week:
DE Travon Walker (wrist), LB Yasir Abdullah (hamstring), and OL Wyatt Milum (knee). DL Danny Striggow and DT Khalen Saunders Sr were both healthy scratches. Walker injured his wrist early in the second quarter of last week’s win, when he collided with safety Eric Murray to bring Christian McCaffrey to the ground. After wrist surgery on Monday the team labeled Walker day-to-day, with Travon able to practice with a cast on Saturday.
For the Chiefs entered the game reasonably healthy with no starters out due to injury. CB Kristian Fulton, TE Jared Wiley, RB Elijah Mitchell, DT Omarr Norman-Lott, OL Hunter Nourzad, and DE Malik Herring were the Kansas City inactives.
1st Quarter
The Jacksonville offense began the day with the ball, immediately going three-and-out after a questionable non-called pass interference on third down. The third-and-two conversion was stopped on a play where it seemed that the defender arrived early on Travis Etienne – the intended receiver. After the punt, the Chiefs promptly marched 45-yards before the defense held at midfield to force the punt. With both teams trading opening series punts, Jacksonville dug themselves an early hole after Lawrence was flagged for an illegal forward pass on first down, resulting in second and 14. Two plays later the offense punted back to Kansas City for their second consecutive three-and-out. After another long drive, this one a 9-play, 72-yard touchdown drive capped by a two-yard Travis Kelce reception, on what was initially flagged for offensive pass interference. However, after a small conference between the referees, the flag was picked up, and the touchdown remained. (Jaguars 0, Chiefs 7)
2nd Quarter
After an explosive 35-yard kick return from LeQuint Allen to the 39-yard line, Jacksonville picked up an immediate first down via a 22-yard Brenton Strange screen.
After a 22-yard catch by Brian Thomas Jr to enter the redzone, Jacksonville eventually worked down to a fourth-and-one from the one-yard line. Lawrence attempted his patented quarterback dive over the top of the goalline, but was ruled short of the goal, fumbling the ball away for a turnover on downs.
The Chiefs, again drove the length of the field, going 5-plays, 97-yard, 2:52 for their second consecutive touchdown drive, capped by a Mahomes scramble for a touchdown. (Jaguars 0, Chiefs 14)
Lawrence then led Jacksonville on their best drive of the game, a 13-play, 70-yard, 8:06 touchdown drive where Trevor extended the drive multiple times using his legs. After two Lawrence scrambles of 16 and 14-yards, Jacksonville scored their first points of the game on a Parker Washington three-yard touchdown catch. (Jaguars 7, Chiefs 14)
The Jacksonville defense then forced their first three-and-out of the game, after a Josh Hines-Allen 6-yard tackle for loss on Chiefs received Xavier Worthy on first down. Unfortunately, Jacksonville was unable to create additional points with the final 54-seconds of the half.
Halftime Stats:
- Score: Jaguars 7, Chiefs 14
- Time of possession: Jaguars 17:04, Chiefs 12:56
- First downs: Jaguars 10, Chiefs 10
- 3rd & 4th Downs: Jaguars 3/7 (43%), Chiefs 2/4 (50%)
- Sacks: Jaguars 0, Chiefs 2
- Turnovers forced: Jaguars 0, Chiefs 1
- Rushing yards: Jaguars 63, Chiefs 72
- Yards per rush: Jaguars 3.9, Chiefs 12
- Passing yards: Jaguars 164, Chiefs 99
- Passing yards per attempt: Jaguars 9.6, Chiefs 6.6
- Redzone: Jaguars 1/2 (50%), Chiefs 2/2 (100%)
- Penalties: Jaguars 3 for 20-yards, Chiefs 3 for 33-yards
- Points off turnovers: Jaguars 0, Chiefs 7
3rd Quarter
Kansas City opened the half with a quick three-and-out as Jourdan Lewis forced a third down incompletion to force the punt. The Jaguars offense then put together another dominant drive, on the legs of their quarterback as Lawrence found extra time with his legs, allowing Travis Hunter room to get behind the defense for a 44-yard catch.
Lawrence then continued with what worked in using his legs, calling his own number to cap the touchdown drive. (Jaguars 14, Chiefs 14)
The Chiefs quickly answered with an 11-play, 65-yard drive, which seemed to be heading for a touchdown, when LB Devin Lloyd stepped in front of the Mahomes pass. After intercepting the throw at the one-yard line, Lloyd returned the pass for a pick-six to give Jacksonville the lead. (Jaguars 21, Chiefs 14)
4th Quarter
The Jacksonville defense again held Kansas City to a mid-field punt after allowing an early first down. However, the Jacksonville offense gave the ball right back following a Lawrence interception inside of his own redzone where Parker Washington was clearly collided with before the pass.
