By MATT PIKE
Trevor Lawrence tripped, got up and scrambled for a one yard touchdown with 23 seconds remaining, turning a laughable miscue into an improbable score , and the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28 on Monday Night Football in Jacksonville.
Patrick Mahomes accounted for two touchdowns, and Kareem Hunt ran for two more scores for Kansas City, which had won 23 straight when leading by at least 14 points. The Chiefs took an early 14-0 lead, thanks in part to a fumble by Lawrence at the goal line. After the teams exchanged punts on three consecutive drives, Kansas City first scored in the opening quarter with a two yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Travis Kelce.
After Lawrence's fumble at the goal line, ending a nine play drive by the Jaguars, the Chiefs needed just five plays to drive down for the score to extend the lead with Mahomes using his legs this time, rushing in for a nine yard touchdown. Jacksonville answered with a long 13 play drive down the field to cut the score to one possession, Lawrence finding Parker Washington for a three yard touchdown pass. Kansas City went to halftime up 14-7.
Jaguars two-way standout Travis Hunter made two big-time plays, including the fourth-longest reception by a rookie this season. Hunter hauled in a 44-yarder in the third quarter. The Heisman Trophy winner jumped and reached over Chamarri Conner to snare the ball and then held on despite getting his legs wiped out by Bryan Cook. The Jaguars scored four plays later on a 10 yard rushing touchdown from Lawrence to tie the game at 14-all.
Disaster struck as Kanas City was marching down the field to answer the touchdown. Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd, the AFC defensive player of the month for September, returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest interception return by a linebacker in NFL history. On the ensuing drive, the Chiefs were forced to punt, but then Trent McDuffie got his first interception of the season, setting up Kansas City to drive to tie the game.
Two plays after the interception, Hunt found the endzone for his first touchdown of the night to tie the game at 21. Jaguars kicker Cam Little hit a 52 yard field goal to put Jacksonville up by three points on the next drive, but again the Chiefs drove down as the teams traded blows, scoring after a 12 play drive, Hunt rushing in again from two yards out, to put Kansas City up 28-24. Before Lawrence led his game winning drive.
Lawrence was perfect when it mattered most for the Jaguars. He dropped a precision pass to Brian Thomas Jr. for a 33-yard gain on the go-ahead drive and then hit Dyami Brown for another big gain. Conner was flagged for pass interference against Thomas on the next play, setting up Lawrence's trip and score. The crazy ending halted the Jags' eight-game losing streak to the Chiefs.
Mahomes was 29-for-41 through the air for 318 yards with a touchdown and an interception, adding six rushes for 60 yards and a score. Hunt rushed seven times for 49 yards with two touchdowns, while Isiah Pacheco ran seven times for 36 yards. Tyquan Thornton had three catches for 90 yards. Kelce had seven catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy hobbled off the field in the third quarter after appearing to tweak an ankle but returned a few plays later. Worthy had been listed as questionable because he got off the team flight with a swollen ankle. Chiefs rookie left tackle Josh Simmons played despite being added to the injury report shortly before kickoff with an illness.
The Chiefs (2-3) next host the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is at 7:20pm with pregame at 6 on both KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and Q Country 92.7 (92.7 FM).
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