Chiefs vs. Jaguars final score, results: Patrick Mahomes leads KC to victory despite ankle injury

Sam Jarden

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Chiefs vs. Jaguars final score, results: Patrick Mahomes leads KC to victory despite ankle injury image

When Patrick Mahomes came up wincing and holding his right leg in the first quarter vs. the Jaguars on Saturday, the hearts of Chiefs fans around the country dropped in an instant. 

After briefly trying to tough it out, he headed to the sideline and then eventually the locker room for treatment. Veteran backup Chad Henne took the field to try to hang onto the Chiefs' slim lead. 

Henne delivered, leading a 12-play, 98-yard touchdown drive to send the hosts into halftime at Arrowhead with a seven-point advantage. It was a crucial moment in the game, and it kept the home team in the driver's seat just when it looked as if the momentum was starting to shift toward the Jags. 

CHIEFS 27, JAGUARS 20

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Mahomes returned in the second half, and while he didn't look 100 percent, he led a gutsy, clutch fourth-quarter touchdown drive that helped the Chiefs take control of the game and go on to win 27-20.

Tight end Travis Kelce was unstoppable throughout, finishing with 14 catches (one off the record for a playoff game), 98 yards and two touchdowns.

Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars put up a fight, as they have all season. But a crushing red-zone fumble by Jamal Agnew in the final minutes was too much to overcome. An improbable playoff run for Doug Pederson's squad came to an end against the AFC's No. 1 seed. 

This marks the fifth straight year the Chiefs have advanced to the AFC championship game. They'll now wait to see who their opponent will be next Sunday — and also where the game will be played. If the Bills win Sunday, the game will be at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. If the Bengals win, it will be at Arrowhead. 

The Sporting News tracked the key moments and highlights from Chiefs vs. Jaguars in the NFL divisional playoffs. Here are all the key moments you might have missed from the showdown:

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Chiefs vs. Jaguars score

  Q1  Q2  Q3  Q4  F 
Chiefs 7 10 3 7 27
Jaguars 7 3 0 10 20

Chiefs vs. Jaguars live updates, highlights from 2023 NFL playoffs

(All times Eastern.) 

7:35 p.m. — The Jaguars put up a fight, but they couldn't pull off the upset at Arrowhead despite Mahomes' ankle injury. The Chiefs now wait to see who their opponent will be next Sunday. 

Final score: Chiefs 27, Jaguars 20

7:34 p.m. FINAL — Toney comes up with the recovery, and this game is over! The Chiefs will advance to their 5th straight AFC Championship!

Chiefs 27, Jaguars 20

7:33 p.m. FIELD GOAL — Patterson's kick is good from 48 yards. Now it all comes down to an onside kick. 

7:32 p.m. — Kirk makes another catch down the right sideline for a short gain and Doug Pederson will try the field goal here on 4th down. 

7:30 p.m. — Catches by Zay Jones, then Marvin Jones quickly move the ball down to the KC 35. They really just need a field goal, so we'll see how aggressive they get. 

7:28 p.m. — Trevor Lawrence trots back on. He needs quick points of any kind, then an onside kick recovery to have a chance. 

7:27 p.m. — McKinnon gets tackled short of the marker, and the Jaguars will at least get the ball back. However, down by 10 points and with 1:15 left on the clock, they need a miracle.

7:24 p.m. TWO-MINUTE WARNING — After two running plays go nowhere, we've reached the two-minute warning with Kansas City facing 3rd and 10. 

7:22 p.m. — A swing pass to Toney picks up a Chiefs first down. The Jaguars have no timeouts left and can't stop the clock, which has ticked under three minutes remaining now. 

7:20 p.m. INTERCEPTION — And that should do it! Lawrence's sideline shot to Jones gets picked off by Jaylen Watson! Incredible play by the defender!

7:19 p.m. — Kirk is back in the game, albeit limping heavily. He does make a catch for a short gain on first down. 

