Week 5’s “Monday Night Football” matchup is between two teams seeking their third straight victory.
The (2-2)
Kansas City Chiefs are at Duval County’s EverBank Stadium, hoping to get above 0.500 for the first time this season by collecting a win against the (3-1)
Jacksonville Jaguars, who want to prove they belong in the AFC’s top tier by knocking off the defending conference champions. Kansas City is coming off lopsided victories over the
New York Giants and
Baltimore Ravens, while Jacksonville has one-score wins over the
Houston Texans and
San Francisco 49ers in the rear view mirror.
For the last several days, it’s been expected that this game would be played in heavy rain. But storms moved out of Jacksonville on Monday afternoon, leaving mostly cloudy skies and temperatures in the upper 70s at kickoff. No precipitation is expected during the game.
First quarter
The Chiefs won the coin toss and deferred. Jaguars running back LeQuint Allen fielded Harrison Butker’s kickoff and returned the ball to the Jacksonville 30-yard line to start the drive. Running back Travis Etienne started the possession with a seven-yard run. A one-yard carry on second down set up third-and-2, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s first pass of the night, intended for Etienne, fell incomplete, setting up a punt. Nikko Remigio fielded Logan Cook’s punt, and he was tackled at the Kansas City nine-yard line for the Chiefs’ first offensive drive.
Patrick Mahomes started with a nine-yard throw to Travis Kelce, and a short toss to running back Isiah Pacheco on second down went for five yards and a new set of downs. On the next play, Mahomes connected with wideout Tyquan Thornton for 24 yards. A six-yard toss to Kelce then moved the Chiefs into Jaguar territory, though a penalty quickly brought them back to the Chiefs’ side of the 50. On second-and-9 from the Kansas City 47, Mahomes found Hollywood Brown for six yards, but he could not connect with Kelce to convert the short third down. Matt Araiza came on to punt. Jacksonville’s Parker Washington called for the fair catch at the Jaguar’s 14-yard line to set up Jacksonville’s second possession.
Lawrence started the drive by illegally throwing a pass in front of the line of scrimmage, costing the team five yards and a loss of down. After going incomplete on second down, Lawrence’s pass to Brian Thomas could only gain 12 yards on third-and-14. Remigio fielded Cooke’s at the Kansas City 26-yard line. The Kansas City offense would take over at the 29 after a three-yard return.
An end-around to wideout Xavier Worthy went for nine yards, and a simple eight-yard toss to JuJu Smith-Schuster moved the chains on the next down. Pacheco uncorked his best run of the season on the next play, rumbling for 17 yards to the Jacksonville 39. Kareem Hunt could only gain a yard in relief of Pacheco, but Brown was called for a personal foul after the play, setting up second-and-24 back at the Chiefs’ 47. A screen to rookie running back Brashard Smith gained 15 of the yards, setting up third-and-9 from the Jacksonville 38. After taking a timeout, Mahomes eluded a blitz to throw 32 yards deep to Thornton at the six-yard line to set up first-and-goal. After the play survived a Jacksonville challenge, Smith carried for four yards to the two-yard line. Mahomes found Worthy in the back of the end zone on second down, but he could not get both feet down. On third-and-goal, Mahomes found Kelce for a two-yard touchdown. Butker’s extra point opened the lead at Chiefs 7, Jaguars 0.
Allen returned Butker’s kickoff 35 yards to bring the Jaguars offense back out at their own 40-yard line. Jacksonville gained their first new set of downs with a 22-yard throw to tight end Brenton Strange to the Chiefs’ 39-yard line. After a five and three-yard carries by Etienne, the Jaguars faced third-and-2 from the Kansas City 32-yard line. Lawrence kept and narrowly scrambled for the first down. On the next play, Thomas set up first-and-goal with a 22-yard pass to the seven-yard line. After Etienne was dropped at the line of scrimmage, the first quarter came to an end with Jacksonville facing second-and-goal at the seven.
Second quarter
A pass to Etienne gained four yards. From the three-yard line, Lawrence was knocked out of bounds at the one-yard line, setting up fourth down. On fourth-and-goal, Lawrence tried to reach across the goal line, only to see the ball knocked out of his hands by linebacker Nick Bolton and end up in the hands of defensive end George Karlaftis. The Chiefs took over at their own one-yard line.
Hunt turned back time with a 33-yard carry on first down as Kansas City escaped the shadow of their own end zone. Throws to Worthy and Brown quickly moved the possession into Jaguar territory. On first-and-10 from the Jacksonville 43, Mahomes found Thornton deep again to set up first-and-goal from the nine. On the next play, Mahomes ran the ball in himself for the touchdown. Butker drilled the extra point to extend the lead to Chiefs 14, Jaguars 0.
