4 critical observations from validating Jaguars win vs. Chiefs on Monday Night

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a great opportunity to prove they're a serious playoff contender when they welcomed the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. They seized it. After trailing to start the game, the Jags took the reins and went on to beat the Super Bowl runner-up on the biggest football stage there is: Monday Night Football.

For most of the first half, it looked like the Chiefs were going to come out on top. However, linebacker Devin Lloyd's return for a touchdown gave the Jags a massive momentum swing. They made the most of the opportunity and won 31-28.

With that in mind, here are four critical observations from the Jags' victory on Monday Night Football.

Devin Lloyd just earned himself a massive payday

After failing to make a big impact the past two seasons, Devin Lloyd rightly had his fifth-year option declined early in 2025. It looks like the decision gave him the motivation to put it all together, as he's putting together a strong bid for Defensive Player of the Year.

After registering just one takeaway the past two years, Lloyd entered Week 5 with four. He added one against the Chiefs, and it may be the best one of his career.

With the game tied 14-14 and with Kansas City near the Jacksonville goal line, Lloyd picked off Patrick Mahomes and took it to the house to put the Jags up 21-14.

As the Jaguars PR account on Twitter noted, Lloy's four interceptions by a linebacker in a season are a franchise record, and his five combined takeaways lead the NFL.

If there were any doubts before the game that he was going to get paid in 2025, it's now abundantly clear that he'll command a top-market rate.

The Jaguars need to get the ball to Travis Hunter and Parker Washington

While Brian Thomas Jr. is playing better than he did early in the season, he's yet to recapture his dominant self that took the NFL by storm as a rookie. Similarly, Dyami Brown has cooled down after a strong start to 2025.

Meanwhile, Travis Hunter and Parker Washington are getting limited playing time but making the most of their opportunities. The latter had a three-yard touchdown to cut down Kansas City's lead to 14-7 in the first half. The former also reeled in a couple of jaw-droping catches throughout the bout. The one where he reeled in a 50/50 ball is the one that stood out the most.

Moving forward, it's fair to say that Travis Hunter and Parker Washington deserve a bigger role on offense.

Trevor Lawrence delivered when it mattered the most for the Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence has been under scrutiny this season. While he's flashed at times, he's also made a few mistakes, which would be fine if he were a rookie, but he's a vested veteran. Five years into his NFL career, No. 16 hasn't been able to consistent enough to be mentioned in the same breath as the top quarterbacks.

Against the Chiefs, he tried to limit mistakes, and the formula worked. Sure, he threw a pick, but that should've been a pass interference against Kansas City.

The one area where Lawrence deserves praise is that he took advantage of whichever lane he saw open to make plays with his legs. He finished the game with 54 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 10 scrambles. That kept the Chiefs' defense on their toes for most of the game. It worked, and then the final drive came, and he delivered.

Down 28-24, and less than two minutes to score, Lawrence drove 60 yards on seven plays to reach the Chiefs end zone and make it 31-28. He went 18-of-25 for 221 yards with one passing touchdown and one interception.

Lawrence's biggest moment, though, came when close to the Chiefs end zone. It looked like he was going to fumble but stood up and scored to give the Jaguars the win.

The Jaguars were measured and came through

The Jaguars were 3-1 after beating the San Francisco 49ers. Nevertheless, they weren't seen as a contender. They changed that with a win over the Chiefs when Trevor Lawrence reached the end zone with 30 seconds left in the game.

Now, expect the Jaguars to be the talk of the town after their win on Monday Night.

It's early in the season, but it's now time to take the Jaguars seriously.