The Jacksonville Jaguars overcame both early and late deficits to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
With the win, the Jaguars are now 4-1 on the season for the first time since 2007.
Let’s take a look back at the Jaguars’ performance with the three things we learned from Monday night’s game.
Trevor Lawrence made the key plays when needed
It wasn’t a flawless performance by Lawrence. There were two delay of game penalties and then the fumble at the goal line, but throughout the game, when the Jaguars’ offense needed a big play, Lawrence often found a way to make it happen.
A lot of his and the offense’s success started on the ground. Lawrence carried the ball 10 times, sometimes on designed calls by Liam Coen, but mostly it was Lawrence taking off when he felt it was necessary. He would record two touchdowns and led the Jaguars in rushing with 54 yards. But beyond the stat sheet, a number of those runs picked up first downs and helped extend drives.
Through the air, Lawrence was efficient, completing 18-of-25 passes for 221 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He had three exceptional throws, one on the touchdown to Parker Washington and the final two on the Jaguars’ last possession to Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown.
Watching the final drive unfold, it felt like Lawrence was going to will the Jaguars to the end zone one way or another.
“What a tough moment for him to say he wasn’t going to lose, and that’s kind of what it comes down to,” Coen said of Lawrence. “He wasn’t going to lose.”
The Jaguars have the national attention now
Even after a 3-1 start, the Jaguars seemed to be flying under the radar compared to other teams with that record. However, that won’t be the case anymore.
This game against the Chiefs was a measuring stick game for the Jaguars. Win, lose, or draw, the performance of the Jaguars and outcome of the game would tell us how far this team has come — and it’s pretty far under James Gladstone and Liam Coen.
The key plays made by Trevor Lawrence and the pick-six from Devin Lloyd will garner the attention — and understandably so — but the resiliency that this Jaguars team showcased, both on the final drive and in overcoming a 14-point deficit, was extremely impressive.
“The toughness and resiliency is something I’m really proud of,” Liam Coen said after the game.
A big payday is coming for Devin Lloyd
Another game, another interception for Lloyd — this time a pick-six against Patrick Mahomes. The 99-yard touchdown run was obviously impressive, but so was what went into generating the interception.
Lloyd faked like he was blitzing, dropped back into the middle of the field, and then drifted over into the throwing lane to make the play on the ball. Mahomes never saw Lloyd.
This is now Lloyd’s fourth interception on the season. He continues to fill a do-it-all role at the linebacker position for the Jaguars, remaining stout against the run and generating pressure as a blitzer to go along with the plays he’s made in coverage.
The Jaguars declined Lloyd’s fifth-year option for the 2026 season in the spring, making him a free agent this upcoming offseason. On his current trajectory, a big payday will be in store for him.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: 3 things learned from Jaguars’ Monday Night win vs. Chiefs
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