7:18 p.m. — The Jags get a very important stop on 3rd and short to keep their faint hopes alive. Pacheco was dragged down short of the marker thanks to a strong effort by Josh Allen. Now they need points, and quickly, 

7:16 p.m. — The play does stand, and it's Chiefs ball. An absolutely devastating mistake by Jacksonville, and their hopes of an AFC Championship appearance are dwindling by the second. 

7:13 p.m. FUMBLE — With the Jags in a hurry-up offense, Lawrence throws right to Agnew, who loses the football! The Chiefs recover! Huge turnover! Kansas City defender L'Jarius Sneed looks like he was really shaken up on that play. That didn't look good at all. But if the play stands, it remains a crucial turnover.

7:13 p.m. — Wow, fantastic run by Lawrence to pick up the first down! He lowers his shoulder and plows through a defender near the marker to keep the drive alive! 

7:11 p.m. — A Lawrence shot to the back of the end zone nearly gets picked off. His intended target was Marvin Jones Jr., but that was a dangerous throw. After an incompletion on 2nd down, it'll be 3rd and 10. 

7:10 p.m. — On the next play, Lawrence zips a low pass to Zay Jones, who manages to make a sliding catch for a gain of 18 yards. That moves the ball down to about the Chiefs' 40-yard line. 

7:09 p.m. — On 2nd and 10, Lawrence has to get rid of it with the pass rush bearing down on him. That sets up a crucial third down play. Lawrence takes a low snap and throws over the middle to a wide open Engram, who easily gets the first down. Very soft coverage there by KC. 

7:06 p.m. — Lawrence throws incomplete to Kirk on first down, and Kirk is shaken up. If he is out for the rest of the game, that'd be a huge loss for the Jacksonville offense. 

7:05 p.m. — Agnew takes off like he's shot out of a cannon on the return, but a diving Butker just barely managed to trip him up. That tackle might have saved a touchdown. Still, solid field position for the Jags near midfield to start the drive.

Chiefs 27, Jaguars 17

7:01 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — That's the way to answer! An incredible drive by Mahomes and the Chiefs ends with a jump pass touchdown to Marquez Valdes-Scantling! Fantastic stuff from Mahomes on a hurt ankle!

6:59 p.m. — Toney takes a handoff to the left side and bulldozes his way all the way to the Jags' 3-yard line! 1st and goal, Chiefs!

6:58 p.m. — After a neutral zone infraction call goes against Jacksonville, Mahomes zips one to Smith-Schuster, who hangs on for a gain of 16 yards. Mahomes might not be at full strength, but he's still leading an excellent drive under pressure right now. 

6:55 p.m. — Mahomes definitely doesn't seem like his usual self right now. He just underthrew Toney on a screen pass to the right side. But again, the next play is a completion to Kelce for 15 yards and another first down! Kelce is nearing the single-game playoff record for catches. 

6:54 p.m. — In a rare occurrence, Mahomes misses an open Kelce on first down. He threw it just behind the big tight end. But just one play later, the pair does connect and Kelce jukes his way for a first down gain. 

6:51 p.m. — Jacksonville needed that drive badly. Now it's Kansas City's turn to keep the pressure on with points as we enter crunch time at Arrowhead. 

Chiefs 20, Jaguars 17

6:49 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Just like that, the Jags are in the end zone! Etienne takes the handoff and dives across the goal line for 6! Patterson's extra point makes it 20-17!

6:48 p.m. — Kirk takes a reverse sweep to the right side and sprints all the way down to the Kansas City 4-yard line! 1st and goal, Jaguars!

6:47 p.m. — A false start penalty makes it 1st and 15 for the Jags, but two plays later Lawrence finds Zay Jones down the right sideline for a big pickup of 37 yards! 

6:45 p.m. — Lawrence tucks, runs, eludes a tackle and dives for a first down. Important play there to keep this drive going. 

6:44 p.m. — The crowd at Arrowhead is fired up and getting ever louder. They're trying to will their team to a win. After a completion to Kirk, it's 3rd and 7 for the Jaguars. 

