Jaguars Escape Arizona With Reignited Playoff Hopes After Wild Overtime

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Cardiac Cats aren't going anywhere.

Facing a massive week for their playoff implications, the Jacksonville Jaguars made things difficult on themselves but escaped with a 27-24 overtime win over the Arizona Cardinals after overcoming four Trevor Lawrence turnovers and a late Cardinals score.

FIRST QUARTER

The Jaguars managed to force an early punt from the Cardinals when former Arizona captain Dennis Gardeck sacked Jacoby Brissett on third down, continuing the defense's strong performance from a week before. The Cardinals, though, managed to pin the Jaguars at the three-yard line with a terrific punt.

That didn't matter to the Jaguars, who then drove 97 yards in just four plays for an easy opening drive score. Brenton Strange had a 30-yard catch, Travis Etienne had a 45-yard run, and Etienne then scored on a 15-yard pass from Trevor Lawrence to take a 7-0 lead.

After a DaVon Hamilton sack and then Foyesade Oluokun tackle for loss forced the Cardinals to lose 12 yards, the Jaguars seemed poised to continue to run away with the half. A Cardinals blitz on third down forced Trevor Lawrence to fumble the ball into the hands of Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen, who returned it seven yards for a touchdown.

SECOND QUARTER

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) hands the ball off to Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Jaguars did manage to re-take the lead on the next drive, with a 52-yard Cam Little field goal making it 10-7. But that only came after the Jaguars had 3rd-and-8 and were forced to kick a long field goal due to a Budda Baker sack.

The Cardinals then put together a drive after a third-down Brissett incompletion, but a holding penalty on Greg Newsome extended the drive. After another Brissett incompletion, the Jaguars and linebacker Devin Lloyd were called for roughing the passer -- the third week in a row the Jaguars have been hit with that flag.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) rushes during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After a short Bam Knight touchdown gave the Cardinals a 14-10 lead, the Jaguars were forced the punt for the first time in 15 drives after Trevor Lawrence nearly took a sack on third down for the third drive in a row. The Jaguars then forced a first-down holding call on the Cardinals, but Michael Wilson picked up 10 yards on second down and Brissett scrambled for the first on third down.

Luckily for the Jaguars, rookie defensive end Danny Striggow got pressure to force Brissett into an intentional grounding call to make it 2nd-and-22. The Cardinals picked up 21 yards on the next two plays as they chipped away at a banged up Jaguars secondary, leading to a key 4th-and-1 ... before Maason Smith was flagged for a neutral zone infraction.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) throws a pass during the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Luckily for the Jaguars, the Cardinals wasted the drive completely as they missed a 33-yard field goal with under 30 seconds left in the half to keep the score at 14-10.

THIRD QUARTER

The Jaguars put together a great opening drive that saw them hit gains of 15, 12 and 24 yards on back-to-back-to-back plays, but former Jaguars great Calais Campbell then tipped a goal-line pass that should have been an easy touchdown for Jakobi Meyers. Instead, it was intercepted and became the Jaguars' second turnover of the game.

The Jaguars' defense bailed out the offense by forcing a three-and-out, which was aided by Josh Hines-Allen forcing another holding penalty on the Cardinals offense. The Jaguars' special teams then got involved as Parker Washington returned the punt 43 yards to set up a Lawrence-to-Meyers 10-yards touchdown, Meyers' first touchdown as a Jaguar.

The Jaguars' defense kept the momentum alive as Gardeck split a sack with Devin Lloyd, forcing a Cardinals punt and giving the Jaguars some breathing room. That breathing room quickly got erased, though, as Lawrence threw another interception for his third turnover of the game.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (3) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

On the next play, Brissett scrambled to the sidelines and was hit hard out of bounds by Lloyd. A flag was thrown at first before officials overruled the call because Brissett was still in bound, which then led to Kedon Slovis entering the game and, eventually, punting.

FOURTH QUARTER

The Jaguars opted to punt after facing 4th-and-1 at their own 30, leading to the Cardinals getting the ball at their own 22 as Brissett retook the field following his earlier absence. The Jaguars' defense stiffened after their earlier miscues, though, and forced another Cardinals punt.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen looks on during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The punt was downed at the 1 by the Cardinals, though the original ruling was a safety on a whacky Parker Washington return. Luckily for the Jaguars, they managed to avoid giving up the critical mistake and maintained possession. But the Jaguars did not have luck for long.

After the Jaguars picked up a first down, Lawrence had his fourth turnover of the game after throwing his third interception -- this time to Baker. A few plays later, the Cardinals took the 21-17 lead after a Greg Dortch 39-yard touchdown.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) rushes as Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Calais Campbell (93) defends during the second quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Jaguars began to fight back on the next drive, with Lawrence hitting big completions to Meyers and Strange to get the ball to the Cardinals nine-yard line before Lawrence hit Washington for a nine-yard touchdown to make it 24-21 with over three minutes left.

The Jaguars' defense then continued to harass Brissett, forcing the Cardinals to go for it on fourth down from their own 28. The Jaguars failed to pick up a first down, though, and turned it over on 4th-and-1 from the 19 when they failed to complete the pass to Tim Patrick. The Cardinals then took over with 1:40 left with no timeouts remaining in the game.

The Cardinals then drove to the Jaguars' 10-yard line after Dortch and Michael Wilson picked up 47 yards on back-to-back plays, setting up a 29-yard field goal from Ryland to tie the game.

OVERTIME

After winning the toss, Lawrence hit Washington for a big 25-yard gain to get the Jaguars instantly into the Cardinals' 40-yard line. Lawrence then seemingly had Tim Patrick for a massive gain on third down, but Patrick never got his head around -- leaving the Jaguars to settle for a 52-yard field goal from Little to make it 27-24.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) throws the ball as Jacksonville Jaguars defenders Arik Armstead (91) and Dawuane Smoot (98) close in at State Farm Stadium on Nov. 23, 2025. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hines-Allen got a sack on first-down to force 2nd-and-14, but Brissett willed to another first down after a third-down scramble. The Jaguars then forced another fourth down, and Brissett opted to try the Jaguars deep -- but Andrew Wingard read the play all the way and forced a PBU to seal the win.

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