Kansas City needed just two plays to score from the 19-yard line with Kareem Hunt closing out the drive with a five-yard touchdown run. (Jaguars 21, Chiefs 21)
The Jaguars offense answered the Chief’s touchdown with an 8-play, 25-yard, field goal drive after another quality return from LeQuint Allen, giving Jacksonville the ball at their 41. Cam Little drilled the 52-yard field goal to retake the lead. (Jaguars 24, Chiefs 21)
The Kansas City offense received the ball with 8:08 remaining in the fourth quarter, milking the remainder of the clock with what seemed to be a game clenching 12-play, 86-yard, 6:23 touchdown drive where the Jacksonville defense was unable to force a third down. (Jaguars 24, Chiefs 28)
The Jaguars offense had other plans, however, driving down the field on a 7-play, 60-yards, 1:22 drive featuring a 33-yard sideline catch from Brian Thomas Jr to open the drive.
The “Cardiac Cats” then moved into the redzone with Lawrence throwing an endzone interception. However, his receiver, Brian Thomas Jr was interfered with in the endzone. Lawrence then called his own number, after tripping over the center’s foot untouched, he hopped back up and scrambled to the endzone on one of the whackiest game-sealing plays that you will likely see this season. (Jaguars 31, Chiefs 28)
With just 23-seconds remaining and three timeouts, the Chiefs were unable to work within fieldgoal range prior to time expiring, forcing an unsuccessful Hail Mary.
Best highlight:
Devin Lloyd’s 99-yard interception is the longest interception return in franchise history and easily the best highlight of the day.
Biggest play(s) of the game:
According to rbsdm.com, the biggest play of the game by Expected Points Added (EPA) and Win Probability was Devin Lloyd’s 99-yard interception return (+12.7 EPA and +45% win probability).
Key stats (traditional):
- QB Trevor Lawrence: 18/25 for 221-yards (8.8 YPA), 1 TD, 1 int, & 1 fumble lost (95.6 passer rating). Additionally, 10-carries for 54-yards and 2 rushing TDs (5.4 YPC)
- RB Travis Etienne: 12 carries for 49-yards (4.1 YPC) and 3 catches for 9-yards (3.0 YPR)
- WR Brian Thomas Jr: 4 catches for 80-yards on 6 targets (20.0 YPC)
- WR Travis Hunter: 3 catches for 64-yards on 3 targets (21.3 YPR)
- LB Devin Lloyd: 2 tackles (2 solo), 1 PBU, 1 QB hit, and an interception returned for a touchdown
- LB Foye Oluokun: 14 tackles (7 solo)
- S Andrew Wingard: 7 tackles (4 solo), 1 QB hit
View the full box score here
Game balls:
- Special Teams: RB LeQuint Allen: 4 kick returns with a long of 38-yards and an average of 29.3. However, he averaged 31.7 per return on his final three returns providing a weapon for the special teams unit
- Defense: LB Devin Lloyd: 2 tackles (2 solo), 1 PBU, 1 QB hit, and an interception returned for a touchdown
- Offense: QB Trevor Lawrence: 18/25 for 221-yards, 3 total TDs, and 54-yards rushing on 10-carries (5.4 YPC)
PFF notable player:
TBD
The following players left Sunday’s game due to injury:
- TE Brenton Strange (hip)
- C Robert Hainsey (hamstring)
Full highlights:
- You can watch the top plays of the Week 5 matchup on the NFL’s YouTube channel here.
Post-game lingering observations:
1. Continuing to learn how to win
For the first time this season, the Jaguars faced a 7+ point deficit early into the game, exiting the first quarter down 7-0 (which would later become 14-0). While the game may not have been perfect, and it may not have been the prettiest, the Jacksonville Jaguars played effective, winning football to come back against a good Kansas City Chiefs team.
2. Still a work in progress
It feels weird to call a team that is standing at 4-1, coming off a game where they knocked off a defending Super Bowl participant a “work in progress.” Yet, that is what the Jaguars are. They found a way to grit out a win while their leading rusher was their quarterback, the defense went through ups and downs struggling to cover the Chiefs’ receiving core and pressuring Mahomes. Yet, none of that mattered when the lights turned off. Trevor Lawrence rose from the turf and scored. It wasn’t the way it was drawn up, but it counts all the same. The coverage and pressure issues will need answers as the year goes on, as the team would likely prefer not to be uber-dependent upon the blitz, but that is a problem for week 6.
3. Passing game improvement
While neither Brian Thomas Jr nor Travis Hunter went for 100-yards, lighting ESPN on fire, both were highly effective in this matchup with highlight catches when it mattered most. Thomas Jr pulled in an incredible Lawrence sideline throw for 33-yards while Hunter climbed the latter to secure a Trevor deep shot that fans have been clamoring for. If Jacksonville can continue to evolve with this version of their passing game, they are going to be able to beat many, many teams not as dominant defensively as the Chiefs.
What are your thoughts from tonight’s game, Jaguars fans? Who surprised you most or disappointed you with their play tonight? Let us know in the comments.