End of third quarter: Chiefs 20, Jaguars 10

6:41 p.m. — Derrick Nnadi drops Lawrence for a big sack on first down, and that's how the third quarter will end! 15 minutes left to decide who moves on to the AFC Championship. 

Chiefs 20, Jaguars 10

6:39 p.m. FIELD GOAL — Butker connects on a crucial field goal, and the Chiefs' lead is back to two possessions!

6:38 p.m. — A tight end screen to Kelce moves Kansas City back to where they were before the penalty. It'll be a 50 yard field goal attempt for Butker. 

6:37 p.m. — After a short McKinnon run and an incompletion, it's 3rd and 9. Mahomes' pass is incomplete, but the officials call offensive pass interference on Smith-Schuster anyways. It's now 3rd and 19. 

6:35 p.m. — Big play by the Chiefs to start the ensuing drive! Mahomes drops back and finds a wide open Gray for a gain of 27!

6:31 p.m. — A second down screen to Engram gets blown up to bring up 3rd and 12. Lawrence's pass to Kirk is a tad underthrown on third down, and that will bring up another 4th down and another punt. 

6:29 p.m. — The Jags start another drive, this time at their own 15-yard line. They face a quick 3rd and short, and Lawrence finds Engram to keep the drive alive. 

6:25 p.m. — Nope, the ruling stands as called. It's 3rd and short for the Chiefs, and a direct snap to tight end Noah Gray does not get there! Reid may wish he saved his challenge for that play. It was a very close call, but the ruling is that he was short and it's 4th and 1. The Chiefs now have to punt it back after that interesting sequence. 

6:21 p.m. — Pacheco takes the handoff for a short gain on first down, then catches a swing pass and bullies his way for a few extra yards on second. The officials rule him just short of the marker, but Andy Reid will challenge it. Looks like he may have gotten there. 

6:17 p.m. — Lawrence is swamped on 2nd down and throws incomplete to set up 3rd and 7. His 3rd down pass is behind Kirk and falls incomplete as well, and Jacksonville will have to punt it away. Slow start to this half so far. 

6:15 p.m. — On the next play, Etienne goes right up the gut for a gain of 11. Looks like he'll be getting plenty of work this half. 

6:13 p.m. — The Jags' drive starts at their own 15-yard line. Short runs by Hasty and Etienne set up 3rd and 3, and Lawrence is able to find Etienne on a screen pass to the right side to pick up the first down. 

6:09 p.m. — McKinnon rushes for no gain, then an incompletion brings up 3rd and 10. Mahomes drops back and zips one over the middle to Kelce, but the tight end couldn't bring it in. Kansas City will have to punt for the first time this afternoon. 

6:08 p.m. — Hurt ankle and all, Mahomes manages to scramble for a first down on 3rd and 1 to keep the drive alive! This guy is built different. 

6:05 p.m. START OF SECOND HALF — The Chiefs get the ball first to start the half, and they are led onto the field by Mahomes. He's returning to the game. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported X-rays were negative, but he is likely dealing with a high ankle sprain.

5:58 p.m. — Kelce has absolutely feasted on the Jaguars' defense so far, racking up 10 catches, 55 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half. Jacksonville needs to find a way to keep him in check, especially now that Mahomes' status is up in the air. With that said, look for Andy Reid to feed Pacheco in the second half. The rookie running back has been excellent when called upon today. 

End of first half: Chiefs 17, Jaguars 10

5:50 p.m. — With Henne under center, Andy Reid will play it safe and kneel out the clock to end the first half. The Chiefs take a seven point lead into the locker room, but the big story remains Patrick Mahomes' injured ankle. 

Chiefs 17, Jaguars 10

5:47 p.m. FIELD GOAL — Patterson's kick sneaks inside the right upright from 41 yards out, and the Chiefs' lead is cut to 7. 

