99-yard interception return leads Jaguars to victory over Chiefs

Pete Sweeney, The Kansas City Star on Oct 6, 2025

Published in Football

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The visiting Kansas City Chiefs blew a two-touchdown lead on Monday Night Football, losing 31-28 to the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium.

The Chiefs dropped to 2-3 with the loss.

Here are some immediate observations about Kansas City’s Week 5 defeat:

Turning point: The mistake at the goal line

After the Chiefs built a 14-0 lead, the Jaguars rallied back with touchdown drives to end and start the halves.

Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes were in the midst of a gritty response powered by Xavier Worthy and Isiah Pacheco grinding for tough yards before disaster struck at the goal line.

On the Jacksonville 3 yard-line, Mahomes fired for JuJu Smith-Schuster on a slant, but Jaguars middle linebacker jumped in front of the pass to pick it off. Lloyd evaded a diving Mahomes, Kareem Hunt and a streaking Tyquan Thornton for a huff-and-puff 99-yard interception return touchdown.

The Chiefs managed to rally back in part thanks to a missed pass interference call that should have gone against Jaden Hicks, but in the end, this is where they lost all control.

Rapid reaction: Much like Brazil, Kansas City couldn’t contain the quarterback — and it cost them again.

It’s been a repeated talking point since the Chiefs last lifted their fourth Lombardi Trophy: each and every week, a matchup against Kansas City serves as a measuring-stick game.

And the opponent — and its fans — always seemingly treat it like a playoff game.

That happened on Monday night.

To start the game, Kansas City’s offense appeared like it had picked up right where its left off from a resurgence last week against the Baltimore Ravens. It was an inverse to what we had witnessed during the first four weeks of the season, where slow starts would give way to second-half success.

After scoring touchdowns on two of their first three possessions and making it look easy, Patrick Mahomes and a company punted twice, affording the Jaguars time to get back into the game. Mahomes methodically pushed the offense to Jacksonville goal line before making what was a game-changing mistake.

Coming into the game, turnovers had field the Jaguars to a 3-1 start, and that was again the key difference in a game in which the Chiefs outgunned them 476-319.

In 2025’s version of the NFL, every club seems like it has a quarterback who can get it done on the ground, and that proved to be the difference on Monday night. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence made some great throws, but much like Week 1 against Justin Herbert and the Chargers, the defense’s inability to contain the quarterback in timely spots lost them the football game.

Lawrence finished the night with 10 carries for 54 yards and two touchdowns.

Even down 14-0, the Jaguars never quit. And quite frankly, in the end, it seemed like this one simply meant more.

Critical stat: Penalties all night

Kansas City took 13 penalties for 109 yards; Jacksonville had only four penalties for 25 yards. That matters when a game is decided by one possession.