Allen returned Butker’s kickoff to the Jacksonville 30. Etienne gained two yards on first down, but defensive end Charles Omenihu sacked Lawrence on second down to take the two yards back. After a delay of game penalty set up third-and-15, a Chiefs pass interference penalty extended the drive. Rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten’s first carry went only for two yards, but Lawrence scrambled to the Kansas City 45-yard line on the next play. After Tuten lost a yard on first down, rookie Travis Hunter made his first catch — and eluded a tackle to move for the first down. On the next play, three Chiefs had a chance to catch bobbled downfield pass for an interception, only to see it fall incomplete. Tuten gained six yards to set up third-and-4 from Kansas City 29-yard line. Lawrence again scrambled for the first down and ran all the way to the 15. After calling timeout, Lawrence and Thomas could not connect in the end zone. Etienne gained eight yards to set up third-and-2 from the seven-yard line. Etienne moved the chains to set up first-and-goal. Lawrence found Parker Washington for the touchdown on the next play. Cam Little’s extra point narrowed the lead to Chiefs 14, Jaguars 7.
A touchback started the Chiefs at their own 35. Star pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen sniffed out a reverse to Worthy for a six-yard loss that brought the half to the two-minute warning. On the other side of the break, Mahomes had to throw the ball away to escape pressure. On third-and-16, Mahomes connected with Hunt for only eight yards. Rookie cornerback Nohl Williams downed Araiza’s punt at the Jacksonville eight-yard line, with only 54 seconds remaining. Thomas caught a pass on first down pass to the 21-yard line. The first half came to an end after a holding call pushed Jacksonville back — followed by a six-yard sack on Lawrence.
Third quarter
Brashard Smith returned the second half kickoff to the Chiefs 33-yard line to start the drive. Pacheco was held to no gain on first down. An eight-yard throw to Kelce set up third-and-2. Mahomes could not connect with Brown, and the drive ended with a three-and-out. Washington fielded Araiza’s kick at the Jacksonville 14-yard line, but lost a yard on the return.
Etienne started the drive with a seven-yard catch before adding an eight-yard carry on the next play. On first down, Lawrence connected with Hunter for a 44-yard pass to the Chiefs’ 28. An illegal contact penalty then gave Jacksonville another set of downs at the 23. Two plays later, the Jaguars were looking at first-and-10 from the 12. After a two-yard carry by Tuten, Lawrence punched in the touchdown with his legs. Little’s extra point tied the game at 14-14.
Smith started the drive at the Chiefs 32 after the kick return, and Mahomes and Worthy connected for nine yards on first down. After Pacheco moved the chains with a short run, the running back went for 11 yards on a sideline pass to move into Jaguar territory. A six-yard pass to Worthy and an 11-yard run by Pacheco moved the ball inside the 30. Smith took a backfield pass to 16, but Mahomes and Thornton could not connect in the end zone on the red zone first down. Mahomes carried the ball to eight-yard line to set up third-and-2. Brown caught a pass in traffic at the three to set up first-and-goal. Hunt was held to no gain on first down. Disaster struck on the next play as Mahomes was picked off by linebacker Devin Lloyd — who returned the interception 99 yards for a touchdown. Little’s extra point flipped the lead to Jacksonville 21, Chiefs 14.
Smith looked determined to tie the game by himself with a 60-yard return, but a holding call would start the Chiefs at their own 20. Mahomes quickly found 19 yards on a sideline throw to Worthy. After an incompletion on first down, the two connected again for eight yards to set up third-and-2. Mahomes scrambled to the Jacksonville 44, and the third quarter came to an end with a Pacheco run being negated by penalty. On the other side of the break, the Chiefs would face first-and-19 from their own 47.
Fourth quarter
Mahomes overthrew Worthy in the end zone to start the final frame. A delay of game forced the Chiefs into second-and-24. Mahomes tried to go deep to Thornton on the next play, but the ball was knocked away. Mahomes scrambled on third down for 13 yards to set up fourth-and-10. Araiza came on to punt. Washington fair caught the ball at the 12-yard line to bring Jacksonville’s offense back onto the field.
Two plays into the drive, the Chiefs got a much-needed break as Trent McDuffie intercepted Lawrence at the Jacksonville 19-yard line to put the Chiefs’ offense back on the field.
Mahomes found Kelce at the five-yard line on the first play to set up first-and-goal. Hunt found the end zone on the next play. Butker’s extra point tied the game at 21.
Allen returned the kickoff to the 42-yard line where Butker actually made the tackle. Etienne started with a five-yard carry. Two plays later, Lawrence again scrambled for first down. A holding penalty on Etienne’s next carry turned a four-yard gain into nine and another first down. Lawrence was incomplete to Thomas, and a screen to Etienne lost three yards on second down. On third-and-13 from the 42, Hunter could gain only eight. Little came on for a successful 52-yard field goal to give the Jaguars a 24-21 lead.
Injuries
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy left the field with trainers after making a catch in the third quarter. He returned later on the drive.