5:46 p.m. — A good tackle on Kirk by Jaylen Watson brings up 3rd and 2, and Lawrence's pass on 3rd down goes incomplete! Riley Patterson will trot on for a field goal attempt with 31 seconds left in the half. 

5:44 p.m. — After another pass to Kirk for a gain of 7, Lawrence improvs and dumps one off to Hasty, who scurries for another first down. The Jags have 1st and 10 at around the Chiefs' 30-yard line. 

5:43 p.m. — Lawrence takes the snap on 3rd down, and he fires it over the middle to Kirk for a gain of 15 and a crucial first down gain. 

5:39 p.m. TWO-MINUTE WARNING — Trevor Lawrence goes deep on 1st and 10, and Kirk has a step on two defenders but he can't quite haul it in. After a short Etienne run, it's 3rd and 6. That will take us to the two-minute warning. 

5:38 p.m. — A pair of handoffs to Etienne pick up a combined 11 yards and a first down to start the Jags' drive. 

5:37 p.m. — That was a heck of a drive by Henne, the veteran backup. Let's see how Trevor Lawrence can respond. 

Chiefs 17, Jaguars 7

5:33 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Kelce has another! Henne leads an incredible 98-yard touchdown drive! The fans at Arrowhead are chanting "Henne! Henne!" 

5:32 p.m. — Big play! Pacheco takes a handoff to the left side and turns on the jets for a gain of almost 40 yards! 1st and goal, Kansas City!

5:31 p.m. — Per the Chiefs, Mahomes is officially questionable to return with an ankle injury. 

5:29 p.m. — On 3rd and 3, Henne gets it away to Kelce, who stretches the ball across the line to gain for another first down! It wouldn't have mattered anyways, as Arden Key also got called for roughing the passer. It'll be 1st and 10 Chiefs from just across midfield. 

5:26 p.m. — After a short pass to Kelce, Skyy Moore gets hit hard on a run play a few yards short of the sticks. It'll be 3rd and 3 again, and the Chiefs use their second timeout to buy some time. Mahomes is warming up on the sideline, but there's still no indication he'll check back in soon.

5:24 p.m. — On 2nd and 3, Henne's pass is tipped up into the air and nearly picked off. That was a bullet dodged for Kansas City. On the next play, Henne goes short right to Kadarius Toney, who lunges ahead to pick up another first down!

5:21 p.m. — Henne's first throw is complete to Kelce for a gain of 6 to move the Chiefs away from their own goal line. On the next play, Pacheco surges up the middle for a gain of 8 yards to move the chains. 

5:20 p.m. — An excellent punt by Logan Cooke pins the Chiefs at their own 2-yard line. Mahomes just headed into the locker room, so it looks like it will be Chad Henne at quarterback for Kansas City on this drive. 

5:18 p.m. — Hasty drops a catchable ball that would have moved Jacksonville into field goal range. Big missed opportunity there. The Jags will be forced to punt this away. 

5:17 p.m. — A tripping penalty on 2nd and 5 backs the Jags up and makes it 2nd and 15. After Lawrence is sacked by Frank Clark, it's 3rd and a mile. 

5:15 p.m. — A Lawrence pass to tight end Evan Engram picks up 10 yards and another first down, and moves the ball down to the Kansas City 30-yard line. 

5:13 p.m. — The Jaguars get the ball back, and JaMycal Hasty breaks loose on a run to the right side for a big gain of 23 yards! That's a great kickstarter for this drive. 

Chiefs 10, Jaguars 7

5:10 p.m. FIELD GOAL — Butker drills it from 50 yards to give Kansas City the lead once again. Mahomes' injury on that drive could be a huge turning point, however. 

5:08 p.m. — Mahomes hobbles around in the pocket, then the ball slips out of his hand on what appeared to be a pump fake. It's called an incomplete pass and that will bring up 4th and 3. It'll be a field goal attempt for Harrison Butker and the Chiefs.

