Trevor Lawrence Explains How He 'Panicked' on Jaguars' Game-Winning TD to Upset Chiefs

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence's reaction to his tumble to the ground on what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown run against the Kansas City Chiefs was probably similar to what most fans were thinking.

Speaking to ESPN's Michael DiRocco after the Jaguars' thrilling 31-28 victory, Lawrence explained that he "panicked" when he fell to the turf before picking himself up.

"I mean, I just panicked, honestly," Lawrence said. "I was trying to get up to get the ball out of my hands. We didn't have any timeouts left so I was really going to just stand up and launch it out the back of the end zone."

On first-and-goal from the Chiefs' one-yard line with no timeouts and 23 seconds remaining, Lawrence tripped when Jaguars right guard Patrick Mekari stepped on his foot, fell to the ground, got up and found running room to get in the end zone.

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Lawrence's run gave the Jaguars a signature win early in the season against the reigning AFC champions. It also improved their record to 4-1, including a 3-0 mark at Everbank Stadium.

The Jaguars entered this season as something of an interesting curiosity. There has been a lot of hype around Lawrence throughout his career that he hasn't necessarily lived up to, but the circumstances around him haven't often provided a lot of help.

Lawrence finished 18-of-25 for 221 yards with one touchdown and one interception through the air. He ran for 54 yards and two scores on 10 carries. It was his first game with at least 50 rushing yards since Week 7 of the 2023 season.

First-year head coach Liam Coen earned a lot of praise for his work as offensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season.

The Jaguars made arguably a high-profile trade during the draft to acquire the No. 2 overall pick and add Travis Hunter. They also had a talented defensive line, led by Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker.

While it's still early in the season, the initial returns suggest the Jaguars deserve to be taken seriously as a playoff contender in the AFC. They overcame an early 14-0 deficit against the Chiefs.

Jacksonville also trailed 28-24 after Kareem Hunt's touchdown with 1:45 remaining in the fourth quarter. Lawrence orchestrated a seven-play, 60-yard drive on the ensuing possession that was capped off with his touchdown run to put the Jaguars back on top.

The Jaguars have been a very well-rounded team so far. They rank in the top 10 in both points scored and points allowed per game. They are 3-1 in one-score games this season, compared to a 4-9 record last season.

Things won't get easier for the Jaguars as they look to keep the positive momentum going. Their next two games are against the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams leading into their bye in Week 8.