Trevor Lawrence panicked. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen thought he was ready to throw the ball away. Wide receiver Travis Hunter was confused. Yet, by the end of the chaos, Lawrence stood in the end zone and the Jaguars celebrated a stunning 31-28 win over the Chiefs on Monday night at EverBank Stadium.
“It was a crazy, crazy finish,” Lawrence said, still grinning in disbelief after the game.
From Trip to Triumph
The decisive play began at the Kansas City 1-yard line. Lawrence took the snap, and right guard Patrick Mekari stepped on his foot, sending him sprawling. He stumbled again, regaining balance, then popped up and scanned for a receiver with 23 seconds left. What followed looked like improvisation—and magic.
“I mean, I just panicked, honestly,” Lawrence admitted. “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.”
Instead, he saw daylight left, tucked the football, and sprinted before diving over the goal line. It was an unconventional finish—Coen called it “goofy”—but sealed one of Lawrence’s biggest wins. “What a tough moment for him not to lose,” Coen said. “His individual effort can hopefully springboard us.”
A Quarterback’s Rebirth
For Lawrence, the win was more than an addition to the standings. It was a statement that the quarterback, once criticized for failing to meet expectations, may be reaching his potential. After a rocky start under his third head coach and system in four years, Monday night marked a breakthrough.
Lawrence completed 18 of 25 passes for 221 yards, a touchdown, and one interception, while adding 54 rushing yards and two scores on 10 carries. His best throw, a 33-yard dart to rookie Brian Thomas Jr., set up the game-winning touchdown.
“It’s a goofy finish, but it shows what kind of competitor he is,” Coen said. “He wasn’t going to be denied.”
Finding Strength in Movement
After a Week 4 loss to San Francisco, Lawrence regretted not using his legs more. On Monday, he changed that. “I’ve realized in the first few weeks I had chances to extend plays with my legs and make the defense defend the whole field. It made a big impact tonight,” he said.
Lawrence’s two rushing touchdowns matched his total from his first four seasons. For just the second time in his NFL career, he had zero off-target throws—even after losing tight end Brenton Strange (hip) and center Robert Hainsey late in the game.
“Trevor has just been a dog,” Hunter said. “No matter the adversity, he just kept going — next play, next play — and brought the offense along with him.”
Changing the Narrative
The victory propelled Jacksonville to 4-1 and into a tie for the top spot in the AFC with Buffalo and Indianapolis. Most importantly, it gave Lawrence his first win over Patrick Mahomes—a symbolic moment between two elite quarterbacks.
“It’s about the guys in that locker room,” Lawrence said. “We don’t listen to the outside noise. We know what we have and we believe in it. That’s what matters.”
For years, the Jaguars stumbled in big moments. Monday, their quarterback literally stumbled—twice—then turned chaos into victory. If this play reflects Lawrence’s career, the message is clear: after years of slipping, he may have finally found his footing.