5:07 p.m. — Trainers on the Chiefs' sideline taped up Mahomes' ankle during the break. He looks a little better now, but he is definitely not playing at 100%. An outside screen to Skyy Moore loses a couple of yards to bring up 3rd and 3. 

End of first quarter: Chiefs 7, Jaguars 7

5:04 p.m. — After a short run by McKinnon picks up a first down, Mahomes throws off of one leg to Kelce for a gain of 7. That'll take us to the end of the first quarter as Mahomes limps off to get some treatment on the sideline. 

5:02 p.m. — Mahomes is clearly hurting, but he re-enters the game in an attempt to tough it out. He hands off to McKinnon, but he is limping heavily right now. I'm not sure how long he'll be able to stay out there. 

5:01 p.m. — Uh oh. On the following play, a defender rolls up on Mahomes' right leg and he looks in some pain. The Chiefs are forced to take a timeout as he limps off the field. 

5:00 p.m. — Mahomes keeps making magic. He steps left in the pocket to escape pressure, then steps right and fires a strike to Justin Watson to pick up a first down!

4:58 p.m. — KC's drive starts with a defensive holding penalty on the Jags. But a screen to Kelce gets blown up two plays later to set up 3rd and 6. 

4:55 p.m. — That was a lightning-quick and much-needed touchdown drive by the Jags. Now they need to figure out a way to stop Mahomes. 

Chiefs 7, Jaguars 7

4:53 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — What a throw! What a catch! Lawrence tosses a dime to Christian Kirk, who gets both feet down to secure the touchdown! Great response by Jacksonville!

4:52 p.m. — Facing 3rd and 1, Etienne rips through the line and makes a cut to pick up 19 yards! Just like that, the Jags have it in the red zone!

4:50 p.m. — This has been a rough start for Jacksonville, but they get a boost in the form of an excellent kickoff return by Jamal Agnew. He gets it all the way down to the Chiefs' 40-yard line, and that's where Lawrence will start his second drive of the afternoon. 

Chiefs 7, Jaguars 0

4:45 p.m. TOUCHDOWN — Who else? It's Kelce who makes the catch over the middle and rumbles into the end zone to open the scoring! That was a clinical opening drive by the Chiefs!

4:43 p.m. — Mahomes has to throw it away on first down, and after a decent run by Pacheco it's 3rd and 6. Mahomes takes the shotgun snap and runs into pressure, but just as he is about to be pulled down he fires one complete to Kelce for a first down! What a play!

4:41 p.m. — The Chiefs continue their march downfield with a 13-yard completion to JuJu Smith-Schuster. A short run by Jerick McKinnon then moves them into the red zone. 

4:38 p.m. — On 2nd and 3, the pocket collapses on Mahomes under a heavy pass rush, but he manages to get away a strange-looking jump pass and finds Travis Kelce open at midfield! Great start for Kansas City. 

4:37 p.m. — Mahomes takes the field, and on the Chiefs' first offensive play he pitches left to Isiah Pacheco for a gain of 12 and a first down. 

4:35 p.m. — Lawrence rolls left to escape pressure and throws downfield, but his pass is off the mark and nearly intercepted! Jacksonville starts with a three-and-out. 

4:34 p.m. — Lawrence's pass gets tipped on the first play from scrimmage and falls incomplete. On 2nd down, a swing pass left to Travis Etienne picks up 7 yards to set up 3rd and 3. 

4:33 p.m. GAME START— The Chiefs will kick off to get us underway. Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' offense gets the game's first opportunity. Harrison Butker boots it for a touchback, and we're off and running in Kansas City.

4:30 p.m. — Divisional playoff weekend is finally upon us. Kansas City, juggernaut of the AFC, takes on Jacksonville, the league's biggest cinderella story. Here we go. 

4:22 p.m. — All eight NBC analysts picked the Chiefs to win this afternoon. Time to see if Jacksonville is capable of stunning the world once again. 

4:09 p.m. — Rapper Lil Jon is in the building, and he's repping the Chiefs. 

