He stumbled and bumbled — and yet still pulled off the game-winning score. What looked initially like a disaster turned into sheer heroism when Trevor Lawrence powered his way into the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run, sealing a 31–28 victory for the Jaguars over the Chiefs in Jacksonville on Monday night.

From the moment of the snap, it seemed destined for chaos. On first-and-goal from the one, with only about 30 seconds left on the clock, Lawrence’s foot was stepped on — reportedly by right guard Patrick Mekari — causing him to trip over a teammate’s leg and fall to the turf. ESPN.com+2The Guardian+2 He scrambled to his feet, faltered, fell again, and then gathered himself just as a narrow opening emerged.

Despite two falls, Lawrence refused to surrender. He broke free of a grasp from Chiefs defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, surged toward the left flank, and eventually dove headfirst into the end zone — with only 23 seconds remaining. The Guardian+3Reuters+3ESPN.com+3 At that moment, what had looked like a breakdown turned into one of the most dramatic game-winning efforts of the season.

“Just panic, sheer panic on the ground trying to [get up],” Lawrence told ESPN after the win. “We didn’t have any timeouts. Got stepped on coming out and I was like I gotta get up. I was just going to throw it out of bounds to stop the clock and there was really no one around me. So went and made a play.” New York Post+2ESPN.com+2

The game itself was a rollercoaster. Kansas City had built a 14–0 lead early, and late in the fourth quarter, running back Kareem Hunt punched in a 2-yard run to put the Chiefs ahead 28–24 with 1:45 on the clock. Arrowhead Pride+3Reuters+3foxsports.com+3 But Jacksonville clawed back, aided by a key pass interference call and a clutch completion by Lawrence to Brian Thomas Jr. to set up the goal-line situation. The Guardian+3Bleacher Report+3The Guardian+3

Notably, the Jaguars defense also contributed in a huge way: linebacker Devin Lloyd returned an interception 99 yards for a touchdown — the longest such return in franchise history. KMBC+3The Guardian+3Reuters+3 Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes delivered a solid showing for Kansas City, but the Chiefs were penalized heavily — 13 flags for 109 yards — their worst penalty total since 2019. foxsports.com+2Reuters+2

Chiefs defensive line star Chris Jones came under scrutiny for seemingly passively watching Lawrence scramble into the end zone. Some analysts questioned whether he should have pursued the play more aggressively. New York Post+2foxsports.com+2 After the game, Jones acknowledged the defense “gave this game away,” citing “so many mistakes” and saying the team must do a better job finishing. foxsports.com+2New York Post+2

For Lawrence, the victory was symbolic. He finished 18-of-25 passing for 221 yards, with one passing touchdown and one interception, while also leading the Jaguars on the ground with 54 rushing yards and two touchdowns (including the game-winning run). Bleacher Report+3Reuters+3The Guardian+3 The win marked Jacksonville’s first triumph over Kansas City since 2009, snapping an eight-game losing streak in the series. The Guardian+2Reuters+2 And with the Jaguars improved now to 4–1, it’s the team’s best start since 2007. Reuters+1

In retrospect, what looked like a misstep became a defining moment — a reminder that sometimes greatness emerges from disaster. Lawrence tripped, he stumbled, but he got back up — quite literally — and turned near chaos into a memorable victory.