Mistakes Doom Chiefs in Painful 31-28 Loss to Jaguars/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Kansas City Chiefs unraveled in a 31-28 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, undone by penalties and a 99-yard interception return from linebacker Devin Lloyd. The Chiefs were flagged 13 times for 109 yards, including four penalties in the final two minutes. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes took responsibility for the critical turnover that turned the game’s momentum.
Chiefs vs Jaguars Quick Looks
- Final Score: Jaguars 31, Chiefs 28
- Key Moment: Devin Lloyd’s 99-yard interception return touchdown
- Penalties: 13 for 109 yards — four in final 1:45
- Chiefs Record: 2–3 after Week 5
- Mahomes Stats: Solid night overshadowed by costly interception
- Coach Reaction: Andy Reid blamed discipline, not stats
- Historic Play: Lloyd’s return — longest by a linebacker in NFL regular-season history
- Jaguars Record: 4–1 after win
- Final Sequence: Chiefs’ drive stalled by penalties and clock mismanagement
- Game Theme: Mistakes, flags, and missed opportunities
Mistakes Doom Chiefs in Painful 31-28 Loss to Jaguars
Deep Look
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Kansas City Chiefs left EverBank Stadium on Monday night knowing exactly who to blame for their latest heartbreak: themselves.
Plagued by costly mistakes, untimely penalties, and a 99-yard pick-six, the Chiefs fell 31–28 to the Jacksonville Jaguars, dropping below .500 after five weeks and extending their string of frustrating finishes.
“You can out-stat them all day, but it’s the score that matters,” coach Andy Reid said. “You have that many penalties, you give up field position, and you make it hard to win football games.”
Mahomes’ Costly Error Turns the Game
The defining moment came late in the third quarter, with Kansas City driving for a potential go-ahead touchdown.
Facing a red-zone opportunity, Patrick Mahomes looked to hit JuJu Smith-Schuster on a quick pass at the goal line — but linebacker Devin Lloyd jumped the route perfectly, snatching the ball and sprinting 99 yards down the sideline for a touchdown.
It was a historic play — the longest interception return by a linebacker in NFL regular-season history — and a 14-point swing that flipped momentum entirely.
“They showed blitz. Pat didn’t see him,” Reid said. “It ended up an interception, and that was the difference.”
‘Mahomes, who otherwise played efficiently, admitted the error was costly.
“That’s on me,” Mahomes said. “It was a great call by them, a great play by him. I’ve got to find a way to tackle him or slow him down.”
Penalties Pile Up Late
The Chiefs’ miscues didn’t stop there.
Kansas City was penalized 13 times for 109 yards, including four flags in the final 1:45 — a self-inflicted collapse that erased any chance of a comeback.
Among the late infractions:
- A kickoff out of bounds by Harrison Butker.
- A defensive pass interference on Chamarri Conner that set up Trevor Lawrence’s game-winning touchdown run.
- A holding penalty on Jack Cochrane that wiped out a 34-yard kickoff return.
- A delay of game that stalled the Chiefs’ final drive.
“We’ve just got to play cleaner,” said Mahomes. “We can’t keep putting ourselves behind the chains.”
Jaguars Earn Some ‘Payback’
For the Jaguars (4–1), the victory was as satisfying as it was dramatic. Players and coaches felt several key calls went against them earlier in the game — including what they believed was missed pass interference on Parker Washington and an overturned flag on Travis Kelce’s first-quarter touchdown.
“It’s funny how it evens out sometimes,” one Jaguars player said afterward.
Lawrence, meanwhile, credited the defense’s resilience for sealing the win.
“Devin’s play changed everything,” Lawrence said. “We believed the whole way, but that gave us the spark we needed.”
Chiefs’ Discipline Woes Continue
The Chiefs’ penalty problem has become a recurring theme. Kansas City has been among the most flagged teams in the league this season, and Monday’s 13 penalties tied a season high.
Even with Mahomes throwing accurately for most of the night and Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco producing big plays, Kansas City couldn’t overcome its lack of discipline.
“We’ve got to stop beating ourselves,” said tight end Travis Kelce. “That’s not the Jaguars beating us — that’s us handing them the game.”
Historic Night for Lloyd
Linebacker Devin Lloyd’s interception was not only the play of the game but also one for the record books.
The 26-year-old stepped in front of Mahomes’ throw, juked past both the quarterback and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and streaked down the sideline untouched, securing his fifth takeaway of the season, the most in the NFL through Week 5.
“You don’t get many moments like that,” Lloyd said postgame. “I just trusted my instincts — and my legs.”
Looking Ahead
The Chiefs (2–3) now face mounting questions about execution and focus as they prepare for another tough test against Buffalo next week.
Reid’s message was simple: forget the controversy, fix the mistakes.
“Doesn’t matter what the refs call if you’re clean,” he said. “We’ve got to play smarter football.”
The Jaguars, meanwhile, continue to solidify themselves as an AFC contender, their only loss coming in Week 2 against Miami.
“We’re learning how to win close games,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. “And tonight, we proved it.”
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