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Jaguars Roar Back in Dramatic Fashion, Lawrence Secures Victory with Heroic Scramble
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – What began as a moment of panic for Trevor Lawrence quickly transformed into a game-winning spectacle, capping a wild finish that saw the Jacksonville Jaguars defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28 at EverBank Stadium on Monday night. The chaotic sequence culminated in Lawrence diving into the end zone with just 23 seconds left, securing a crucial victory for the home team.
“It was a crazy, crazy finish,” Lawrence admitted after the game, a sentiment echoed by offensive coordinator Liam Coen, who described the play as “goofy.”
The dramatic 1-yard touchdown run unfolded after Lawrence stumbled, falling when right guard Patrick Mekari stepped on his foot. He tried to regain his footing, stumbled again, then, intending to throw the ball away with no timeouts remaining, saw an opening. Lawrence took off, eventually breaking a tackle and lunging into the end zone.
This unconventional play marked a significant turning point for Lawrence, who has faced scrutiny early in the season while adapting to his third offense under his third head coach since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2021. His second touchdown run of the night sealed Jacksonville’s comeback from a 14-0 deficit and showcased to a national audience that the Jaguars are legitimate contenders in the AFC.
“It’s a goofy finish, but what a tough moment for him to be able to say he wasn’t going to lose, and that’s kind of really what it comes down to,” Coen emphasized. “He wasn’t going to lose and he made an unbelievable individual effort that hopefully can continue to springboard us.”
Lawrence completed 18 of 25 passes for 221 yards, including a touchdown and an interception. His best throw, a 33-yard connection to Brian Thomas Jr. on a third down, set up the winning drive. Just three plays later, the fateful snap from the 1-yard line led to his memorable scramble.
“I mean, I just panicked, honestly,” Lawrence explained. “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.”
Fittingly, Lawrence sealed the game with his legs. He led the Jaguars in rushing with 54 yards on 10 carries, which included a 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. His two scramble touchdowns against the Chiefs matched his total scramble touchdowns from his first four seasons combined.
“That’s something I’ve realized just the first couple weeks. I think I’ve had some opportunities to be able to extend plays using my legs,” Lawrence noted.
“That’s our greatest asset on third down besides guys getting open in coverage. The defensive schemes are really good, and 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.”
Demonstrating exceptional control, Lawrence also recorded zero off-target throws for only the second time in his career, despite missing tight end Brenton Strange for the entire second half and losing center Robert Hainsey in the fourth quarter.
“Trevor has just been a dog, no matter the adversity that he was [dealing with], what we had to go through,” said Travis Hunter, who contributed a season-high 64 yards receiving, including a 44-yard catch that set up Jacksonville’s second touchdown. “He just continued to go next play, next play mindset and continued to bring the offense along with him.”
This victory places the Jaguars atop the AFC, sharing the same record as Buffalo and Indianapolis. By outdueling Patrick Mahomes, Lawrence and the Jaguars have firmly declared their intent to be taken seriously as a contender.
“We have to take it week by week and obviously we think we’re a good team, so we believe that,” Lawrence stated. “But you don’t listen to the outside noise and not many of those people were around at the beginning of the season.
So, it’s really about the guys in that locker room, the staff, coach, all the people that put the work in and we have that confidence and belief. That’s what matters.”