3:55 p.m. — Here come the Jags. Can they pull off the playoff upset in a hostile environment?

3:48 p.m. — Patrick Mahomes may be undefeated in divisional playoff games, but Trevor Lawrence is undefeated on Saturdays in his entire life as a football player. One of those streaks has to come to an end today. 

3:27 p.m. — It is starting to really snow at Arrowhead. You would think wintry conditions would play into the Chiefs' hands, considering it's not something the Jags are used to. 

3:04 p.m. — As a reminder, these two teams met at Arrowhead back in Week 10. Kansas City cruised to a comfortable 27-17 win in that matchup.

2:53 p.m. — Andy Reid looked locked in as he arrived at Arrowhead. 

2:44 p.m. — Here's a wild stat: Patrick Mahomes has never lost a divisional round playoff game in his career to date. He'll be looking to keep that record intact today.

Chiefs vs. Jaguars start time

  • Date: Saturday, Jan. 21
  • Time: 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. CT)

Saturday’s game will kick off at 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local time) from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. 

The weather forecast calls for temperatures in the high 30s Fahrenheit with a wintry mix of precipitation possible throughout the afternoon. Winds will be relatively calm. 

What channel is Chiefs vs. Jaguars on today? 

  • TV channel (national): NBC 
  • TV channel (Kansas City): KSHB-TV
  • TV channel (Jacksonville): WTLV
  • TV channel (Canada): CTV
  • Live stream: NBCSports.com | Peacock | fuboTV (US) | DAZN (Canada)

The game will be televised nationally on NBC. Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (color commentary) and Melissa Stark (sideline reporting) will be on the call from Arrowhead.

In Canada, the game will air on CTV.

Viewers in the United States can stream the game live on NBCSports.com, Peacock or fuboTV, which offers a free trial. 

Canadian streamers can tune in with a subscription to DAZN, which includes every NFL game.

NFL playoff schedule 2023

Wild-card round

Saturday, Jan. 14

Matchup Result
Seahawks at 49ers SF 41, SEA 23
Chargers at Jaguars JAC 31, LAC 30

Sunday, Jan. 15

Matchup Result
Dolphins at Bills BUF 34, MIA 31
Giants at Vikings NYG 31, MIN 24
Ravens at Bengals CIN 24, BAL 17

Monday, Jan. 16

Matchup Result
Cowboys at Buccaneers DAL 31, TB 14

Divisional round

Saturday, Jan. 21

Matchup Time (ET) TV channel Live stream Tickets
Jaguars vs. Chiefs 4:30 p.m. NBC Peacock, fuboTV Buy tickets
Giants vs. Eagles 8:15 p.m. Fox FoxSports.com, fuboTV Buy tickets

Sunday, Jan. 22

Matchup Time (ET) TV channel Live stream Tickets
Bengals vs. Bills 3 p.m. CBS Paramount+, fuboTV Buy tickets
Cowboys vs. 49ers 6:30 p.m. Fox FoxSports.com, fuboTV Buy tickets

Conference championships

Sunday, Jan. 29

Matchup Time (ET) TV channel Live stream Tickets
NFC championship 3 p.m. Fox FoxSports.com, fuboTV Buy tickets
AFC championship 6:30 p.m. CBS Paramount+, fuboTV Buy tickets

Super Bowl 57

Sunday, Feb. 12

Matchup Time (ET) TV Live stream Tickets
Super Bowl 57 6:30 p.m. Fox FoxSports.com, fuboTV Buy tickets

Sam Jarden

Sam Jarden Photo

Sam Jarden joined Sporting News as an intern in 2020 and returned as a content producer in 2022. In between, he spent a year and a half at Turner Sports, managing the social media accounts for Bleacher Report, NBA on TNT, NBA TV and others. A proud UNC alumnus, he spends his free time following the Tar Heels, Buffalo Bills and Newcastle United FC, and has been known to occasionally hit the links.